Why does the system use more than a half of my storage?

I got exactly the same issue. 47.3GB of space eaten up by system and the phone is running out of storage and hanging. Did you get any resolution to this, please share

I have the same issue and my phone is painstakingly slow. I’m this close to switch to Samsung or whatever’s out there.

Apple team please help.. why are you silent. I am also having same problem

I tried iTunes backup instead and it worked. Thanks for the great help my friend.

Hi, ‚System‘ includes the data used and saved by non-apple apps. Think downloaded maps, videos etc.

You can delete apps like Tips & home they don’t do anything. I suggest you offload the apps that take up tons of space. As for the system taking up space I’d call Apple.

Use iTunes to check the storage on your iOS device

1. Open iTunes on your computer.
2. Connect your device to your computer.
3. In iTunes, select your device. You'll see a bar that shows how much storage your iOS content uses, divided by content type.
4. Move your mouse over a content type, like Other or Apps, to find more information:
   

Here is a list of the types of content on your iOS device, and what each type includes:

• Audio: Songs, audio podcasts, audiobooks, voice memos, and ringtones
• Video: Movies, music videos, and TV shows
• Photos: Camera Roll content, Photo Stream, and Photo Library
• Apps: Installed apps. The content of the apps is listed under Documents & Data.
• Books: iBooks books, audio books, and PDF files
• Documents & Data: Safari Offline Reading List, files stored within installed apps, and app content like contacts, calendars, messages, and emails (and their attachments)
• Other: Settings, Siri voices, system data, and cached files

About cached files in "Other" iOS storage

Cached files are created when streaming or viewing content like music, videos, and photos. When you stream music or video, that content is stored as cached files on your iOS device so you can quickly access it again. iTunes categorizes cached music, videos, and photos as Other instead of actual songs, videos, or photos.

Your iOS device automatically removes cached files and temporary files when your device needs more space.

If storage on an iOS device differs from what you see in iTunes

Since iTunes categorizes cached files as Other, reported usage for Music or Videos might differ. To view usage on your iOS device, go to Settings > General > Usage > Manage Storage.

If you want to delete the cached files from your iOS device

Your iOS device automatically deletes cached files and temporary files when it needs more space. You don't need to delete them yourself.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great day!

Hello becky_s22, I seem to be having the same problem as the UnrealGear here, on my iPhone 5s. I had to disconnect my iPhone from iCloud photo library, since it took up all (!!!) the space on my iPhone, even with "save storage on iphone" option ticked, so I left about 3,5 gb of photos on my phone. About 1,5 gb is taken by apps and with no music on my phone this is generally all media I have there. However, I am repeatedly getting "Storage almost full" message.

Below is my storage screen from iPhone settings as compared to one in iTunes on my Mac (it is in Russian but you see the gist).
As obviously seen, iPhone shows that most of the storage is occupied by something unidentified, which is listed as "system" below, taking up 7,54 gb. This thing doesn't seem to be showing up on Mac but is still there. As far as I am concerned, I bought a 16 gb iPhone, not a 9 gb one. What can be done to solve this? Is restoring from backup necessary?
Thanks in advance, natarave

Yes same with mine and it's almost full of the grey matter. I brought a samsung galaxy Tablet and it's great. The phone seldom gets used now only times like now for convenience. Appalling service and product only 3-4 weeks ago my whole ITunes catalogue of music was wiped out by Apple and yes I got it back after a week🙄🤔 the technician was an obnoxious bully who was very very rude trying to blame me🙉so for a week I was left without music and never was I offered a discount for their mistake.🙈😫

sorry about the delay in reply i just saw this now. Yes i am aware of this however mine has only begun to take up so much room recently and the apps that come with an iphone l thought were not included in your memory. My music is in the cloud not on my phone the same with my photis and books.

You are lucky my phone says it is using 200+gb on system! spoke to apple support they told me to wipe the phone and restore from Itunes back up. Did this wasted 1 day doing it and restored downloaded on apps and data and the phone was fine for 5-6hrs showing 5gb system then over the space of 2hrs the system became 200gb again. Apple support are looking into this but have no idea whats happening they escalated to senior engineers to look at it.

VERY ANNOYING.

They asked me to wipe lots of photos and videos to free up space but clearly this is not a soution as i bought a 256gb iphone x not a 15gb one!! They are looking into this.

Right now Apple is having the biggest crisis of the companies' career. A mysterious virus has made its way onto a staggering number of idevices and is tearing them up like a shark. I have a source high up at Apple who has informed me that the new virus made its way onto iPads and iPhones and iPhones through a two-pronged attack where it was sent through ads and then whoever's phone picked it up would send it to all their contacts immediately. It's spread like a zombie virus. Now every time you delete an app or photographs from your iPhone, iPad, iPod etcetera, the new mysterious "storage" gobbles up the space right away and continues to grow every time you do so, so that you can't download the new update which would correct problem. This will effectively make all Apple products, sold from the mid-2000s up until the virus is eradicated, that have contracted the virus, well only able to use apps that are already on the device. Because once you delete an app hoping to make room for another one, "storage" will eat the space up as it is deleted from the app you no longer wanted. Only Apple products that still have enough space for the new update and do so promptly will update and do so friendly will continue to function normally. There will be a major backlash from this and Apple is not planning on any refunds or rebates.

Let’s face it, this is all designed failure installed on our phones through Apple updates. Our storage disappears, our batteries won’t last a day, we can’t delete things off our phones because they mysteriously reappear to name a few. We are supposed to run out and get the newest IPhone to fix it all and the reality is it will be done to us again in another 2 years. This is my last IPhone, I’ll take my chances with someone else, hopefully with more scruples.

Any luck? I’m in the same boat. Never been an iPhone user but my android broke so I tried to join the hype. At this point I hate it!! I have restored and reset my phone about 10 times as per apple support! My phone is using 14.7 for software smh I have even deleted factory apps and no luck!! I can’t even take pics of my kids for safe keeping. Absolutely ridiculous that no one knows why these phones are doing this!!! And not one person from apple has commented. Please help up!

This is clearly the same as The Slowing down 'BY SOFTWARE' of older handsets essentially forcing us to buy new ones. Apple have admitted slowing machines down. If they add some code to make the system unacceptably slow or malfunctioning saying Not Enough Space to download the new OS then people tend to go buy new! We apple, screw you, start being right with people!