iPhone 15 Storage: Which Size Should You Buy?

Choosing an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro storage size can be tricky so we want to help you decide between Apple’s cheapest option, the middle options, and the most expensive version of Apple’s new flagships.

While you might be tempted to buy the cheapest iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max, or the variant with the most storage, a lot of people will be perfectly fine buying one of the models that fall in between.

There are several factors you should consider before you settle on one iPhone 15 storage size or another. We’ll break down everything you need to think about about before you buy here in this guide.

iPhone 15 Storage Options

Apple offers three iPhone 15 storage options.

The iPhone 15, like the iPhone 14, starts at 128GB. Apple, carriers and retailers also sell 256GB and 512GB options for those who need more storage.

The 128GB iPhone 15 is the cheapest option while, unsurprisingly, the 512GB model is the most expensive variant.

iPhone 15 Plus Storage Options

Like the iPhone 15, the new iPhone 15 Plus comes in three sizes: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

iPhone 15 Pro Storage Options

Apple’s higher-end iPhone 15 Pro comes in four different flavors, but they’re different than what the company offers on board the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The iPhone 15 Pro starts at 128GB. From there, the storage capacity goes up to 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.

iPhone 15 Pro Max Storage Options

The most expensive iPhone 15 model is the iPhone 15 Pro Max and it comes in three sizes: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Apple doesn’t offer a 128GB model.

Pay for Storage Now or Pay Later

The iPhone 15 series, like its predecessors, doesn’t come a microSD card slot for expanded storage. If you want to add additional storage to your new iPhone, you’ll need to use iCloud or buy a USB-C compatible drive.

If you plan to shoot high-resolution videos and photos, download movies or songs, or play games on your device, you’ll need quite a bit of storage space.

While 128GB or 256GB might seem like it’s enough, there’s a chance your storage fills up quick. At that point you’ll be forced to continuously delete files you no longer need, buy a compatible drive, or pay for iCloud.

Fortunately, Apple’s iCloud storage solution is pretty inexpensive. You can get 50GB of cloud storage for just a dollar a month. Here’s how the pricing breaks down:

• 50GB: $0.99
• 200GB: $2.99
• 2TB: $9.99
• 6TB: $29.99
• 12TB: $59.99

You can also share iCloud storage with your family members.

Why You Should Buy the 128GB iPhone 15

The 128GB iPhone 15 models are the cheapest models Apple offers and they should be considered if you don’t think of yourself as a power user.

Here are a few reasons why you might want to buy the company’s 128GB iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, or iPhone 15 Pro:

• You stream most of your movies and music
• You don’t plan to shoot a lot of high-resolution video
• You plan to store your photos in iCloud Photo Library or on a computer
• You come nowhere close to using 128GB of storage on your current phone

Why You Should Buy the 256GB iPhone 15

The 256GB variant is a middle of the road choice for prospective iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus users. It’s the second largest option for the iPhone 15 Pro and offers the least amount of storage on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Here are some reasons why you should buy the 256GB iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max:

• You like to store some of your movies, photos, and music locally
• You plan to shoot some high-resolution video
• You’re close to using 128GB of space on your current phone
• You hate having to occasionally manage the files on your phone

A 256GB iPhone 15 can work with, or without, an iCloud subscription.

Why You Should Buy the 512GB iPhone 15

Some people want to spend the extra money for more space, even if it’s for the peace of mind that comes with having a bit more internal storage in play.

Here are a few reasons to buy a 512GB iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max:

• You like to store lots of movies and music locally
• You need, or prefer, to keep your photos and videos stored locally
• You plan to shoot a lot of high-resolution content
• You’re close to using 256GB of space on your current phone
• You can’t stand having to constantly manage the files on your phone

Why You Should Buy the 1TB iPhone 15 Pro

The 1TB iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are extremely expensive, but they’re solid options for those who desire a ton of local storage.

It should provide more than enough space for photography buffs, avid gamers, and those who plan to tackle school or work projects while on-the-go.

That being said, unless you’re already using well over 512GB of storage on your current phone, or don’t use iCloud, you probably don’t need this much storage. Here’s who we think should buy one of these models:

• You’re an extreme power user
• You’re planning to use the iPhone as a professional creative
• You’re a photo buff who doesn’t want to use iCloud
• You’re someone who travels often and wants everything store locally

How to Check Your Current Storage

Before you pick your storage, make sure you check your current phone’s storage. This will give you much needed insight. Here’s how to do this if you own an iPhone:

• Tap on the Settings app
• Tap on General
• Tap on iPhone Storage

This will show you how much free storage you currently have on your device and how much you’re using. It’ll also tell you exactly what’s taking up the most storage. For many of you, it’ll be photos and videos, apps, and messages.

If you’re using iCloud, you should also check on your iCloud storage usage:

• Open Settings.
• Tap on your Name at the top of the screen.
• Tap on iCloud.

This screen shows your iCloud storage use and your current plan. If you tap on Manage Storage you’ll get a better breakdown of how you use your cloud storage.

Install iOS 17.0.2 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 17.0.2 update right away. iOS 17.0.2 itself doesn't have any security patches on board. However, if you missed older versions of iOS, it will bring the patches from the updates you missed to your iPhone. iOS 17.0.1 delivered three important patches to iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. As for iOS 17 itself, it brought 40+ new security patches with it. A staggering number to say the least. If you want to learn more about them, head over to Apple.  If you skipped older versions of iOS, like iOS 16.6.1, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your iOS 17.0.2 update as well. In addition to those patches, iOS 17 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages. It now includes content sent by AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime, and the systemwide photo picker. You now have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them. There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks. Apple's also improved sharing permissions and you now have more control over what you share with the apps on your device.  The company also notes that starting in iOS 17, Voice Memos encrypts the titles of recordings stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves.

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