AndroidTutor2018- No matter which phone I use, I always seem to run out of storage. Updates from the Play Store, offline map data, huge games, photos, music – you name it, it's on my phone taking up space. I know I'm not alone, so I thought I'd create this guide on how to end storage problems once and for all.
The single biggest secret for better battery life
How to increase the RAM on your Android
Besides making your phone slower, your storage being full to the brim can also stop your phone updating apps and taking new photos, among other things. Follow these steps and you'll never reach that point again.
Running out of storage is never this cute. / © ANDROIDPIT
1. Spring clean your internal storage
Internal storage on a smartphone is mainly used up by three things:
App data
Cached data (system cache, app cache)
User data (music, photos, videos, etc)
Music, apps, videos and photos are the biggest culprits for consuming your storage space. / © ANDROIDPIT
Fortunately, we can control all three of these. Take a little time to work your way through unused apps, bloated caches and unnecessary files, and delete what you don't need. Or use an app to do the hard work for you. SD Maid automates a lot of the process and ES File Explorer scours your Android file system and will prompt you to clear out the remaining files from the apps you uninstall.
SD Maid - System Cleaning Tool ES File Explorer File Manager You won't want to just delete your user data, but you can move it to another device to free up some storage space. For example, the DCIM, Music and Videos folders can be saved onto your computer for safekeeping. To do this, connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable and unlock your phone. Move the folders or files you don't especially need on your phone to your computer. Don't forget to check all folders – even your WhatsApp folder can be full of forgetten saved images.
2. Reinvent the microSD card
Despite Google's efforts to limit the use of microSD expansion, expandable memory is just as popular as it has always been. And even if your phone doesn't have a microSD slot, you can still use microSD to get more storage space.
Even if your phone doesn't have a microSD card slot, you can still use microSD storage. / © ANDROIDPIT
Using a microSD card for additional additional storage space is not seamless, but it will help save space in your phone's limited internal storage. If your phone has a slot for a microSD card, you can save photos or music to it, leaving the internal storage for apps or essential files.
Buy now: Leef Access microSD card reader from Amazon.com for US$12.99
Buy now: Leef Access microSD card reader from Amazon.co.uk for £5.03
If your phone doesn't have a slot for a microSD card, you can use one via USB OTG or with a microSD card adapter. You can then attach the adapter to your keys to carry it with you. Android 6.0 Marshmallow will allow you to once again treat a microSD card like internal storage, and even Android Lollipop lets you pop a microSD card into an adapter and transfer your photos or music to it.
MicroSD card adapters such as the Leef Access can give you all the benefits of a MicroSD card. / © ANDROIDPIT
You can push some apps to external storage, but it's a pretty hit and miss affair (after all, how will your Android do when sync an app that's stored on an adapter in your pocket?). Storing music, videos, photos and documents on a microSD card makes a lot of sense though.
3. Try life in the cloud
If photos and music are the biggest memory hogs, simply kick them to the cloud. Google's new Photos app offers free unlimited storage for your photos for life, as long as they're 16 MP or lower. Photos will also let you store unlimited 1,080p video for free. There are plenty of other cloud backup options, Photos is just one option.
Best cloud storage apps for Android
Depending on what you're willing to pay, you can have unlimited cloud storage. / © ANDROIDPIT
Google Photos Google Play Music also lets you store your collections online, although it's not so simple to upload music you've acquired outside of Google's service. You can stream music via Spotify, SoundCloud or iHeartRadio too, but playing back your tunes through these apps will consume a lot data.
Google Play Music If you want to upload your music collection to Google Play Music to clear up some space on your phone, you'll need a companion app or a Chrome extension for your PC. You can get the instructions for uploading your library to Play music in the app itself by going to Music > Add Music. You can then upload up to 50,000 tracks from your MP3 collection to retrieve via the Android app. You can make selected albums playable offline by 'pinning' them.
