Guide · Voice Memos

Voice Memos taking up too much storage? Free it up without losing a song

Songwriters hit this first: years of voice memos, and the phone says storage is full. Here is how to get the space back without deleting the one take that mattered.

1. See how much space Voice Memos uses

In Settings, go to General, then iPhone Storage, and find Voice Memos in the list. Long jams and rehearsals are usually most of it.

2. Empty Recently Deleted

Deleted memos are kept for a while before they really go. In the Voice Memos app, open Recently Deleted and clear it. In Settings, under Voice Memos, you can choose how long deleted memos are kept.

3. Check the audio quality setting

In Settings, under Voice Memos, Audio Quality can be Compressed or Lossless. Lossless sounds better and uses much more space. It only affects new recordings.

4. Turn on iCloud for Voice Memos

With iCloud on for Voice Memos, your recordings are backed up and appear on your Mac. Check you have enough iCloud space first.

5. Move the archive off the phone, then delete

Copy your memos to a computer or a songwriting app first. Only delete from the phone once you have played a few back from the new place and they work.

6. Never delete in a hurry

The memo you are about to bin might be next year's chorus. Name it first, then decide.

Questions

Does deleting a voice memo delete it from iCloud?
Yes. With iCloud on for Voice Memos, deleting on one device deletes it on all of them, after it leaves Recently Deleted.

Will compressed audio ruin my demos?
For ideas and rough takes, compressed is fine. For anything you might use in a real recording, keep lossless or record into your recording software.