Most digital declutter checklists start with “delete old files”. This one starts with a backup, because a synced delete can remove the same photo or file from every device you own.
A digital declutter checklist covers six areas in a safe order: back up first, then clear your phone, photos, email, computer files, cloud storage, and finally accounts and subscriptions. Each item below says where to look, so you can tick it off without searching for the setting.
New to the idea? Start with what digital decluttering means. Short on time? Do one section today and the next one later this week. To print this page, use your browser’s Print command.
Before you start: the backup checkpoint
Do this once, before any delete step in the sections below.
- ☐ Photos are backed up somewhere other than your phone: iCloud Photos, Google Photos, or a copy on a computer or drive. The 3-2-1 backup guide shows how to check.
- ☐ Important documents (IDs, tax records, contracts) have a second copy outside the device you are cleaning.
- ☐ You know your Apple ID or Google account password, and two-step verification codes reach you on a device you will keep.
- ☐ Any photo or file you are unsure about goes into a folder named “Review” instead of the Trash.
1. Phone and apps (about 30 minutes)
- ☐ Check what is using space. iPhone: Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Android: Settings > Storage (on Samsung Galaxy, Settings > Battery and device care > Storage). Menu names vary by model.
- ☐ Delete or offload apps you have not opened in three months. Keep anything you use to sign in, pay or verify your identity. See how to review and remove apps.
- ☐ Turn off notifications for apps that interrupt you without a reason. See how to turn off notifications.
- ☐ Clear large message attachments, such as videos in iMessage or WhatsApp. See clearing WhatsApp media.
- ☐ Simplify your Home Screen to the apps you use daily. See a one-page Home Screen.
2. Photos and videos (one hour to a weekend)
- ☐ Confirm the backup checkpoint above is done.
- ☐ Merge or remove duplicates with the built-in tools. iPhone: Photos > Collections > Utilities > Duplicates. Google Photos and Android: see duplicates in Google Photos.
- ☐ Clear screenshots you no longer need. See sorting screenshots.
- ☐ Move long videos off the phone after they are backed up. See large videos.
- ☐ Empty Recently Deleted (iPhone) or Trash (Google Photos) only after you have checked nothing important went there.
- ☐ Give the photos you keep a simple folder or album system. See folders that last.
3. Email (30 to 60 minutes)
- ☐ Unsubscribe from the senders that fill your inbox most. In Gmail, open a message and use Unsubscribe next to the sender name.
- ☐ Search instead of scrolling. In Gmail,
category:promotions older_than:1yfinds old promotions andlarger:10Mfinds big attachments. The Gmail Search Builder writes these for you. - ☐ Select all search results and archive what you might need, delete what you will not.
- ☐ Set up filters or rules so repeat senders skip the inbox. See Gmail filters and labels or Outlook Sweep and rules.
- ☐ Keep receipts, records and conversations you may need. See cleaning an inbox without losing records.
4. Computer files (about an hour)
- ☐ Check what is using space. Windows 11: Settings > System > Storage. Mac: Apple menu > System Settings > General > Storage.
- ☐ Sort the Downloads folder: move what you need, delete installers and duplicates. See the Downloads folder guide.
- ☐ Clear the desktop down to current work only.
- ☐ Set up a few top-level folders and stick to them. See organizing files and folders.
- ☐ Rename files you keep using one pattern, such as 2026-11-06 Car insurance renewal. The File Naming Generator builds names for you.
- ☐ Empty the Recycle Bin or Trash after a final check.
5. Cloud storage (30 minutes)
- ☐ See what is using space. iCloud on iPhone: Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Google: one.google.com/storage. Dropbox: account settings.
- ☐ Delete old device backups for phones you no longer own. See old iCloud backups.
- ☐ Find large files in Google Drive and remove copies you do not need. See Google Drive storage.
- ☐ Empty Drive and Dropbox trash, which still counts toward your storage until it is emptied.
- ☐ Before paying for a bigger plan, check the size you actually need with the Cloud Storage Calculator.
6. Accounts and subscriptions (about an hour)
- ☐ List every recurring charge from your bank or card statement. The Subscription Cost Audit adds up the yearly cost.
- ☐ Cancel subscriptions you no longer use. iPhone: Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions. Android: Play Store > profile picture > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions. See iPhone and Android guides.
- ☐ Close old accounts you no longer need, after downloading anything you want to keep. See closing old accounts.
- ☐ Make sure important accounts use a password manager and two-step verification.
- ☐ Set up legacy contacts so family can reach your accounts. See legacy contacts on iPhone, Google and Facebook.
What not to delete
- Anything you have not backed up and cannot recreate, such as family photos and scanned documents.
- Authenticator apps, until every account using them has another sign-in method.
- Tax, medical, legal and warranty records. Archive them instead.
- Shared albums and shared folders, which may remove the files for other people too.
- Old email from banks, employers and government agencies that you may need as proof later.
Keep it clear: a maintenance schedule
| How often | What to do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Clear notifications, archive processed email, sort that week’s downloads and screenshots. Use the 15-minute weekly reset. | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Monthly | Check phone and cloud storage, remove one unused app, check for new subscription charges. | 20 minutes |
| Every 6 months | Remove duplicate photos, clear old downloads, review cloud backups. | About an hour |
| Yearly | Review accounts, subscriptions and legacy contacts. See the end-of-year digital review. | One to two hours |
Want the full job in one sitting?
The printable kits turn the biggest sections into step-by-step workbooks: the Family Photo Rescue Kit for photos, the Inbox Reset Kit for email, and the Digital Legacy Kit for accounts. Not sure where to start? The free cleanup planner picks the first section for you.
Menu paths checked in November 2026 for iOS, Android, Windows 11, macOS, Gmail and Google One. Names vary by device model and software version.
