Get to grips with iOS 11’s new storage options

LEARN TO USE IOS 11’S AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL MANAGEMENT FEATURES

IOS 11 INCLUDES a storage management improvement that can save a lot of time and frustration in moments when you need extra storage space. Apple refers to it as offloading unused apps, and there are two ways to use it.

Offloading removes the app from your device, but not your personal data associated with it. If you want to use that app again in future, you only have to tap its icon on the Home screen to reinstall it and carry on as normal. Meanwhile, you can download a new app, music or video.

The most convenient way to use this capability is to allow iOS to automatically work out which apps to offload, based on the likelihood you won’t soon need them.

By leaving it to iOS to decide what gets offloaded, you run the risk of finding an app you need is no longer installed at a time when your internet connection is infeasibly slow or outright unavailable to redownload the app. So you also have the option of manually offloading apps.

Either way, this storage feature should make managing your apps and their data much less hassle than it used to be.