Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AndyD1

macrumors newbie
Oct 5, 2022
13
3
My System data is very slowly creeping back up.
3 days ago I reset my 14pm back to factory settings and restored from my last backup of my 12pm through iTunes then deleted all the messages in iCloud like I was advised on here. My system data was between 3-4gb. After 3 days I’m nearly at 15gb of system data.
 

Farrgazer

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2017
222
100
Here’s one anecdote in support of a fresh start.

I unboxed my 14 Pro Max, and I did not restore anything from any iPhone backup, whether it’s iTunes or iCloud. I’ve been redownloading apps manually by going through my purchases. All of this has been via Wi-Fi as my cellular data plan is very limited. My system data is still one digit, and it’s almost 24 hours since initial activation.

Based on what I’ve been reading so far, there’s definitely some kind of bug that’s making iOS take up space when a backup is restored. My unfound theory is that when a backup is restored, you’re not getting a disk image of your phone, but rather, iOS is following a script filled with what apps to download again, what settings each app had and all that, and during the process of executing each step, iOS gagged and is replacing actual usable data with useless bloat.

Edit: maybe not replacing usable data with unusual bloat but just occupying space for what it assumes is more of your usable data, even though you have everything.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Mr.C

AndyD1

macrumors newbie
Oct 5, 2022
13
3
Here’s one anecdote in support of a fresh start.

I unboxed my 14 Pro Max, and I did not restore anything from any iPhone backup, whether it’s iTunes or iCloud. I’ve been redownloading apps manually by going through my purchases. All of this has been via Wi-Fi as my cellular data plan is very limited. My system data is still one digit, and it’s almost 24 hours since initial activation.

Based on what I’ve been reading so far, there’s definitely some kind of bug that’s making iOS take up space when a backup is restored. My unfound theory is that when a backup is restored, you’re not getting a disk image of your phone, but rather, iOS is following a script filled with what apps to download again, what settings each app had and all that, and during the process of executing each step, iOS gagged and is replacing actual usable data with useless bloat.
That’s worth knowing.
 

aerodynamic18

macrumors newbie
Oct 8, 2022
6
0
If that is the case I do hope that they sort it soon. As I have a couple of apps that the password and user name belong to my in-laws (like for their cctv system) that I don’t have. So I’d really prefer not to do a fresh wipe and install
 

upandown

macrumors 65816
Apr 10, 2017
1,313
1,326
So guys another user with the same issue :( I tried a lot of the things suggested here but to no avail :( I contacted apple and the 1st suggestion was to wipe the phone and then to restore from an iCloud backup. I did this but still the same. I then rang back and they said to do the same thing but connected to computer. They said this would download the software for the phone before the restore. They really wanted me to start ‘fresh’ with no apps being restored but I really didn’t want to do that. I completed the wipe and restore from the iCloud but the system data is building again. I don’t think doing it fresh will make any difference based on others here. It feels like it has to be with the phone as I passed my old 11pro max to my wife and hers restored no issue. Then her phone went to her mum and again no issue with system data. All phones are running iOS 16.0.2 so must be a phone thing
I started fresh, no backup, downloaded and set up every app from scratch. Twice. It will not solve your problem.

It’s not just the iPhone 14. This problem has been around for a few years. Usually worse with the first public releases. There’s a 13 Pro in the house with the same issue on iOS 16.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Valbunny

couldvebeenyou

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2022
36
14
I'm the one who figured out that my iPhone Pro 13 was having issues with the TV App all of a sudden. When I synced a few downloaded movies through finder, this issue started. Fix for me was to manually remove downloaded movies from the TV app, remove app and restart. I reinstalled the TV app but did not synced movies yet. Since the removal of the before mentioned, I did not have any issues anymore.

I researched this issue a lot. On a variety of forums in multiple languages (English, Dutch, German). My conclusion is/was that it's iCloud related. For me, I first figured it must have been Music. It wasn't. Than I thought it was Photo's. It wasn't. Then I figured it must have been TV since that's the only app that could contain GB's of purchases besides Music and Photo Sync. I noticed the GB's of system memory downloaded to my iPhone was matching the total amount of GB's of purchased movies. So I did troubleshooting in that app.

So my advice is figure out which iCloud Service could be the cause of all those GB's downloaded to your iPhone as a background task. Never had bought any movies though iTunes and never had a subscription for Apple TV? Forget about that. What about music? Did you bought music? Did you have or have a subscription? Automatically download on? For Photo's I would suggest to check if originals are being downloaded to your iPhone by settings. If not, your iPhone could be just doing that as a background task. Also third party apps could be using iCloud. Manually clean up your Whatsapp data and start a new back-up. There's no point in backing-up all those old GIF's and supposed-to-be-funny-pictures.