Conclusion
With a few careful decisions about the cloud, off-device storage options and general spring cleaning, you can ensure you never run out of storage space again. If cloud storage is not for you, then consider deleting some apps, moving your photos and other files to your PC, or investing in a microSD adaptor.
A USB cable can be your saving grace when it comes to freeing up space on Android. / © ANDROIDPIT
How do you clear up space on Android? What storage solutions do you use? Let us know in the comments.
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7 comments
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21 Cristiano S. 2 months ago Link to comment
Thanks for the article, very useful. I've been using Google Photos, Google Drive and micro SD storage for a while and had no problems so far.
0
Reply
3 Aakash Sohani Aug 24, 2016 Link to comment
Nice article...
At betapage.co, I have read about AppAll. It is an app that allows you to store and use all your apps from the cloud; eliminating compatibility and storage issues.
0
Reply
6 M. A. Griesser Sep 10, 2015 Link to comment
I always like Herrmann's articles. He's pretty good.
0
Reply
23 CJ Brown Sep 9, 2015 Link to comment
Just picked up the new Asus Zenfone 2, it comes with Clean Master / Dr Safety - which cleans out cache & uninstalls unwanted apps (as well as toggles off bloatware). You also get Asus Cloud storage (even though there's an SD card slot which accepts up to 128 Gig)
By the way, this is a great article :-)
1 Cristiano S.
Reply
16 Junaid Q. Sep 9, 2015 Link to comment
Cloud storage nowadays really saves storage space
I use Dropbox and Google Photos to backup my data
1 Cristiano S.
Reply
16 Viktor jovanović v. Sep 9, 2015 Link to comment
I'm using Google photo, Google drive, Dropbox and Uncloded; also Carusel.
0
Reply
5 Cameron N. Sep 8, 2015 Link to comment
You Can Also Go Into The Recovery And Clear Cache Partition,
Use Lite Apps Instead Of Heavy Apps, Facebook Twitter, etc.
0
Reply
Write a comment!
The single biggest secret for better battery life
How to increase the RAM on your Android
Besides making your phone slower, your storage being full to the brim can also stop your phone updating apps and taking new photos, among other things. Follow these steps and you'll never reach that point again.
Running out of storage is never this cute. / © ANDROIDPIT
1. Spring clean your internal storage
Internal storage on a smartphone is mainly used up by three things:
App data
Cached data (system cache, app cache)
User data (music, photos, videos, etc)
Music, apps, videos and photos are the biggest culprits for consuming your storage space. / © ANDROIDPIT
Fortunately, we can control all three of these. Take a little time to work your way through unused apps, bloated caches and unnecessary files, and delete what you don't need. Or use an app to do the hard work for you. SD Maid automates a lot of the process and ES File Explorer scours your Android file system and will prompt you to clear out the remaining files from the apps you uninstall.
SD Maid - System Cleaning Tool ES File Explorer File Manager You won't want to just delete your user data, but you can move it to another device to free up some storage space. For example, the DCIM, Music and Videos folders can be saved onto your computer for safekeeping. To do this, connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable and unlock your phone. Move the folders or files you don't especially need on your phone to your computer. Don't forget to check all folders – even your WhatsApp folder can be full of forgetten saved images.
2. Reinvent the microSD card
Despite Google's efforts to limit the use of microSD expansion, expandable memory is just as popular as it has always been. And even if your phone doesn't have a microSD slot, you can still use microSD to get more storage space.
Even if your phone doesn't have a microSD card slot, you can still use microSD storage. / © ANDROIDPIT
Using a microSD card for additional additional storage space is not seamless, but it will help save space in your phone's limited internal storage. If your phone has a slot for a microSD card, you can save photos or music to it, leaving the internal storage for apps or essential files.
Buy now: Leef Access microSD card reader from Amazon.com for US$12.99
Buy now: Leef Access microSD card reader from Amazon.co.uk for £5.03
If your phone doesn't have a slot for a microSD card, you can use one via USB OTG or with a microSD card adapter. You can then attach the adapter to your keys to carry it with you. Android 6.0 Marshmallow will allow you to once again treat a microSD card like internal storage, and even Android Lollipop lets you pop a microSD card into an adapter and transfer your photos or music to it.
