Q: why does my iphone 5c keep telling me I have no storage when I have no apps, messages, or photos on it?

Hello baileyfromwaterloo,

After reviewing your post, It sounds like you need to know what is taking up space on the iPhone. Is it iCloud saying the storage is full? I would recommend you read these articles, they may be able to help troubleshoot the issue. 

Check your storage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

iCloud: iCloud storage management overview

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Have a nice day.