I am still a novice with my ipad (2013 model), and since receiving a message from Apple about installing their latest 0.8 update, have discovered I don't have enough storage available. This has sent OH and I on a quest to discover how and why I seem to have 3GB in 'Mail' (despite clearing everything - emails in, out, trash, attachments) and checking contacts and calendar, as they are linked in together on the ipad. We've checked online at Apple - they just want to sell you more icloud storage, which I don't want, or other blogs talk about other storage (music, photos), not 'mail.' We have spent hours syncing itunes, deleting photos, some Apps and trawling the internet for information on how to shed storage on the ipad. Despite what we get rid of, its not removing the 3GB in mail - is there an ipad-friendly SF member out there who could help steer us in the right direction please? If only we knew WHERE to look for this cache of storage! we would be most grateful for some guidance. Many thanks.
Thank you everybody for your very helpful responses, I appreciate the time and effort taken to give me your experiences. It was very gratifying to know that I am not alone with this problem of storage. After reading through all the responses and checking out the links kindly provided, the upshot is -
Firstly, I have decided to leave well alone and not even upload 0.8 - it seems there are still glitches and problems with it which Apple need to sort out, so I'll leave it until I hear that it runs smoothly. Secondly, I was pointed towards Dropbox for storage, so I checked out the App I(easy to install/use) and it has been a particular plus for me as I do love my photos! Now I can easily access them without filling up my ipad storage, leaving just a few treasured ones on the ipad. I shall also save large documents/PDFs there too. Thirdly, OH and I had a good look at iTunes and how I actually use my ipad (gift from my children so only 16GB) - I don't need as much music as I think on it as I have an ipod too which I should discipline myself and use more, so I will just review my list more regularly and swop the music about. Thank you again everybody for all your advice, experiences and help. I'm on a learning curve but feeling far more informed and confident now :-)
Thanks John - that will be really helpful to get feedback from your next visit to an Apple shop - much appreciated; and I look forward to hearing what they had to say :-)
Don't worry about creating space by 'dumping' your apps. They can all be found in your Purchases on your App Store account and they are available to download again. So you can free up space and have a good clear out of useless apps that you don't use anymore at the same time.
I have exactly the same problem and would probably have to clear out all of my apps. It’s good to hear other people are suffering. Unfortunately I do not aphave a computer so cannot go through iTunes as suggested but guess that might work.
I am returning to the UK shortly and can go to an Apple shop and see what they say if I get anything will post it in late December
I just can't understand the iPad crashing Richard. Maybe some badly written apps crash but having had an iPad since they were launched I've never had the device itself reboot. Really the hardware isn't here nor there it's the OS that matters. Is the Lenovo OS upgradable? Is it compatible with, well, anything? I think the illusion is that Apple is being caught up but it's only point solution providers that are "catching up". If the only thing you manufacture is, say a phone, it's easy to pile on the features (many of which in my experience are useless and/or don't actually work). In fact it's the only way to differentiate your product from the other phones in the market. But if you own the complete stack, phone/tablet OS, Laptop/Desktop/Server OS and the cloud and apps that tie everything together then nobody will "catch" you. What that would take, for example, is for MS to develop a good phone/tablet OS (very expensive and take years) and a decent and integrated laptop/desktop/server OS (personally I wouldn't start with Windoz to do this). Android isn't the solution either because it is doing just what UNIX did thirty years ago, forking. What that means is that the manufactures using Android have nothing to differentiate themselves except propriety addons to Android. This means that there is no such thing as Android, there are multiple flavours of Android all incompatible. The exact opposite of the Apple strategy.
IMHO very little is "new" in IT. Android is just Google's version of Linux which is just a geek's (Linus') version of the UNIX kernel. UNIX from AT&T was a "standard" that forked into IBM unix, HP unix, SUN unix, etc. etc. It was hoped that Open Standards would herald a new era of interoperability but in reality the hardware vendors are not motivated to provide compatible stuff, they want to differentiate thus the only vendor that can offer true interoperability is the one that owns the whole stack. Of course the downside to this for the customer/client is lock-in but if one is locked into a gilded cage (that works) so what and it puts the ball in the competitors court to provide migration to their ecosystem. I don't see any of Apple's competitors having the commitment to do that, easier to flaunt Micky Mouse features instead :-)
Well, I have had this problem for a long time! I have an app that I cannot upload, as you, I'm told I do not have the space, thought it looks like I have and I have removed ie loads and loads of photos and some applications.
I suggest that you go to your Apple shop, wherever and whenever you can, as they should hopefully be able to sort you out, as on-line just has not worked for me either!
Which has just reminded me, I must do exactly the same...good luck... :)
You are probably right about the hardware on the lenovo giving up before the ipad, but at least i can use the lenovo all day without it crashing. And if the hardware lasts half as long, at one third the price, I will be quids in. And I can upgrade to a newer model sooner. I think that apple are being caught rather quickly by other manufacturers. They seem to rely on their reputation a tad too much, perhaps. Thanks for your advice tho John. I appreciate it.
