How do I delete "documents & data" that is consuming space?

You go to Settings>iCloud>Storage>Manage Storage> go through and turn off and delete what you really don't need or use. If you delete it it deletes all the apps. I tried to only kept my pictures and I'm trying to move those on my laptop. I'm guessing either buy more storage through the cloud. I only have 5GB ($0.99/month) and it said I needed an additional 18.95GB so I removed all. On my iTunes Summary I had 24.5GB of Documents and Data, I now have 9.28GB and thats my photos still -_- . Hope this helps. ***** either pay more for storage or prioritize. If this isn't correct let me know what I can do to get rid of that 9.28GB.

If you go to Settings>General>Storage & iCloud Usage>Manage Storage> you may notice a VERY large amount of Storage relates to facebook (in my case nearly 1Gb).

Delete it (the app - yes it says you will lose documents and data, but thats the idea) and then when you come out, the App hasn't been deleted, but when you log-back in (as it will 'lose' your stored password), mine went down to 150Mb.

I fixed this after seeing that I had 7.68gb of Documents and Data!

For iOS 10:

Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage > Manage Storage. Then wait for things to load up.

It'll list the app using the most storage first. You can click on each app to see some options to reduce the storage.

Mostly it's just a Delete App option. But at least if you do this and re-install you'll save heaps.

I have almost 2.6 gigs of this documents and data crap on my 6s, and it's getting bigger. It's less than a year old. It drives me nuts. I have no videos, podcasts, music, ibooks, photos nothing on my phone. Nothing in icloud storage, I deleted apps but the docs & data still did not go down in any significant manner. Also, once I start using the app again it goes up again. I cleaned up all my email, sent, deleted, huge files all gone, cleared the data on my browsers, any apps that have the option to clear data I have done it, I have tried every single suggestion here and then some and still nothing..

What is interesting is that my iphone 4 and 6s have basically all the same info, basically the same apps, except on the 4 that is where I have all my music and vids, yet the documents and data on the 4 is next to zero....Even on my 2nd gen ipad I have my email, crazy amounts of vids and even there the docs & data is next to nil. Apple what's up with that...it's almost going to get to a point where all your space is taken up by docs & data...

And it seems the only option then is to reset the phone?!! Yea right, Apple you need to come correct...😠😠😠

Also to add, there is not necessarily going to be a "docs & data option" on your phone. The docs & data is what the apps on your phone save on your phone. Do you have saved messages? Lots of pics? Emails? If you browse on your phone check the browser and see if u can clear the history and such...If you have icloud set up do you have things saving to it? It did that for me by default when I got my phone and I had to turn all that off. I would advise you go to your settings and look at every single item...and keep selecting the forward arrow option till you cannot go any further, then move on to the next setting..there are lots of little "hidden" items that save info to your phone and take up space.

Thanks for trying, Nick, but I truly cannot be bothered with Apple any longer. I have been frustrated by their garbage for such a long time now, I am sick and tired of it. One question is inevitably met with not an answer, but another question, and as much as I trawl through forums and youtube clips, I can find nothing that works. In order to save my sanity, I''l use an MP3 player for music, a camera for photos, and my phone for calling people. Apple quite obviously do a lot of the big things well, but the small things they ignore, and that is what has driven me away. Once I used iPod, iPhone, iMac and iPad, however, they will all go in the New Year when the sales begin. My comments have been deleted from Apple forums for "ranting", when this is hardly a surprise, as these people so obviously hate either criticism or bad press. I'm sick of it. Ho hum.

Happy Christmas,

Andy

Hey Andy, it was no trouble at all. I know it can be frustrating especially when you are fed up from the start. And for all my advice and hours of "cleaning" my phone, I'm still stuck with 2 gigs of the data crap on my phone. But I just live with it for now and make sure to keep cleaning out my emails and browsers and such when I am done.

But one more option you could use is just go into an Apple Store. They can help you and show you step by step.

Have a Merry Christmas!🙂

I feel like iTunes is giving you the wrong information. You know It sometimes shows me the wrong storage space taken and then after a while it shows me the correct one (like when I try to sync files to my phone). It is impossible to see same result after deleting some apps and message and so on. so try syncing something and you might be able to see the correct info. If the problem still exists, your only option is; to backup your phone and do a factory reset.

I feel your pain

Something so simple to ask, but its so @#@# annoying and complex to fix.

As you can tell there are dozens of part-answers..
maybe just put the phone in the microwave and start over!🙂

I have an iPhone 5 with no Facebook app. I have no f'ing clue what is taking about 9 gigs with "documents and data." I've deleted pretty much all my photos and videos. I have a handful of apps. I am so f'ing over Apple. Anyone wanna trade for an Android? heh.

Im struggling clean up space on my 4s recently and found that clearing cache wont clear the "documents and data " folder.

It is clearly not a smart way to depend on app developers to implement their cache file management. And it should be Apple's responsibility to design the cache mechanism. And apparently for whatever reason, Apple failed to do that.

I have this problem, too. I have a 128GB phone and over 30GB is/was "Documents & Data". Now, admittedly, I had not deleted messages since I got the phone and I have a lot of apps and photos. But, in following instructions in this thread, I removed Facebook (and restarted my phone) and attached to iTunes. Now my D&D is up to 49GB+. HOW IN THE WORLD IS THAT POSSIBLE?! Has anyone found an easier fix for this that is not restoring to factory defaults, starting again, and then restoring from backup? Has anyone gone to the Apple Store to get an official fix? Was going to make an appointment at the Genius Bar tomorrow if not.

UPDATE: I did remove all of my old messages and removed all but my mail from the Manage Storage area but D&D still takes up more than any other section.

i just deleted my wife's text messages for several contacts, and removed over 2G of "data & documents".

Check this out...

http://forums.imore.com/ask-question/265176-documents-data.html

1. Back up with iTunes
2. Settings>General>Reset>Erase All Content and Settings
3. Retore iPhone with iTunes

😎