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iPhone 13 pro not enough storage

Trying to setup my wife’s iPhone 13 pro 256gb and it says transfer cannot be completed because not enough storage on new device. The new iPhone 13 pro is a 256gb. Her old xs is 256gb and currently has 170gb used. What gives apple? First no charger with new devices and now this? If I’m not mistaken this has been a problem for a while on other older model iPhones. Is there a “fix”?

Posted on Sep 25, 2021 8:41 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 18, 2022 1:49 AM

Hi Apple support. I have just brought an iPhone 13 and the exact same issue saying not enough storage even though it’s 256gb. Is there a solution for this yet or I am going to return the phone it’s ridiculous. 😅

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Jan 24, 2022 5:03 PM in response to Eddiehansen1983

Nightmare. I am having the same problem transferring data from iPhone 11 Pro Max (256 GB) to iPhone 13 Pro Max (256) both running 15.2.1 software. The iPhone 11 Pro Max had 205 GB used storage but kept getting the same message cannot transfer due to not enough storage on the new phone. I tried side by side transfer, restore from back-up, and I-phone to I-phone hard wired with no success. Took the phone to the Apple Store with no resolve. I then went back to the carrier and they asked me to open a ticket with apple which I did. After 2 hours later, the apple technician requested that I replace the phone. I returned the iPhone pro 13 max 256 GB and ordered a iPhone pro max 13 512 GB. I don't know if this will resolve my issue. "Apple Engineering" root cause this issue as you have have a software bug that is causing major customer dissatisfaction. Root cause and please send out a patch. I have spent at least trouble shooting 20 hours trouble shooting.

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Dec 29, 2021 5:39 PM in response to Eddiehansen1983

I had this problem too. I have 196G in my iPhone 8 and transfer to new iPhone 13 Pro with 256G. It failed with the exact error as you showed by direct phone transfer. Then I try transfer by iTune in the PC windows 10. Backup succeed. Restore failed again due to not enough space in the new phone. Very interesting!!! I check the size of the backup files. It is 300G. For some reason, Apple expanses the size. Then I reduced my old phone size to 164G by removing some app and pictures. Now the iTune backup shows 249G which is smaller than 256G iPhone capacity. This time restore succeed. After new IPhone up, the it shows the storage usage is 185G. I hope this will helpful, especially for people who use iCloud for photos.

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Jan 8, 2022 12:15 PM in response to srithegreat

Same problem here. Has this issue been fixed yet or what is a ‘workaround’ until Apple fixes this issue? Normally, I have no problem with backups and restores. But, I just bought a new iPhone 13 and now when I try to restore from a backup, I get an error that there is not enough space available on the iPhone 13 to restore from backup. Apple tech support had me delete 100GB from my old iPhone so it shows 130GB of free space but it still has the same error message. Here is what I have and what we have tried:


iPhone 7 Plus 256G to

iPhone 13 Max Pro with 256GB


first, updated both the old and new iPhone with the same, newest IOS 15.2 operating system


the store, Apple technical support and I get the same err

iTunes, Gmail, and


When the Verizon store sold me the new iPhone with 256GB, they were unable to complete a QuickStart in the store but did not tell me why it did not work. Then, when I tried to do it myself via my regular backup/restore method via iTunes and side-by-side, all methods failed with the same error message about “not enough space” on the new iPhone 13. Since then, I have spent many days and hours on the phone with Apple tech support expects, who logged into my iPhone remotely and also had me delete almost 1/2 of my 256GB content from my existing iPhone and try and retry backup/restore to iTunes, QuickStart, iCloud but all failed.


Finally, today they advised me to go back to the Verizon authorized reseller store and ask them to replace the new iPhone 13 Max Pro 256GB with iPhone 13 Max Pro with more space such as 512GB or 1TB


Do any of you have any other suggestions? I appreciate your time and ideas,


Kristen

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Sep 26, 2021 5:59 PM in response to Soosie_J215

Unfortunately I have tried exactly that several times only to receive the same message every attempt. This is very disappointing. A quick google search of this topic shows this has been an issue for some people to back to at least the Xs. I have transferred from old to new iPhones many times and never had this issue. Hopefully someone at apple will correct this very soon.

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Oct 5, 2021 6:23 AM in response to Eddiehansen1983

Thanks for your reply Eddiehansen1983.


If you still need help getting the new iPhone set up, make sure both devices are fully updated to iOS 15.0.1. That was just released recently and could assist with this issue.


If the issue remains, and you still aren't able to set up her new iPhone even restoring from a backup, the next best step would be to reach out to our support teams. You can reach them through this link: 


Get Support - Apple


You can also contact our phone support directly through the number listed for your country at this link: 


Contact Apple for support and service


Take care.

