Messages storage shows incorrect Documents & Data usage

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Level 1

4 points

Messages storage shows incorrect Documents & Data usage

Trying to free up storage, but the math is NOT mathing. I look at my messages storage through settings, apparently the documents/data is taking up ~6gb of storage.

I add up all the numbers in documents, and get 746.1 MB. That’s not even ONE GIGABYTE. So where is the five extra gigabytes coming from and how do I get rid of it? Mind you, I’ve FULLY (deleted from the trash) deleted almost all conversations, including the ones that were worth an entire GB. Also, the number I got should be even smaller after deleting my convos, yet STILL it’s taking up 5,76 GB of storage?

iPhone 8, iOS 16

Posted on Dec 6, 2025 12:04 PM

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Answer 1

26CC10 Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2025 8:24 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

just now, I deleted ALL conversations + deleted them from recently deleted. It’s still showing 5.66 GB. I clicked “Review Large Attachments” just to go through that as well, and it has photos from conversations that were (fully) deleted months ago.

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Answer 2

26CC10 Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2025 8:23 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

just now, I deleted ALL conversations + deleted them from recently deleted. It’s still showing 5.66 GB. I clicked “Review Large Attachments” just to go through that as well, and it has photos from conversations that were (fully) deleted months ago.

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Answer 3

Dec 6, 2025 5:50 PM in response to 26CC10

Top Conversations is not all conversations. Unless you delete old threads they will take up space forever. Even if you delete them they will remain in Recently Deleted for 30 days.

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Answer 4

26CC10 Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 8, 2025 11:32 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Okay, thank you very much

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Answer 5

Dec 7, 2025 8:44 AM in response to 26CC10

When you delete content it does not recover space immediately because that can take a long time, which would make you wait for it to finish. Instead it will recover with a background process, and it may not recover all unused space until it needs it. If you want to clear it immediately you must back up your iPhone, then restore that backup, as a backup does not include space marked as deleted.

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