This week, we'll show you how to figure out how much free space is available on your iOS device, as well as ways to optimize what you've got loaded on them. We'll also show you the basics of iTunes content control and how to manage apps.
You've probably synced your iOS device full of apps, music, and videos, but how do you check how much free space is available on your favorite iOS device without having to plug in to iTunes? It's simple: launch the Settings app, then tap General > About. You'll see a screen that looks like this:
In our example screen our iPhone4 has 958 songs, 16 videos, 75 photos, and 323 apps. This leaves us with 4.5 GB of space out of the available 29.1 GB. Not to shabby. If you find that your available space is under 1 GB you might consider removing things you no longer need.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
We know some of you out there just feinted over that 323 apps figure. It's true--we are gluttons when it comes to apps. But, we don't really use all of those titles for anything in specific, so here's a way to rid of those apps you might not need until a later time.
Locate one of the apps you want to delete. Now tap and hold it's icon until all the icons on the screen start to wiggle. Apps that can be deleted will display a white "X" inside of a circle on the upper left side of each icon. Tap that "X" and you'll then be asked to delete the app--press delete or cancel to abort.
If you need to delete more apps, swipe left or right through your iOS Springboard desktops and delete them one at a time. Note that folders and their contents cannot be deleted in mass. You have to delete all the apps inside individually before the folder will self-destruct.
Cancel this whole operation at any time and stop the apps from wiggling and making you dizzy by pressing the Home button.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Launch iTunes and tether your iOS device to your computer. Allow it to sync normally. Now, locate the icon representing your device on the left side of the iTunes window. Click it once with the mouse to select it.
Now note that you will see a picture of your device as well as a series of tabs. The tabs are: Summary, Info, Apps, Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, iTunes U, Books and Photos. You can go to each of these tabs and manage the content of your iOS devices.
Click the word "Summary" on the tabs list in iTunes. Now look at the Options section. There are three options that will help reduce the content synced to your iOS devices. They are: Sync only checked songs and videos, Prefer standard definition videos, and Convert higher bit rate songs to 128 kbps AAC. Check any of these three to start saving space on your devices.
However, please note that in order for Sync only checked songs and videos to work you have to go your music and video libraries and uncheck songs and videos that you don't want syncing to your devices. We do this frequently for songs or videos that we don't need any longer while on the go.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
While it is easy to remove apps one at a time on your iOS device itself it can be a whole lot easier to delete them in batches using iTunes.
While your iOS device is still attached and syncing is completed select your iOS device again as directed in the last tip. Now locate the "Apps" tab and select it with your mouse. You'll be presented with a screen that lists your apps in alphabetical order by default.
Look closely and you will see that each app that is currently on your iOS device has a check mark next to it. You can remove it from your iOS device my unchecking it and applying your settings by clicking the Apply or Sync button on the bottom right hand side of the iTunes window when you are done unchecking all the apps you want to remove.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
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tanker10a
January 23, 2011 at 12:26pm
Since when the iphone become so hard?!
It's inconceivable that iPhone users don't know these easy iphone stuff which warrant a dedicated page to them. A simple matter of tapping on these icons and read what these icons say.