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Sep 26, 2021 1:16 PM in response to Eddiehansen1983

Hi Eddiehansen1983,


Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand you aren't able to transfer your wife's iPhone to her new one due to a message about storage.


If you're using the method of Quick Start you'll want to keep the previous iPhone near the new iPhone 13 Pro through the data transfer. Please make sure to keep both devices connected to a power source and until the data migration completes. Transfer times can vary based on factors such as the connection type that you're using, network conditions, and the amount of data being transferred: Use Quick Start to transfer data to a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch


For issues with restoring an iCloud backup or backup from a computer, we suggest to follow these two articles: If you can't back up to iCloud or restore from iCloud backup failed and If you can't back up your iOS or iPadOS device to a computer or restore it from a backup


Please let us know if that helps.


All the best.

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Dec 25, 2021 12:30 PM in response to Eddiehansen1983

Did anyone ever come up with a fix for this? Same issue today

Iphone 11 128GB with 86.6 used trying to go to Iphone 13 128

both running 15.2

Tried side by side and itunes, same error

Sent diagnostics to apple support, no resolution yet

They're having me try an icloud transfer now, but the new phone seems to be the issue with both methods I've tried, so I am not confident in the icloud method.

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Dec 29, 2021 6:20 PM in response to JasonL2468

Same problem here. I bought four iPhone 13 Pros with 128Gb and trying to transfer from four iPhone 11 128gb content and having the same errors on all of them using the 'quick setup method'. Tried backing up iPhone 11 to iTunes, the backup is successful but when I tried to restore to the new iPhone 13 Pro 128GB, it says 'not enough storage' on the new phone. It puzzles me. I even tried to delete a lot of stuff from the old iPhone 11 and bought down the used storage to 110 GB from 121 GB, still same issue. Apple need to fix this issue. It is frustrating trying transfer everything to the new iPhone.

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Jan 11, 2022 2:33 PM in response to Soosie_J215

When will Apple have this fixed? Several Apple technicians, and Apple engineers have logged into both my old iPhone and new iPhone 13 Max Pro but, after 2 weeks, have still NOT been able to setup my new iPhone 13 Max Pro which has 256G of space. The iPhone 13 Max Pro with 256G always fails to restore from backup with the error message “no space”. Both iPhones are running the same IOS 15.2 operating system. Multiple Apple tech support engineers have remotely logged into both of my iPhones and also my laptop but they have still not been able to setup my new iPhone 13 with 256G because all methods of backup / store, including iCloud, Quick Start and iTunes, fail with an error message that there is not enough space on the 256G iPhone 13 Mac Pro, even though I deleted more than 100G of content from my 256G iPhone 7 Plus so it now shows that I have only used 160G of the available 256G so the new backup/restore of the 160G of content to a 256G iPhone 13 should fail with an error message of “not enough space” because the iPhone 13 Max Pro has 256G and the latest backups should only be 160G. The problem is the new iPhone 13 because, a while back, I successfully completed a backup/restore from my previous cracked iPhone 7 Plus 256G to my new (refurbished) iPhone 7 Plus 256G and it completed with no errors. Now it fails and the new variable is the new iPhone 13 Pro Max which is supposed to have the same amount of space: 256G and, even though, I have deleted more than 100G of content, in case the new OS15.2 is hogging up all the space, but it still fails.


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Jan 11, 2022 8:03 PM in response to Apple-HELP-

Having same issue trying to upgrade my daughter from an iPhone 11 to iPhone 13. Old phone had only used 85Gb of 256. iPhone 13 failing and is saying not enough storage!! She’s suddenly at her max??? What the **** Apple?! I’ll take the iPhone 13 back before I pay more money for a greater capacity iPhone!! I can not believe Apple service are actually recommending people go back and buy the larger storage device… unless apple has decided to measure data differently all of a sudden!!

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Jan 18, 2022 8:12 AM in response to Eddiehansen1983

Same issue. Have iPhone 13 Max Pro 2 weeks old with 1TB storage. Transferred from previous 256 GB iphone without trouble. Upgraded new iPhone 13 Max Pro to iOS 15.2.1. Am having to delete tons of stuff to make room the upgrade and for what previously fit on the old iPhone and the new iPhone. What is going on? Can I return this phone? I can't see paying for 1TB only to have NO ROOM for anything.

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Feb 16, 2022 8:21 PM in response to Eddiehansen1983

Same issue.


Bought a 512 GB 13 Pro Max and am coming from a 256GB X . THe phone says that memory is full but if you go to storage in settings only 32 GB are used. Nothing else is downloading. So dissapointing! The physical look of the phone is great but the same settings app as in 2006 still is just unbelievable.

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iPhone 13 pro not enough storage

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