Deep cleaning of Android through Total Commander

Many users are faced with a situation where their smartphone based on Android begins to work slower, and messages about a lack of internal memory appear more and more often. Standard cleaning tools often remove only superficial junk, leaving behind hidden files and remnants of deleted applications. In such cases, a powerful file manager comes to the rescue Total Commander, which allows you to conduct a deep audit of the storage.

Using this tool gives you complete control over the file system, allowing you to find and delete what is hidden from the eyes of the average user. However, when working with system directories, it is important to act carefully so as not to damage the operation of the operating system. In this article, we will look in detail at how to safely and effectively free up gigabytes of space.

Preparing a file manager and setting rights

Before starting deep cleaning, you need to make sure that you have installed the current version of the application Total Commander from the official store Google Play. Older versions may not display new file types correctly or may not be able to access certain sections of storage due to changes in security policy Android.

Once installed, run the application and grant it all requested storage permissions. Without this, you will not be able to see hidden folders or delete the system cache. In modern versions Android 11 and higher, access to root folders may be limited, so sometimes you need to use a special plugin or provide access through the system folder selection window.

The app interface is divided into two panels, which is very convenient for moving and comparing files. You can configure the display of hidden files by clicking on the menu and selecting the appropriate item. This is critically important, since the main "garbage" is often hidden in directories starting with a dot.

⚠️ Attention: Granting full access rights gives the application the ability to delete any files, including system ones. Be extremely careful when choosing directories to clean.

Searching for and deleting residual application files

When you delete an application in the standard way, it often leaves behind folders with settings, cache and downloaded data. These remnants can take up hundreds of megabytes. In Total Commander go to the root directory of the internal storage and pay attention to the folder Android/data.

The data of all installed apps is stored here. If you see folders with the names of previously deleted applications (for example, com.example.game), you can safely delete them. It is also worth checking the folder Android/obbwhere the cache files of heavy games are stored. Deleting data from this directory will reset progress in games, so do this only for those games that you no longer plan to run.

Another place where garbage accumulates is the folder Download. Users often forget about downloaded installation files .apk,/pdf documents and images. Sort by file size to quickly find the largest forgotten downloads.

• 🗑️ Folders with the prefix com. from deleted applications
• 📦 Files with the extension .apk in the downloads folder
• 📷 Hidden thumbnail images in the folder .thumbnails

Clearing the cache of instant messengers and social networks

The most power-hungry applications on any smartphone are instant messengers like Telegram, WhatsApp i Viber. They save every picture and video viewed to the device's memory. Through Total Commander you can specifically delete this media garbage without affecting the correspondence history.

For example, in Telegram files are often located along the path Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files. Inside you can find folders Telegram Images or Telegram Video. Deleting the contents of these folders will free up space, and if necessary, the files will be downloaded from the cloud again. The situation is similar with WhatsApp, where media files are duplicated in the general gallery and in service folders.

Social networks, such as VK or Instagram, also cache a huge number of images. Searching for folders with the names of these social networks in the root of memory or in Android/data will allow you to find gigabytes of temporary files. Using the search function by mask .jpg or .mp4 inside a specific application folder will speed up the process.

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete the message database (files with the extension .db), otherwise you will lose the entire correspondence history without the possibility of recovery.

How to find the heaviest files?

Use Total Commander's built-in sorting. Go to the suspicious folder, click the sort menu and select "By size". The largest files will appear at the top of the list.

Analysis of duplicates and empty directories

During the active use of a smartphone, copies of files or empty folders are often created, which remain after resetting the settings or incorrect operation of apps. Total Commander allows you to visually assess the directory structure and identify such anomalies.

Empty folders themselves do not take up much space, but they clog up navigation and can slow down media file scanners. You can quickly go through the main directories and delete those that do not contain files. It is also worth paying attention to the folders LOST.DIRwhere the system dumps files during an emergency shutdown. If the phone works stably, the contents of this folder can be deleted.

Finding duplicates requires care. Users often download the same file several times or save it to different albums. Comparing modification dates and file sizes in the two manager panels helps identify copies. Deleting duplicate photos and videos is one of the most effective ways to quickly get free space.

File type	Where to look	Deletion security	Potential volume
.log	System root, folders applications	High	50-500 MB
.tmp	Folder Cache, Temp	High	100-800 MB
Thumbnails	.thumbnails	Medium (recreated)	1-5 GB
Old APK	Download	High	Depends on quantity

Working with a memory card and external drives

If your smartphone has a memory card installed microSD, it also requires periodic cleaning. The file system of the cards can become fragmented and garbage can accumulate in the same way as in the internal memory. Connect the card via Total Commanderby selecting it in the second panel.

Often erroneous shortcuts .lnk or hidden system files from other devices (for example, System Volume Information from Windows) accumulate on memory cards. Removing them is safe and beneficial. Also check the folders from remote applications that by default wrote data to the external card.

To optimize the operation of the card, it is recommended to periodically check it for errors, although Total Commander it itself does not check the file system (chkdsk), it helps to identify broken files that do not open. If you find a lot of damaged media files, this may be a signal that the drive is about to fail.

⚠️ Attention: Android interfaces and file manager capabilities may change with system updates. Always check folder paths in current documentation or official sources if standard paths do not work.

Precautions and backup

Before mass deleting files, especially if you are new to working with file managers, it is recommended to create a backup copy of important data. Total Commander allows you to easily copy files to your computer or cloud storage.

Select important folders (for example, DCIM with photos or Documents) and copy them to an external memory card or a connected computer. This will take a few minutes, but will save your data in case of an error. Never delete files from folders USB computer. This will take a few minutes, but will save your data in case of an error. Never delete files from folders System, Data (root) or files with unknown extensions unless you are 100% sure of their purpose.

Remember that cleaning is not a one-time event, but a process of maintaining the hygiene of your digital device. Regularly reviewing downloaded files and deleting unnecessary ones immediately after use will save you from the need to carry out general cleaning every six months.

Is it possible to delete the Android folder completely?

No, deleting the entire folder Android is absolutely not possible. This will cause all installed applications to not work. You can only delete subfolders inside data and obbthat relate to specific deleted apps.

Is it safe to delete .nomedia files?

Files .nomedia tell the system not scan a folder for media files. Removing them is safe, but may result in app service images appearing in your gallery. It's better to leave them in place.

Why do files return after deletion?

If cache files return immediately after deletion, it means that the application that created them is actively running in the background. Try to force stop the application in the phone settings before clearing its folder in Total Commander.

Are root access needed to clean through Total Commander?

To access most user folders (Photos, Downloads, Application Cache), root access is not needed. They are required only for deep system cleaning in protected sections, which is not recommended for the average user.