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Hello, how can I get more Storage on my IPad?

How can I get more storage on my IPad?

iPad Air 2, iPadOS 14

Posted on Dec 13, 2022 7:28 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 13, 2022 7:41 AM

It is impossible to increase the amount of RAM or internal storage in your iPad - as this is fixed during manufacture; what you have is fixed for the life of your device. You can, however, subscribe to a higher tier of iCloud storage - but this is not a substitute for internal storage.

Upgrade to iCloud+ - Apple Support


If your internal storage is full, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data. 


These support pages should prove to be helpful:

About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? – Apple Support

Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support

How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support

Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space for a software update.

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/


Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:

If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


External storage options can often help with managing limited internal storage. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:


  • Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 13, 2022 7:41 AM in response to Godiva220

It is impossible to increase the amount of RAM or internal storage in your iPad - as this is fixed during manufacture; what you have is fixed for the life of your device. You can, however, subscribe to a higher tier of iCloud storage - but this is not a substitute for internal storage.

Upgrade to iCloud+ - Apple Support


If your internal storage is full, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data. 


These support pages should prove to be helpful:

About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? – Apple Support

Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support

How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support

Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space for a software update.

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/


Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:

If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


External storage options can often help with managing limited internal storage. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:


  • Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

Dec 13, 2022 12:17 PM in response to Godiva220

You don’t.

Any iOS device has an internal flash memory data storage drive of a fixed amount that cannot never, EVER be increased!

If you need additional internal iPad data storage there are ONLY two things to do.

Purchase a larger data storage capacity iPad OR backup, then remove, stuff off of your existing iPad.



If you need to free up free, internal data storage space on an iPad/iDevice, you need to start by backing up your iPad to either Apple's iCloud ( you may need to pay for additional, monthly storage space ) or by connecting your iDevice to a an older Mac or Windows PC computer running the latest iTunes or, if a newer Mac with a much newer macOS, like macOS Catalina, or later, use the macOS Finder to do the device backup and/or use some other offsite, “cloud” data storage/backup services, like Google Drive/Photos, BOX, DropBox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Flickr ( for photos/images ), etc.


Then, delete any installed apps that you no longer use or use infrequently enough that they aren't missed (you can always reinstalled any purchased or free apps at some time later, as you need them).

In addition, uninstall any games that appear to be using a sizable chunk of your iPad's internal storage, as well!


( A disclaimer to the immediate advice above. )

If you own a 7-10-year old iPad, you SHOULD ONLY delete apps that you have ever seldom used or no longer use as there is NO WAY now, from 2020 onward, to retrieve these old apps from the iOS App Store, any longer.


( Third party iOS app developers have permanently removed all of their older, legacy apps from Apple's iOS App Store servers forever!

There are, VIRTUALLY, NO more older, useful, popular, third party apps for over 8-10-year old iOS devices, any longer! )



Then, thin out/delete any music/videos/movies/TV shows/podcasts/screen recordings/photos-images/eBooks/

eMagazine/iBooks/audio books/Documents/PDFs, etc.



If you use a POP email account on your iPad, delete/thin out any old saved emails that maybe saved to your iPad.


To permanently delete photos/images off of your iDevice go into the Photos app and find the Recently Deleted folder/album and permanently delete any photos/images stored in that folder/album.


Also, you can check to see what other stuff is eating up all your valuable data storage space by going into the Settings App,,General Settings Panel, in the right hand column, tap Storage & iCloud usage panel ( in iOS 11 and later, it’s now called iPad Storage ), in the top Storage Panel, tap the Manage Storage panel, wait for a list of apps to generate that will tell you how much space each app is taking up on your iDevice.


Then, for older iPad models with a Home button, do a forced restart/hard reset of your iPad by holding down both the Home and sleep/wake buttons simultaneously until your iPad goes to black and restarts with Apple logo, then release the buttonsOR


For much newer, larger screen iPad models, without a Home button, try the new forced restart/hard reset procedure for the new 2018-2022 iPad Pro and 2020-2022 iPad Air 4 & 5, 2021 iPad Mini 6 and the new base model 10th gen iPad models.


1. Press and release the volume button closest to the top Power button.


2. Then immediately press and release the Volume button farthest from the top Power button.


3. Then, press and hold the sleep/wake/power button at the top. You will see the Slide to Power off button, but keep on holding down the power button until you see the Apple logo, then let it go.


Once you have performed all the steps, wait for a few seconds and your 2018 iPad Pro will boot up completely to the iPad Pro’s Lock screen.


ALL iOS/iPadOS devices need to maintain, at the very least, a minimum of between 3-6 GBs of free data storage space, AT ALL TIMES, to insure normal/nominal functionalities/operation and general overall performance of any iOS device running iOS/iPadOS.



If not all of this solves your iPad storage issues, your ONLY other option is to do a complete backup, erase and restore of your iPad model.


How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support


How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support


Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support


If you own an old/er iPad that is a low 16 or 32 GBs internal storage device, there is not much to be done to gain any useable internal data storage space, especially for a very low storage 16 GBs model.


Good Luck to You!


Hello, how can I get more Storage on my IPad?

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