"documents and data" Itunes storage bar

When I connect my iphone 5S to itunes it shows almost 3 GB going to documents and data, I know it is something apps and it has something to do with cache memory.... But is there any way of deleting it other than deleting the whole app and then reinstalling it? It is really frustrating for me!! Moreover when my storage was "zero KB" on my iphone I connected it to itunes, and the itunes bar was showing 1.21 GB of free space!! what is this? I am attaching screen shot of itune's storage bar. please need an expert opinion!!

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iPhone 5s, iOS 10.0.2

Posted on Feb 16, 2017 12:20 PM

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4 replies

Feb 16, 2017 12:47 PM in response to mehran_atta

Maybe one of these articles will help:


https://www.igeeksblog.com/documents-and-data-iphone/


What is "Other" and What Can I Do About It?


Another alternative is to go to:


Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage > Manage Storage (under STORAGE)


Then tap on one of the Apps and it will show you how much "Documents & Data" space that App is using. If you want, you can delete the App there and redownload a fresh copy to clear the "Documents & Data" space for that App.

Feb 17, 2017 1:24 PM in response to mehran_atta

That accursed bar is known to go way off, in both ways. I prefer to trust what the phone tells me in Settings / General / Storage & iCloud Usage, topmost Storage section.


If you have patience and persistence, you can find out which docs in which app are gobbling space. Just tap Manage Storage in that topmost section, wait for the list to build. Then tap on each item corresponding to an app and you'll see how much space the docs held in the corresponding app's private space are taking. On non-default apps you'll also see the app size itself as well.


There's no automatic system-based mechanism for deleting those docs save deleting and reinstalling the app. You need to visit each and use whatever deletion options the app offers inside. Some are sneaky; WhatsApp and Facebook are known for invisibly caching messages, videos, pictures and requiring jumping a few hoops to get those cleared.

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"documents and data" Itunes storage bar

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