Downloading iCloud stuff (either purchases or duplicates of same stuff from third party's) in the background is clearly not expected behavior and should be handled as a bug by Apple. Keep contacting Apple Care so it will be fixed eventually.
 

couldvebeenyou

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2022
36
14
Sorry. What was it you suggested?
Go to the TV app, remove all content manually if present, remove TV App, restart and wait a few hours before reinstalling TV app. This only applies when you bought movies in the iTunes Store in the past or had or have an Active Apple TV Subscription.
 

couldvebeenyou

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2022
36
14
It could also be the camera roll since it's iCloud based and even Fitness. Never thought of the last one because it's not widely released in Europe.
 

MacGiver

macrumors 6502a
Aug 12, 2007
946
214
France
I believe I can as well be text message sync issue after restoring. Did you all get all your text messages history after restoring. I did not. Actually it depends on when I check the message app which totally acting up. Some I see all of them. Sometimes I see part of them. Like it is constantly trying to synchronize even after a week. So it may eat up system data. My 2 cents… will continue to monitor this.
 

upandown

macrumors 65816
Apr 10, 2017
1,313
1,326
I believe I can as well be text message sync issue after restoring. Did you all get all your text messages history after restoring. I did not. Actually it depends on when I check the message app which totally acting up. Some I see all of them. Sometimes I see part of them. Like it is constantly trying to synchronize even after a week. So it may eat up system data. My 2 cents… will continue to monitor this.
Similar experience for me. My devices are not doing a good job syncing either. I believe this is a known issue with iOS 16.
 

Mr.C

macrumors 603
Apr 3, 2011
5,539
1,549
London, UK.
I started fresh, no backup, downloaded and set up every app from scratch. Twice. It will not solve your problem.

It’s not just the iPhone 14. This problem has been around for a few years. Usually worse with the first public releases. There’s a 13 Pro in the house with the same issue on iOS 16.

I’ve never had this issue on any of my previous iPhones. The 14 Pro Max is the first phone I’ve owned that has this issue.
 

Valbunny

macrumors member
Feb 14, 2018
78
71
Utah
I’ve never had this issue on any of my previous iPhones. The 14 Pro Max is the first phone I’ve owned that has this issue.
I had this problem with my 12 Mini around June/July. Looked into it a bit and found out its been a problem for a few years. I am happy that more people are having this issue, which hopefully means it will actually be fixed. Its surprising how many people are unaware of this bug.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr.C

aerodynamic18

macrumors newbie
Oct 8, 2022
6
0
Ok I have deleted Apple TV and see what happens. I don’t think it’s the message one as I didn’t have it set to sync them. I will let u know how I get on
 

Farrgazer

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2017
222
100
I had this problem with my 12 Mini around June/July. Looked into it a bit and found out its been a problem for a few years. I am happy that more people are having this issue, which hopefully means it will actually be fixed. Its surprising how many people are unaware of this bug.
My guess? A combination of growing popularity of streaming services (paid and free), growing built-in storage and faster wireless speeds. This translates to lesser prioritization on a user manually managing the storage; when you finish watching a video or listening to a song, all those bits and bytes disappear and become replaced by the bits and bytes of the next playlist entry.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Valbunny

Black Magic

macrumors 68030
Sep 30, 2012
2,813
1,506
My experience with my girlfriend's iPhone 12 was that she had text messages loaded up with pics and videos between us and her friends. Deleted a few threads and that cleared up about 20 GB of System Data.
 

49christie

macrumors newbie
Oct 8, 2022
2
0
Hi, I have the new iPhone 14 pro max 256, and it has been the biggest disappointment. Spoke to apple support, for hours, and they could not help. I have tried erasing all pictures, deleted Apple TV, cleaned out text messages. Did it all without WIFI, however as soon as turned back on wifi data has crept back up to 255!
 

MacGiver

macrumors 6502a
Aug 12, 2007
946
214
France
Hi, I have the new iPhone 14 pro max 256, and it has been the biggest disappointment. Spoke to apple support, for hours, and they could not help. I have tried erasing all pictures, deleted Apple TV, cleaned out text messages. Did it all without WIFI, however as soon as turned back on wifi data has crept back up to 255!
Ask Apple to swap It!
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.