Yes, on all the devices but I’ve spent all my professional life in IT and tend to run our family kit as if it was mission critical (sad I know but don’t tell anyone). I’d suggest you do upgrade to Yosemete. The vast majority of the Mavericks manual will still be valid and anything that isn’t you’ll have to “unlearn” when you do move to Yosemete. If there is anything I can be of assistance with don’t hesitate to ask. Happy computing.
Settings - General - Manage Storage -
Hi, do you mean you have ios 8 on all these devices? Apparently it depends on age and model, mine now being nearly 3 years old and iPad 3 (AND cracked screen to boot), he advised against, as did several IT shops/suppliers/geek friends…each to his own? Haven’t upgraded to Yosemite yet on Mac mini cos only just got it and bought the “mavericks pour les nuls”…wanna master this first!!
The issue is Tony that iTunes was designed to just support iPods and it’s grown topsy turvy to do a hell of a lot more. This issue will have to be addressed by Apple ASAP. In the meantime if you store all your photos in iCloud or OneDrive or Dropbox or, or or, you will have them available on all devices. I use ICloud for music, photos and documents created using Apple stuff. I use Onedrive for documents created using MS office. All my devices can see and edit all my documents, that is phone, iPod, Ipad, Macbook and iMac. Simples.
I have no idea what has gone wrong for you Richard but my experience with IOS is excellent and I am a tough marker on OS releases.
I have no doubt your Lenovo hardware will clap out far faster than an iPad would and that whatever OS it runs (Windoz 8 or the rapidly forking Android?) will have more bugs than IOS. The battle of the moment is seamless integration. May I suggest that you try and integrate your phone, your MP3 player, your tablet, your laptop, your home server and your cloud storage (and in due course your TV, your car, your fridge…) All my Apple devices talk together seamlessly. I start editing a document on one and I can pick up where I left off on another. All my music and all my movies are available on all my devices (including Apple TV)as are all my applications and all my documents. There is only one manufacturer that can achive that complexity. We shouldn’t underestimate that achievement.
There is no comparison between Mac OS and Windoz nor Android and IOS. You made the right decision just something seems to have gone wrong for you. If you’d like some assistance maybe we could have a call? I moved all my family to Apple in 2010 and we haven’t looked back. But first upgrade to Yosemete and IOS 8 
I’m sorry Lisanne but in my opinion your son is mistaken. I have IOS on my iPad, my IPad mini, my daughters iPad and her iPhone and my iPod, zero problems. Everyone should upgrade their Macs to Yosemite as well.
BTW, I would reccomend anybody buying an iPad should buy the max memory, photos and movies eat up storage and iPads and Macs (unlike the competitors) last for years. Storage is more important than processing power.
I too receive constant messages about not having sufficient storage, despite having very very little stored on the system. I updated to Maverick and now the internet drops off all the time and I have to switch the wi-fi on and off to get reconnected. My iPad is desperately slow, comes up with a white screen on a regular basis and is generally pretty useless. I thought by paying the extra for an iMac and iPad I would have a system which would last me for many years. Big mistake.
Well, firstly, I had the same problem, but found that deleting all my music, gave me sufficient space.
Secondly, I would not touch it with a bargepole until the wondrous apple sort out all the snags. After installing on my ipad, I have to reboot at least 6 times a day. The web search to sort this has loads of people with the same problem.
I have emailed apple three times on their helpline, guess what zero response!
Thirdly, am I the only one who finds Itunes a terrible programme. Not user friendly at all, written by Geeks, not understood by ordinary folk. And before anyone says it, I am very computer literate.
I am afraid that this is the first and last apple product I will buy. I have now bought a Lenovo, A8, absolutely brilliant. One third of the price too, expandable with a micro sd card. Better all round.
Hello, am an avid iPad fan and now have iPhone AND Mac mini…often help B&B guests out with tips at breakfast! Also my son works in Paris Apple store so that has helped me a lot too. He advised me NOT TO INSTALL ios8 on my iPad (which is a 2012 retina display model), as it will slow it down too much. You didn’t mention whether your pad has 16 or 32 G storage and how much is displayed as available.
The best way if you DO want to install ios8 is to do it via iTunes thus circumnavigating the amount of space needed to download.
I get daily emails with tips and troubleshooting having subscribed to OS X Daily…and here is their article on exactly your problem
http://osxdaily.com/2014/05/11/recover-mail-attachment-storage-spac…
They are really committed geeks who like helping the non geeks amongst us!
Hope this helped, Regards, Lisanne Ashton
You actually don't need to clear space on your iPad if you have iTunes on your computer. Simply open iTunes and attach your iPad. You should be told that there is an update and your will be asked if you wish to download it. The rest is simple to follow.
This only works if you use a usb cable to sync your iPad, it won't work over wifi.
Good luck
Have you checked in "settings, general, about" scroll down and you should see available memory. how much memory did you start with? i am surprised as to how mail appears to take up so much space ut ... although long winded and if you just want to get the job done: back up your ipad up to itunes and then reset the ipad/delete all contents, update to the current os and back up the ipad from itunes ... good luck :)