Insufficient Storage To Install 5.3 Update

[Buadhai]

Although I was able to install the 5.3 update on my Apple Watch 2, my wife can't install on her Apple Watch 3 because she has insufficient storage.

According to the Watch app on my iPhone my AW2 has a storage capacity of 5.2 GB with 2.3 GB free. On my watch I have zero songs, 24 photos and 17 apps.

My wife's AW3 says that it has 4.3 GB capacity with only 739 MB available. She has 27 songs, 24 photos and 5 apps installed.

I have a hard time understanding how her 27 songs could consume so much storage.

We have rebooted the watch, but the storage figures remain the same.

I know I can restore from a backup, but I'd like to know if there's a better, easier way to fix this.

 

[Shirasaki]

For reference, I have 109 songs and 512 photos, as well as 9 applications, which leaves 2.0GB out of 11.9 GB available, and I am using 16GB model. For music, 109 songs use 7.6GB of space, which translates to ~72MB per song. Why? All of them are Hi-Res files, ranging from 38MB to 160MB. The most amazing part is Apple Watch can play those files, which according to Apple Support document, should not be possible. I doubt this is the case for your wife though.

To free up space, delete synced music from your watch temporarily. Just turn off related settings from Watch app “Music” part, such as “heavy rotation” and synced playlists. Once update is finished, turn music sync back on. And, maybe its time to upgrade to a 16GB model, which is standard now from Apple Watch series 4.

 

[Buadhai]

For reference, I have 109 songs and 512 photos, as well as 9 applications, which leaves 2.0GB out of 11.9 GB available, and I am using 16GB model. For music, 109 songs use 7.6GB of space, which translates to ~72MB per song.

Thanks for the comparison. I'm sure her songs are not high res. They are just Apple Music downloads.

I'll try to pry her iPhone out of her fingers when she gets home from work. I need to look at things in a little more detail.

- -

"People who blindly dismiss history deserves to suffer. Only who remembers the past and learn from it could thrive. Sadly, forgetting history seems inevitable."

Well, as Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, "What is past is prologue."

 

[nippyjun]

check for podcasts taking up space.

 

[Buadhai]

check for podcasts taking up space.

I don't think either one of us has ever listened to a podcast….

Anyway, here's what happened. As suggested by @Shirasaki I deleted the 27 songs on her watch. After doing so, the free space was still the same. However, I was able to proceed with the update. After doing so, the free space was 1.9 GB. I guess the install did a little garbage collection.

 

[Buadhai]

==

I knew this was going to happen. This morning my wife shows up at my desk all decked out in her running gear, scowl on her face, showing me her Apple Watch which said "No Music". I'm thinking, "I explained all this last night and told you…."

But, instead I said, "I'm sorry I didn't make it more clear that you'd have to reinstall your music."

 

[Shirasaki]

==

I knew this was going to happen. This morning my wife shows up at my desk all decked out in her running gear, scowl on her face, showing me her Apple Watch which said "No Music". I'm thinking, "I explained all this last night and told you…."

But, instead I said, "I'm sorry I didn't make it more clear that you'd have to reinstall your music."

LLLLOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL
27 Apple Music music. Like nothing.
I have to sync my music over 5 hours straight or across multiple recharge periods to get a full sync. Your wife will not have this problem.