MicroSD card adapters such as the Leef Access can give you all the benefits of a MicroSD card. / © ANDROIDPIT
You can push some apps to external storage, but it's a pretty hit and miss affair (after all, how will your Android do when sync an app that's stored on an adapter in your pocket?). Storing music, videos, photos and documents on a microSD card makes a lot of sense though.
3. Try life in the cloud
If photos and music are the biggest memory hogs, simply kick them to the cloud. Google's new Photos app offers free unlimited storage for your photos for life, as long as they're 16 MP or lower. Photos will also let you store unlimited 1,080p video for free. There are plenty of other cloud backup options, Photos is just one option.
Best cloud storage apps for Android
Depending on what you're willing to pay, you can have unlimited cloud storage. / © ANDROIDPIT
Google Photos Google Play Music also lets you store your collections online, although it's not so simple to upload music you've acquired outside of Google's service. You can stream music via Spotify, SoundCloud or iHeartRadio too, but playing back your tunes through these apps will consume a lot data.
Google Play Music If you want to upload your music collection to Google Play Music to clear up some space on your phone, you'll need a companion app or a Chrome extension for your PC. You can get the instructions for uploading your library to Play music in the app itself by going to Music > Add Music. You can then upload up to 50,000 tracks from your MP3 collection to retrieve via the Android app. You can make selected albums playable offline by 'pinning' them.
Conclusion
With a few careful decisions about the cloud, off-device storage options and general spring cleaning, you can ensure you never run out of storage space again. If cloud storage is not for you, then consider deleting some apps, moving your photos and other files to your PC, or investing in a microSD adaptor.
A USB cable can be your saving grace when it comes to freeing up space on Android. / © ANDROIDPIT
How do you clear up space on Android? What storage solutions do you use? Let us know in the comments.
566 Shares
Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Share on Google+ 566 Shares
More from the web
These 8 Supplements Will Strengthen And Grow Your PhysiqueBodybuilding.com
Pay off Your Mortgage With California StimulusFetcharate Mortgage Quotes
Say Goodbye to Phone Bills Forever With One Super-Low Wireless Payment Per Year!MintSim
Here’s Why Guys Are Obsessed With This Underwear…The Weekly Brief | Mack Weldon
by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links
7 comments
Write a comment!
Write new comment:
SubmitCancel
21 Cristiano S. 2 months ago Link to comment
Thanks for the article, very useful. I've been using Google Photos, Google Drive and micro SD storage for a while and had no problems so far.
0
Reply
3 Aakash Sohani Aug 24, 2016 Link to comment
Nice article...
At betapage.co, I have read about AppAll. It is an app that allows you to store and use all your apps from the cloud; eliminating compatibility and storage issues.
0
Reply
6 M. A. Griesser Sep 10, 2015 Link to comment
I always like Herrmann's articles. He's pretty good.
0
Reply
23 CJ Brown Sep 9, 2015 Link to comment
Just picked up the new Asus Zenfone 2, it comes with Clean Master / Dr Safety - which cleans out cache & uninstalls unwanted apps (as well as toggles off bloatware). You also get Asus Cloud storage (even though there's an SD card slot which accepts up to 128 Gig)
By the way, this is a great article :-)
1 Cristiano S.
Reply
16 Junaid Q. Sep 9, 2015 Link to comment
Cloud storage nowadays really saves storage space
I use Dropbox and Google Photos to backup my data
1 Cristiano S.
Reply
16 Viktor jovanović v. Sep 9, 2015 Link to comment
I'm using Google photo, Google drive, Dropbox and Uncloded; also Carusel.
0
Reply
5 Cameron N. Sep 8, 2015 Link to comment
You Can Also Go Into The Recovery And Clear Cache Partition,
Use Lite Apps Instead Of Heavy Apps, Facebook Twitter, etc.
0
Reply
Write a comment!
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