Help, iPad's "other" space taking so much space!!!!!

I am writing this message because
I got my 16Gb wifi ipad about a month ago and I'm using it with great content.
However, for some reason the space in my iPad is decreasing and decreasing,
because the orange, "Other" space is increasing and increasing.

I remeber earlier on it was at zero but I dont understand why it keeps getting bigger....
Its taking up 4.54 Gbs right now... way more than any of the other categories.... and I cant think of anything that would be in the "other category"

Can anyone help me understand the situation??
Is it normal???
Is there anything I can do to get rid of the huge amount of "other"s?
I'm running out of space 😟 a problem which I wouldnt have if that other category didnt take up so much!!!!!!

Thank you for Reading...

iPad, Other OS

Posted on Aug 30, 2010 12:45 PM

Reply
375 replies

Feb 15, 2013 10:01 AM in response to xgrep

Thanks xgrep. Your Apple support link and advice worked for me. http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1503


17 GB of other disappeared! Deslected photo-sync, synced ipad, powered off ipad, re-selected photo-sync then synced again. Easy.


Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

(but no thanks for your smart fix.http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/01/29Apple-Increases-iPad-with-Retina-Displ ay-to-128GB.html)

Feb 17, 2013 11:16 AM in response to jovike

That recommendation is only partly useful, because some of the space in Other is used by native Apple apps that are harder to persuade to release the storage.


In the case of a non-native app, you can usually simply delete that app, and all of its storage will be released. In the case of some native Apple apps, such as Safari, you may be able to clear unneeded storage with their Settings controls, or by re-sync'ing (e.g., iPhoto, iTunes). In others, such as Messages, it may be much harder: in Messages, you have to explicitly delete individual photos and videos unless you feel like deleting all messages from a specific source. What's more, these don't even show up in Usage, so it's impossible to even know how much space photo and video messages are consuming.


As I said before several times, there are apparently many different consumers of Other space, and different ways to reduce or remove their contributions. It is not likely a trivial problem for Apple to fix. While I suggested it as joke (mostly ;-), Apple apparently believes that a viable "solution" to the problem is simply to offer devices with more memory (the 128GB iPad being the latest "fix").

Feb 17, 2013 7:45 PM in response to Njklutz

The quickest and easiest way to shrink the "Other" is to power it off, wait a minute, then power it back on. It doesn't take it down all the way, but it will shrink it.


My frequent accumulation is when I delete a video off my app. The video gets deleted but the Other space grows by the same size as the deleted video. I watch a lot of tv shows that I record then convert to use on my iPad or iPod. I don't have this problem on my iPod. The iPad is the only one that grows the Other when deleting a video. Until Apple fixes this problem, powering it off then on again is simpler then restoring the iPad constantly.

Feb 17, 2013 7:46 PM in response to yuri530

RESTORE NOT NEEDED TO RESOLVE "OTHER" SPACE ISSUES


I may have a solution for this as I also experience this problem on the iPad 4 (retina display) 16gb where by I had over 2gb as "other space"


First and foremost "other space" should be between 800mb and 900mb - these are preferences, apps, syncing data (not the actual photos your contacts yo may sync)


I plugged my iPad into computer and did my normal sync

I ejected the iPad.

I turned the iPad off by pressing the on/off button and then sliding across to power down

I waited 5 - 10 minutes

I turned the iPad back on and waited another 5 - 10 minutes

I connected it back to my PC and opened iTunes

I noticed that the 2.74gb "other" space reduced to 835.4mb within a few seconds.

I downloaed iExplorer and installed it (free version will do the trick)

Have iTunes open with iPad already connected

Open iExplorer and click "demo"

Under your iPad navigate to Media> Photodata> Thumbnails

Here you will see the following file names: 158x158, 240x240, and 332x332 with the extension .ithmb - make a note of these file sizes.

Right-click each one and hit delete and click ok if a warning sign comes up

Eject iPad using iTunes

Close any open apps

Do a hard reboot - hold the home button down and the on/off button together until the screen goes black and turns off - this can take up to 10-15 seconds to do

Sometimes the iPad may reboot by itself, and sometimes it may not - if it doesn't use the on/off switch to turn it on.

Open iTunes and then iExplorer and navigate to Media> Photodata> Thumbnails once again

You will see the same files you just deleted - but instead of being the size you made a note of, they will be considerably smaller.

Go to iTunes and check your "other" space and should be within the 800mb to 900mb


This also works with the iPhone 4s and other devices running iOs 4 onwards.


I have several devices currently on iOs 6.1.1 and all the "other" space currently shows between 800mb and 900mb which would appear to be normal


I hope all this helps and please let me know if it solves or doesn't solve your issues


RESTORE NOT NEEDED TO RESOLVE "OTHER" SPACE ISSUES

Feb 18, 2013 10:42 AM in response to Viktor Buckley

This worked pefectly for me, thanks!! Had like 3GB in "Other."


Here's what I did:


Plug in iPad, go to iTunes, Photos tab, uncheck "Sync Photos from" and click Apply


Eject iPad from iTunes, turn device off (hold sleep/wake button until you see the red arrow, slide to right, power device down, wait 30 seconds, hold sleep/wake button down until device boots (white apple appears), reconnect to iTunes and sync. "Other" should drop (show more space free). Go back and select "Sync Photos from" again if you desire.


Hope this helps.

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Help, iPad's "other" space taking so much space!!!!!

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