Delete attachments directly from the Mail app
The fastest way to free up space is to delete attachments one at a time inside Mail. Open the email with the attachment you want to remove, then press and hold on the attachment itself — a menu will appear with a delete option. Tap it, and the attachment is gone from that email.
This method works for photos, videos, PDFs, and any other file type. The space is freed immediately. If you have multiple attachments in one email, you can delete them individually this way, or delete the entire email if you no longer need it.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any attachment in Mail to delete it without removing the email itself.
- Deleting attachments from Mail frees space right away, but does not affect copies saved elsewhere on your phone.
- If you receive the same large file repeatedly, turn on Mail's automatic download settings to prevent duplicates from piling up.
- Videos and photos sent through Mail often exist in your Photos app as well, so deleting the email attachment does not delete the original image.
Remove attachments from multiple emails at once
If you have dozens of emails with large files, deleting one at a time takes too long. Instead, select multiple emails and delete them together. In Mail, swipe left on an email to reveal the delete button, or tap Edit in the top left, then tap the circle next to each email you want to remove. Once you have selected them all, tap Delete or the trash icon.
This approach works best when you know you do not need the emails themselves — for example, old receipts with PDF attachments, or forwarded messages with large images. If you want to keep the email but only remove the attachment, you still need to open each one and delete the file separately.
Check your Mail download settings to stop large files from taking space
By default, Mail on iPhone downloads full-resolution attachments automatically. This means every photo, video, or document someone sends you gets stored on your phone at full size. You can change this so Mail only downloads attachments when you tap them, which saves space and data.
Go to Settings, then Mail, then scroll down to find "Load Remote Images" and "Download Attachments". Turn off "Load Remote Images" to prevent images embedded in emails from downloading. For attachments, look for options related to automatic download — the exact wording varies by iOS version, but disabling automatic download means attachments stay on Apple's servers until you open them. This prevents your phone from storing files you may never look at again.
Clear cached attachments from the Mail app itself
Mail stores temporary copies of attachments even after you delete them from individual emails. Over time, this cache can grow large. To clear it, go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage. Scroll down and tap Mail. You will see how much space Mail is using. Tap "Offload App" to remove Mail temporarily without deleting your emails, then tap "Reinstall App" to put it back. This clears the cache but keeps your messages intact.
A faster option is to simply delete and reinstall Mail, but this only works if you use iCloud for your email account — your messages will sync back down when you open Mail again. If you use Gmail, Outlook, or another provider, offloading is safer because it does not risk losing messages during the reinstall.
Move large files to cloud storage instead of keeping them in Mail
If someone sends you a large video or document you need to keep, move it to iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox instead of leaving it in Mail. Open the attachment, tap Share, then choose the cloud service you use. This stores the file on the internet rather than on your phone, and you can still access it anytime you need it.
This is especially useful for work documents, contracts, or videos from family. Once the file is in cloud storage, you can delete the email attachment without losing the file. Your phone only stores a link to it, not the actual file, so you save space while keeping the document safe.
Check Photos app for duplicates of images sent through Mail
When someone sends you a photo through Mail, it often appears in both your Mail app and your Photos app. Deleting the email attachment does not delete the photo from Photos. If you want to free up space, check your Photos app and delete the images there as well. Go to Photos, tap Select, choose the images you do not need, then tap Delete.
Photos app shows you how much space your images and videos are using. Go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage, and tap Photos to see the total. If photos are taking up most of your space, deleting old or duplicate images will free up more room than clearing Mail attachments alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting an email attachment delete the original file from the sender's phone?
No. Deleting an attachment from your Mail only removes your copy. The sender still has the original file on their device. You are only freeing up space on your own phone.
Can I delete an attachment without deleting the entire email?
Yes. Press and hold the attachment itself and tap delete. The email stays in your inbox, but the file is removed. This is useful if you want to keep the message but no longer need the large file.
What happens if I turn off automatic attachment downloads?
Attachments will not download to your phone unless you tap them. They stay on the email server. This saves space and data, but you need an internet connection to view them later. You can always download them manually when you need them.
Why is Mail using so much storage even after I delete emails?
Mail caches temporary copies of attachments. Offloading the Mail app from Settings clears this cache. If you use iCloud Mail, reinstalling the app will sync your messages back without the cached files.
If I delete a photo from Mail, will it disappear from my Photos app too?
No. Photos sent through Mail usually exist in both places. Deleting the Mail attachment only removes it from that email. You need to delete it separately in the Photos app if you want it gone from there as well.