I have explained how to clear iPhone/iPad system data in this guide. But what exactly is the system data on an iPhone? it consists of various information related to the operating system such as iOS in the case of an iPhone and iPadOS if it is an iPad.

Usually, in the system data Fonts, logs, dictionaries, local keychain data, and CloudKit Database information is present. Collectively, the system data can be viewed within the iOS/iPadOS settings app under the General section.

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How to View System Data on iOS and iPadOS?

Usually, there are two ways to access and view the systems on your iPhone and iPad.

1. View System Data on iOS/iPadOS

  1. Open the Settings app > tap on General > Tap on iPhone Storage.
  2. Under iPhone Storage, scroll down to System Data and tap on it.
    system data on iPhone

2. Check System Data on a Mac/Windows PC

  1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your PC/Mac using the designated cable.
  2. Launch the iTunes app on your PC/Mac.
    open iTunes on PC
  3. Click the small iPhone icon at the top of the iTunes home page. It will redirect you to the storage distribution section.
    check storage of iPhone using iTunes

You will see the storage covered by Photos, apps, System Data, and other documents.

How to Clear System Data on iPhone and iPad?

Here are the various methods you can use to clear the system data on iPhone or iPad.

1. Clear Browsing History and Website Data

Here are the steps to clear the browsing data on the Safari web browser app on iPhone/iPad.

  1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on Safari > tap on Clear History and Website Data.
    clear browsing data on Safari browser iOS

If you use the Chrome browser app then follow these steps.

  1. Open the Chrome app > tap on the three-dot icon at the bottom.
  2. Tap on Clear Browsing Data. Set the time range and tap on Clear Browsing Data.
    clear browsing data on Chrome browser app for iOS

If you use the Mozilla Firefox browsing app on your iPhone follow these steps to clear the browsing data on it.

  1. Launch Mozilla Firefox > At the bottom right corner, tap on the menu button.
  2. Tap on History > Tap on Clear Recent History > Tap Everything from the menu.

2. Reduce the Message History

Here are the steps to remove the message history on your iPhone or iPad.

  1. Open the Settings app > tap on Messages > tap on Keep Messages.
  2. Select between 30 days, 1 year, or forever. This is the timeline until which the message will be stored on your device storage.
  3. As you select from the above options you will be prompted to delete the older messages. Follow the instructions and clear the message history.
    delete older messages on iPhone

3. Install iOS/iPadOS Update on iPhone

Updating the iOS/iPadOS will optimize the apps, storage and fix any other bugs that may be affecting the storage space.

  1. Launch the Settings app > tap on General > next tap on Software Update.
    install new iOS update on iPhone

If a new update is available for installation, follow the instructions on the screen and grab it on your iPhone/iPad.

4. Delete Large Message Attachments

Attachments are the media files that tag along with a message. They may be of bigger file size and consume considerable space on your iPhone/iPad storage. To manage the storage space, it is advised to delete these message attachments.

  1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone storage.
  2. Tap on Messages. Go to the Documents & Data section.
    iPhone messages storage settings
  3. There will be different categories like Top Conversations, Photos, and Videos.
  4. Access all the categories that you see and then delete the attachments within them.

5. Offload the App from Your iPhone/iPad

Offloading will remove the app from your device but will retain the user data. Here are the steps to offload any app from the iOS/iPadOS app library.

  1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
    go to iPhone storage
  2. Under that go to Offload Unused App and tap on Enable to activate the feature.

6. Restore Your iPhone/iPad

You can erase all the contents and settings on the iPhone or iPad that you have.

  1. Go to Settings app > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
    transfer reset iPhone
  2. Tap on Reset > tap on the option Erase all content and settings on the menu.
    erase all content and settings on iPhone

Secondly, you can connect your iPhone/iPad to the PC/Mac and use iTunes to restore the device.

  1. Connect the iPhone/iPad to PC/Mac.
  2. Launch iTunes.
    open iTunes on PC
  3. Select the device and click on Restore iPhone/iPad depending on whatever device you have.
    restore iPhone

Simply follow the on-screen instructions to easily complete the restoration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Will Clearing the System Data Cause any Issues?

No, it will not cause any issues on your device. Rather it will clear the clutter from the iOS/iPadOS and optimize its performance. Also, more storage space will be available.

Why System Data Keeps Increasing on My Device?

System data is collected based on your activities with various apps on your device and also due to the creation of temporary files related to these apps.

Wrapping Up

I hope that now you know what system data is on an iPhone/iPad and how to clear the system data easily. With this, let us wrap up the guide. If you have any doubts drop them in the comment section.

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