Optimizing your device is essential for anyone trying to improve the speed of the phone, to do this you’ll need to delete unnecessary files and apps, clearing the cache of apps you don’t use can also help improve performance. Even though there’s no actual “recycle bin” on Android, there are a couple of tips and tricks that you can. Clearing browser cache and app cache from an Android phone is a quick and easy process. Here's a short guide on how to do both. Clear cache in the Chrome app (the default Android web browser).
Running out of storage space on your Android mobile phone? Here’s how to delete unnecessary junk and free up plenty of space for your apps and media, in just a few easy steps.
If your Android smartphone’s storage is filling up fast, don’t panic. There are loads of quick and easy ways to get rid of unnecessary junk and free up loads of storage space on your mobile, without resorting to deleting photos and apps that you might eventually need.
Here’s our quick and easy guide to freeing up your mobile’s memory.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Check how much storage remains
To find out how much storage you actually have left on your Android mobile, head to your phone’s settings and then scroll down to ‘Storage’.
In here you’ll see an exact breakdown of how much space you’re using and what is taking up that space. This is broken down into apps, photos and videos, audio (music, podcasts and so on), downloads and cached data. If you spot that one particular section is hogging loads of space, then it’s time to do something about it.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Delete any apps you no longer use
Apps are usually the biggest drain on your storage space, so head to your Android phone’s settings and then scroll down to ‘Apps’ and give it a tap.
In here you’ll see a list of all of your downloaded apps, with an indication of how much space each one is taking up. The bigger that number, the more storage you’ll get back if you delete it; so it’s time to work out if you really need that ‘Hilarious Farty App’ or if it can go straight into the bin.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Backup your photos to the cloud
The essential Google Photos app allows you to store your snaps and home-made videos in the cloud for free, and it comes as standard on most Android phones now – but if you don’t have it (only likely if your phone is already over a year old), then head to the Google Play store and get it downloaded.
With that done, tap the menu icon in the top left of the Photos app (which looks like three horizontal lines) and choose ‘Settings’. Finally, tap ‘Backup & sync’ and make sure that this is turned on. Any photos that you snap on your phone will automatically be saved to Google’s cloud service, so you can safely delete them from your mobile to free up space.
Read next: Ten quick ways to get better mobile battery life
Of course, we highly recommend checking your Google Photos account from another device first, just to make sure that they’re 100 percent backed up. After all, you don’t want to accidentally lose that photo of your mate Brian lying face-down in a puddle of his own stomach contents after too many Drambuies.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Ditch the downloads
These days it’s actually reasonably affordable to grab an All You Can Eat (AYCE) data contract, which allows you to download media to your heart’s content at no extra cost – provided you don’t roam abroad, of course.
That means you can happily delete all of the music and videos from your Android Phone and just stream your entertainment instead. Services such as Spotify, BBC’s iPlayer Radio and Netflix offer a massive catalogue of online content, which you can stream as much as you like for a small monthly charge. Just remember that you won’t be able to take advantage when travelling abroad, unless you’re covered by something like Three’s Feel At Home service.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Messaging hogs
If you use third-party messaging apps on your Android mobile, these could also be eating up your valuable storage space.
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For instance, WhatsApp users should try going into one of their popular conversations and tapping the Media/Group Media option in the settings. This will bring up all of the photos that have been sent back and forth in the conversation, which can be deleted en masse to free up more space. Thankfully these pics do get automatically deleted as time passes, so you should only bother with this step if your mates send a lot of photos.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Clear your Android phone’s cache
After using a phone for a few months, chances are you’ll have at least a gig of cached data cluttering up your Android handset’s storage space. This is just garbage saved to your phone by apps and your web browser, to speed up operation, and can be safely blitzed to free up storage space.
In the Android settings menu, head to Storage and then tap the ‘Cached data’ entry. This will prompt you to delete all of the cached data. Tap ‘OK’ and it will all be erased – for now. Check back again soon and it’ll be back, ready to be re-deleted.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Clear old downloads
If you save a lot of documents, photos and so on to your phone, they’ll appear in the Downloads section of the Storage menu – or in the Downloads app. Give this a tap and you’ll see everything you’ve downloaded and how much space it all takes up. You can delete them directly from here.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Add extra storage with a microSD memory card
Many Android phones allow you to add extra storage, in the form of a microSD memory card. The microSD memory card slot is usually found in the same tray where your SIM card sits.
These memory cards are affordable and a great way to get a huge chunk of bonus storage, for your photos, videos and other bits. Check out Amazon for a huge selection of cards.
Phones from 2016 that don’t support microSD memory cards include the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, and the OnePlus 3 and 3T. In these cases, you’ll need to check out the next section instead.
How to free up storage space on your Android phone: Add extra storage via third-party accessories
If you’ve harvested all of the spare storage space that you can, but your Android phone is still pretty full, you could consider adding extra storage using accessories such as a special phone case with a built-in memory card slot. Alternatively, you can stream your media from home with a NAS device.
Check out our guides to adding extra storage to your phone:
No matter how large your internal storage is, you cannot install unlimited applications and store large amounts of files all the time. In another word, your Android phone storage will be full sooner or later. When there is no enough storage space, and you need to update your Android or install one important application, what will you do? And what if you want to sell or donate your personal smart phone to someone else? Can you protect your private information effectively?
