Android 101: How to Free Up Storage Space on Your Phone

Running out of space on your Android phone is frustrating, especially on devices with less than 128GB of storage. You might try downloading a new game or app, only to find you're out of room.

Don't worry—no need to rush out and buy a new phone or hunt for a microSD slot. With some targeted cleanup, you can reclaim significant storage. These steps, tested on a Pixel 3 running Android 12, should work similarly across most Android devices, though menus may vary slightly by brand and OS version.

Use Android's Built-in "Free Up Space" Tool

Android includes a handy tool to boost available storage. Here's how to access it:

• Go to Settings > Storage to view usage breakdown by category.
• Tap "Free up space."
• This opens the Google Files app's Clean Up feature, suggesting deletions for junk files, screenshots, large photos, saved media, unused apps, and more.

Other useful Storage options include checking app sizes:

• In Storage, tap Apps for a list sorted by size.
• Select an app to see its size, user data, and cache. Use "Clear cache" (safe) or "Clear storage" (check data first to avoid losing important files).

Tip for beginners: Clearing cache is always safe. Review user data before clearing storage to protect photos or documents.

Enable "Smart storage" in the Files app for automatic cleanup:

• Open Files, tap the menu (three lines top-left) > Settings.
• Toggle on Smart storage—it deletes backed-up photos after 60 days or when storage drops below 25%.

Review and Uninstall Unused Apps

Apps you rarely use can hog space. Sort them by last used in the Play Store:

• Open Play Store > profile icon > Manage apps & device > Manage tab > Installed.
• Tap the sort icon > "Not used recently" to prioritize infrequent apps.
• Uninstall what you don't need—keep occasional ones if useful.

Offload Photos and Videos to the Cloud

Media files are storage hogs. Use Google Photos to back up and delete locals:

Confirm backup status:

• Open Photos > profile > Photos settings > Backup & sync.
• Ensure "Backup & sync" is on and linked to the right account. Adjust quality or mobile data settings as needed.

Free up space:

• In Photos settings, tap "Free up space on this device."
• Review items to delete (backed-up only) > Free up.

If space is still tight, consider upgrading to a phone with more storage or microSD support.

Updated October 21, 2021, 2:15 PM ET: Originally published August 9, 2019; updated for recent Android changes.