Have you ever wondered how to free up storage space on your Android device? I mean, the size of apps, photos, and operating systems are getting bigger and bigger.
If you’re using an older Android device, or even the entry-level model of a newer device, you’ll quickly find yourself breaking the storage limit.
So, here are 6 methods on how to free up storage space on your Android device.
Method 1: Identify unnecessary applications
How many apps currently installed on your phone do you use constantly?
Of course, you will need an email client, some social media apps, a news app, and maybe a game or two. But hey! Do you really need that random weather widget you downloaded or the app that distorts your face to look like your monkey? Maybe not.
Recent versions of Android let you easily see which apps are the worst offenders.
- Just navigate to Settings> Storage> Other apps.
- Next press the menu button in the upper right corner
- Then choose Sort by size.
- Take note of what takes up the most space
- Uninstall everything you don’t need by going to Settings> Apps & notifications> See all X apps.
Method 2: Delete offline content
A lot of apps allow you to save content to your device so that you can access it when you are offline.
Saving content for offline use is exceptional if you have enough space. If not, you may quickly start to wonder where all your free space has gone.
To delete the offline content you have already saved on your device, you have two options. You can clear app caches on a case-by-case basis, go to Settings> Apps & Notifications> See all X apps> [App Name]> Storage & Cache> Clear Cache.
Alternatively, you can use a trusted third-party tool that clears app caches. SD Maid is one of these tools.
Method 3: Move photos to the cloud
Google Photos by default will automatically back up all your photos to the cloud.
The app will also notify you when it can help you save space, with a notification on the screen informing you that you are meeting storage limits.
If you think it is close to capacity, you can have the application verified on your behalf. Go to Google Photos> Menu> Free up space. The app will scan your phone, inform you how many photos have already been saved, and inform you which ones you can safely delete.
Method 4: Move the content to an SD card
sadly, fewer devices are now shipped with an SD card slot. They are especially rare on premium phones.
There is a good reason for the lack of SD support on modern phones: the cheaper SD cards won’t work as well as the more expensive ones because they have slower read/write times.
If you have a mid-range or budget device, you’re likely to have an SD card slot. This is ok, as such devices often offer less built-in memory than their more expensive counterparts.
Android can format an SD card to appear as internal storage on the device.
- Go to Settings> Storage> [SD Card Name]
- Next tap the three vertical dots in the upper right corner
- Then choose Storage Settings.
- Select Format as internal to start the process.
Method 5: Take advantage of the Google Files application
The Android file storage management app is pre-installed on all standard Android devices. It’s not as powerful as some of the best Android file navigation apps, but it does a decent job of letting you organize downloads, file shares, and other documents on your phone.
However, one of the most neglected features of the application is the Free Space tool. It is integrated directly into the Android settings application. To use it, go to Settings> Storage and tap Free up space.
The File application will automatically open and start scanning your memory. It will identify junk files, large files, old files, and anything else you think you can safely delete. Make the final decision to complete the removal.
Method 6: Android Storage Management Tool
If feel too lazy to keep up with these memory maintenance tasks, you can let Android do it for you.
The native Storage Manager tool is available in Android Oreo.
- Navigate to Settings> Storage
- Slide the switch next to Storage Manager to the On position.
- By tapping Storage Manager, you can customize the feature, including the time it takes for backup photos and videos to be deleted before the local copy is automatically deleted.
Congratulations! You now know how to free up storage space on your android device