Data Backup Digest

The Apple Watch is a rather ingenious device. Reminiscent of the high-tech wristwatch worn by the likes of Dick Tracy and other fictional detectives, the Apple Watch provides its wearer with even more functionality than anyone could have imagined just a decade or two ago.

Despite the usefulness of the Apple Watch is, it's relatively easy to fill its available storage space; especially if you're using an older model. The earliest releases of the Apple Watch only included 8 GB of storage space. Although the newer ones feature significantly more, up to its current capacity of 32 GB, this is still quite limited when compared to modern smartphones and especially laptop or desktop computers.

Thankfully, there are some methods you can use to find out which apps are taking up the most storage and there are even some tricks you can take advantage of in order to free up some precious storage space and optimize the data that is stored on your Apple Watch.

How Much Data is Currently Being Used?

To find out how much data is currently being used, and to highlight trouble apps that are using more space than they should, navigate to your Watch's home screen and tap on the Watch app. From there, navigate to the "My Watch" tab and tap on the "General" option. Next, tap "Usage" for a comprehensive view of your Watch's storage space.

You'll find the amount of available storage space, along with the total amount that is currently being used, at the very top of the "Usage" tab. More importantly, you'll be able to tell how much storage space is allocated to each individual app. You'll also be able to find out how much data is being used by general and miscellaneous files that may be stored on your Apple Watch, like music files and digital images.

Alternatively, you can access an overview of your used storage space by opening the "Watch" app on your iPhone. While it's conveniently located by navigating to the "General" tab and clicking the "About" button, it lacks the in-depth information of the above method. It simply breaks everything down into generic categories, including Applications, Photos, and Songs.

How to Free Up Space on Your Apple Watch

The most straightforward method to freeing up storage space on your Apple Watch is to simply delete the file from the device itself. To do this, use the device's Digital Crown to load the Watch's "Home" screen, which shows all of your apps. From here, simply tap on the "X" button delete any app you wish.

Music and image files are best removed using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. To do this, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and select the "My Watch" tab. Next, scroll down to the category you wish to edit, such as Music, and tap "Edit" in the upper-right corner. You can then delete files by tapping on the delete button next to the file.

You can also delete individual applications using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Simply load the Apple Watch app and scroll through the "My Watch" section. Once you find the "Installed on Apple Watch" section, simply tap on the name of any app to access its uninstaller.