Smartphone owners Samsung often face a situation when the device starts to work slower or refuses to install new applications. The cause is almost always an overflowing storage facility. However, not all users understand exactly where it is physically and logically located internal memory in the structure of the Android file system.
Unlike older versions of the operating system, modern shells One UI hide direct paths to system folders from the eyes of the average user for the sake of security. However, access to the bulk of your data, where your photos, downloads and app caches are stored, remains possible through standard tools. Let's take a look at how to find this partition and manage it effectively.
Understanding storage architecture is critical to preventing the loss of important data during a factory reset. The internal memory on modern Samsung is inseparable from the system and cannot be removed as a microSD card. This is a single chip, divided into logical sections, accessed through the file manager or device settings.
The logical structure of storage in One UI
When you connect your smartphone to a computer or open the “My” application files", you see not the entire disk, but its user part. The Android system uses a complex partitioning scheme, where the largest partition is allocated for internal memory. It is usually mounted as /storage/emulated/0.
Everything that the user creates is stored here: photos from the camera, downloaded documents, music and messenger data. It is important to distinguish between this space and the system partition, which is hidden from view without root access. An attempt to change files in the system partition may cause the phone to stop booting.
The amount of available memory is always less than that stated by the manufacturer. Part of the space is occupied by the operating system itself Android and the shell One UI. For example, on a device with 128 GB of memory, the user may have about 100-110 GB available. This is a normal situation, and not a defective device.
The amount of available memory is always less than stated, since part of the space is occupied by the operating system and pre-installed applications.
⚠️ Attention: Never try to manually delete folders with unclear names in the root of the internal memory if you are not sure of their purpose. These could be database service directives or a system service cache.
How to find files through the My Files application
The easiest way to get to the contents of the built-in drive is to use Samsung's standard file manager. This application is pre-installed on all brand devices and has an intuitive interface. It allows you to sort data by type, making it easier to search.
To access the full list of folders, you need to launch the application and select the “Internal Storage” category. Here you will see the usual directories: DCIM for photos, Download for downloads from the browser and Pictures for images from social networks. Navigation is carried out by simply touching the folder names.
If the standard view does not display all files, check the display settings in the application menu. Sometimes hidden files or system folders may not be visible by default. For advanced users, it is possible to enable the display of hidden elements, but this should be done with caution.
The use of third-party file managers, such as Total Commander or Solid Explorer, is also acceptable. They provide more flexible tools for working with archives and network storage, but the basic path to the internal memory remains unchanged: /storage/emulated/0.
Analysis of used space in settings
For those who want to understand what exactly the memory is clogged with, and not just find files, there is a built-in analytical tool. It is located in the settings menu and provides a visual diagram of space distribution. This is the best way to find space “eaters.”
Go to section Settings → Device maintenance → Memory. Here, the system will automatically scan the disk and show how much space is taken up by applications, images, videos, audio files and documents. Clicking on any category will open a detailed list of files, sorted by size.
Particular attention should be paid to the “Applications” section. Often messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp take up gigabytes of space due to the cache of media files. The system allows you to go to manage a specific application directly from this menu and clear its cache with one touch.
☑️ Memory diagnostics
Regularly checking this section helps keep your smartphone fast. If you see that the “Miscellaneous” category takes up an abnormally large amount of space, this may indicate remnants of deleted applications or errors in file indexing.
Clearing the cache and deleting unnecessary data
The accumulation of temporary files is a natural part of Android. Applications save data to load quickly, but over time this cache becomes bloated and begins to slow down the system. Clearing the cache is safe and does not delete your personal logins or saves.
You can perform a bulk clear through the maintenance menu. The system will prompt you to delete unused files and duplicates. However, manual cleaning through application settings gives a more accurate result. Select the application, click Storage and then Clear cache.
Do not confuse clearing the cache with resetting data. The Reset or Clear data button will delete all information about the user inside the application, returning it to the state immediately after installation. Use this function only if the application does not work correctly or you want to delete it completely along with the settings.
| Data type | Where it is located | Can I delete | Consequences of deletion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application cache | /data/data/application_package/cache |
Yes | The application will take a little longer to load next time |
| Downloads (Download) | /storage/emulated/0/Download |
Yes | Deleting downloaded files (apk, pdf, doc) |
| Photos and videos | /storage/emulated/0/DCIM |
With caution | Irreversible loss of personal photos |
| System logs | /data/log |
No (without root) | Not available for the average user |
⚠️ Attention: The settings menu interface may vary slightly depending on the version of One UI and the model of your smartphone. If you do not find the item you need, use the search at the top of the settings screen.
Using a memory card and cloud services
If the internal memory is critically full, you should consider options for expanding the available space. Many Samsung models support the installation of cards microSD. Although they do not become part of the internal memory in the strict sense, they can be used as the main storage for media files.
In the camera settings, you can specify saving new photos and videos directly to the memory card. This will prevent the internal storage from filling up quickly. To do this, go to the camera settings and select Save location → Memory card.
Cloud storage is an alternative to a physical card. Services like Google Photos or OneDrive (integrated into Samsung) allow you to automatically upload pictures to the cloud and delete them from the device, freeing up gigabytes of space. This is a modern and reliable way to store archives.
What is Adoptable Storage?
Previously, Android allowed you to format a memory card as part of the internal memory. Samsung has dropped this feature in the latest versions of One UI due to the slow speed of microSD cards compared to the built-in UFS chip. Now the card is used only as a portable storage device.
When transferring files to the card, be aware of speed restrictions. Running heavy applications or games from a memory card may result in stuttering. Store only documents, music, videos and photos on external storage.
Hidden folders and system junk
In the depths of the internal memory there are folders that are not displayed in the gallery or standard file viewing. They often begin with a period, for example .thumbnails. This folder contains thumbnails for the gallery and can grow to several gigabytes.
Deleting content .thumbnails safe, but the system will create it again the next time you open the gallery. This is a temporary solution that gives you a break if your memory is full to capacity right now. More radical methods require connecting to a PC in debugging mode.
It is also worth paying attention to the folder Android/obb i Android/data. Game cache files and application data are stored here. It is not recommended to delete files from here manually, as this may cause apps to crash. It is better to use built-in cleaning tools inside the applications themselves.
Regularly cleaning the .thumbnails folder and messenger cache can free up up to 5-10 GB of space without installing additional apps.
To access hidden files through the My Files application, click on the three dots in the corner of the screen, select Settings and activate the Show switch hidden files." After that, you will be able to see and manage all directories.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the amount of internal memory less than indicated in the specifications?
Part of the physical memory is reserved for the Android operating system, the One UI shell and the_recovery_ section. In addition, manufacturers use the decimal system (1 GB = 1000 MB), and Android uses the binary system (1 GB = 1024 MB), which creates a visual difference.
Is it possible to transfer applications to a memory card on Samsung?
In modern versions of One UI, this function is limited. Most system and popular applications do not support transfer to SD card. You can only move some games and utilities, and not all of their data will work correctly from external media.
How to find the WhatsApp folder in the internal memory?
In new versions of Android, the path has changed for security reasons. WhatsApp media files are now located at: Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp. The old path WhatsApp in the memory root may be empty or missing.
What to do if the system writes “Memory full”, although there is space?
This could be an indexing error or the cache partition is full. Try rebooting the device in safe mode or clearing the recovery partition cache (requires turning off the phone and using a combination of the volume and power buttons). Also check the trash can in the gallery and the “My Files” menu.