Apple's iOS 8 Is Here: What to Do About That Pesky Storage Problem

Storage problems, download times plague users on first day of release.

ByABC News
September 17, 2014, 3:36 PM
The new Apple iOS 8 is seen in this screen grab from the Apple home page.
The new Apple iOS 8 is seen in this screen grab from the Apple home page.
Apple

— -- Apple's shiny new iOS 8 was released today, but users are already hitting a snag when it comes to freeing up storage space.

While the operating system refresh takes up around 1 GB of space, it requires at least a whopping 5 GB be free on your device in order to complete the download over the air -- something many users simply don't have.

The operating system makeover is being hailed as Apple's biggest ever because it comes with a slew of new updates to popular apps, including messages, photos and the keyboard.

Thankfully, if you don't want to delete "Kim Kardashian Hollywood" or get rid of your selfies, there is another way to get the iOS update.

Connect your device to your computer and make sure you're running the latest version of iTunes. (You can check this by going to the iTunes help menu and clicking "check for updates.")

Once you're connected, it's time to update. If you're not prompted on your device, go to settings, general and software update to begin the download.

As the new iOS downloads, go watch a movie or sit down for a lavish meal. It may take a while.

Lastly, if you're not clamoring for the iOS update today, it may be worth waiting.

Think of it like trying to find a parking spot at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving. It's the same crowd scenario here -- only as users suck up bandwidth downloading Apple's new operating system.

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