Therefore, you had better clear phone storage regularly no matter the phone storage is full or not. Though you can move certain files and apps to microSD card or other external hard drives, it is still important to clear memory Android to maintain the normal operating space. Fortunately, this article collects some useful and easy-to-operate solutions. As a result, you are able to free up storage and memory space with ease.
Part 1: How to Clear Phone Storage
You can try the traditional way to clear phone storage space on Android by deleting useless files. And it is also supported to install an Android cleaner app to save your overstuffed mobile. Moreover, this article also shows how to get more space on your phone without deleting anything. You can read and choose the certain solution to free up space on Android.
Delete Your Downloads
To download more apps and media files, or clear system memory, you can delete some less important files manually. If you are not sure whether you will use those files in the further or not, you can backup Android files to cloud storage space in advance.
Step 1. Locate your download folder
Clear Storage Apk
Every Android phone has its own download folder. All your downloaded photos, videos, documents and other files will be stored in the local downloads folder. In some Android models, this folder may be called as 'My Files' as well.
Step 2. Clear internal phone storage on Android
Turn to your download history and find files you want to delete. Just long press one file to select it. Later, click 'Remove' or other trashcan icon to delete downloads when internal storage Android full.
Clear the Cache
Furthermore, you need to clear cached data on your Android phone regularly. And you will not lose any sensitive or important Android data. In most cases, cleaning app cache is the first decision you can make.
How To Clear Phone Storage On Android
Method 1: Clear cached data from an Android app.
Open 'Settings' app. Choose 'Applications' and scroll down to click 'Application Manager'. Later, you can find the target application. When you are in the Application info page, click 'Storage' and then choose 'Clear Cache' to clear the cache on Android.
Method 2: Clear all cached data on Android
Go to 'Settings' and click 'Storage' under its list. Find and click 'Cached data'. When you are prompted with 'This will clear cached data for all apps.', choose 'OK' to confirm. After that, you can clear phone memory Android successfully.
Take Advantage of Google Photos
Actually, Google Photos app is a good cloud storage tool that allows users to backup unlimited photos over the air. Thus, you can move all pictures from Android to Google Photos to free up more space on Android.
Step 1. Turn on Google Photos backup feature
Run Google Photos app on your Android phone. Make sure you have turned on 'Back up & sync' feature under 'Settings' already.
Step 2. Backup Android photos to Google Photos
You can set whether to backup Android photos at high quality resolution or original size. Well, Google Photos only offers unlimited storage space for high quality photos at present.
Step 3. Clear phone storage space on Android
Then go back to Settings app and choose 'Free up device storage'. Click 'Remove' to delete Android pictures that have been backed up.
Move APPs to the Trash
If you have not used the certain application for a long time, and you are sure that you have no interest to use this app any more, then why don't you move it to the trash?
Step 1. Access all Android apps
Navigate 'Settings' app. Head to 'Storage' and click 'Apps'. Later, you can see all installed apps sorted by size.
Step 2. Clear phone storage on Android by deleting apps
Hold and press the app you do not use. then click the 'i' icon besides your app's name. Choose 'Uninstall' and confirm your change.
APP to Clear Phone Storage
By free installing Files Go from Google Play Store, you can visualize the left storage space exactly. And it is easy to clear phone storage on Android by deleting temporary files, downloads and other files easily.
Step 1. See all your Android files organized by Files Go
Launch Files Go and grant storage permissions and app access. Then you can monitor the storage usage including unused apps, duplicate files, temporary files, etc.
Step 2. Clear phone storage Android
Choose the certain category and select items you want to delete. Later, click 'Delete' to clean up your Android, or choose 'Clear' to uninstall apps and free up Android phone storage space.
Part 2: How to Get More Space on Your Phone without Deleting Anything
Android Data Backup & Restore is your best friend, which can backup and restore any Android data to Windows or Mac PC in one click. Thus, you can backup data to your computer to clear phone storage space on Android. It is quite easy to achieve, and no Android data will be overwritten.
- One click to backup and restore data from Android to Windows or Mac PC.
- Preview and select any data to restore to your Android without data loss.
- Set up password to encrypt your Android backup files.
- Work with over 5,000 Android portable devices including Samsung, Sony, LG, etc.
Step 1. Connect Android to PC
Launch Android Data Backup & Restore. Then use a lighting USB cable to connect your Android phone or tablet to your computer. Click 'One-click Backup' to backup all Android files to PC. Otherwise, you can click 'Device Data Backup' to backup certain Android file types without overwriting.
Step 2. Select data type to backup (optional)
If you want to backup Android data to your computer selectively, then you can select the data type in the popping up window.
Step 3. Backup data from Android to PC
Then choose 'Start' to backup Android data to PC immediately. And you can have a check when the backup is over.
After that, you can clear phone storage by deleting all Android files. If you accidentally deleted important files, just use this software as the backup extractor or to get deleted data back.
Increase Storage On Samsung Phone
Well, it is also a good way that can increase internal storage Android in some degree. In addition, even though your Android device is broken or crashed, you can still access all important documents and medias files directly.