How to clear the “Other” section in the Samsung Galaxy memory

Owners of modern smartphones Samsung Galaxy often face a paradoxical situation: the built-in storage is full, but upon detailed analysis it turns out that photos, videos and installed applications take up only a small fraction of the space. The lion's share of free space is “eaten up” by a mysterious category, which in the system settings is designated as “Other” or “System data”. This partition can grow to tens of gigabytes, causing the interface to slow down and make it impossible to install new updates.

The nature of this partition lies in the peculiarities of the file system Android and the shell One UI. This includes temporary files, caches of streaming services, application logs, remnants of deleted apps, and even files that the system by mistake could not correctly classify. Understanding what exactly is hidden under this name is the first step to freeing up precious gigabytes without losing important personal data.

In this guide, we will take a detailed look at safe and effective methods for cleaning up system junk. You will learn how to use the built-in optimization tools, which third-party utilities are really useful and which can be harmful, and how to manually find and delete hidden files that are taking up space. It is critical to understand that completely deleting the “Other” folder is impossible, since it contains vital system files, but its size can be reduced significantly.

Analyzing the contents of the “Other” section through built-in tools

Before taking radical measures, it is necessary to conduct a competent diagnosis. The standard memory manager Samsung provides basic information, but for in-depth analysis it is better to use more advanced visualization tools. Often, users simply delete photos, not suspecting that the problem lies in the messenger cache or clipboard.

First, go to the menu Settings → Device maintenance → Memory. Here you will see a general data distribution chart. If the “Other” category takes up more than 10-15 GB, this is a signal to act. However, the standard analyzer does not always show detail for specific folders. In such cases, it is recommended to use the “Storage Analysis” function, available in some versions One UI, or install a specialized application to visualize the file structure.

Pay attention to how the system classifies files. Sometimes large video files downloaded from messengers to hidden folders are not detected as “Video”, but end up in the system partition. Also, firmware update files that were not deleted after successful installation are often written here. Data caching - this is the main mechanism that saves traffic, but mercilessly eats up your memory Galaxy.

⚠️ Attention: Do not try to delete files from system directories manually through the file manager without understanding their purpose. Deleting libraries from a folder /system or /data may cause the smartphone to stop loading or lose the functionality of individual modules.

Using the “Clean Now” function and system optimization

The easiest and safest way to start fighting for free space is to use the standard optimization tool that is pre-installed on each device Samsung. The system algorithms automatically scan the storage for temporary files that can be safely deleted without affecting the operation of applications.

To start the procedure, go to the section Settings → Device Maintenance and press the button "Optimize Now". The system will close background processes, check for malware and offer to delete unnecessary files. After automatic scanning, click on the “Memory” item, and then select the "Clean Now"button. This method only removes obvious junk, such as residual cache files and empty folders.

If automatic cleaning has not freed up enough space, you should use advanced settings in the My Files application. Go to the “Storage Analysis” section (if available in your software version) or simply look at the “Junk files” category. The system may offer to delete duplicate images, large files that you have not used for a long time, and application installer files (.apk) that remained after updating apps.

• 🧹 Automatically delete the cache of all applications with one click.
• 📂 Search and delete files exceeding a specified size (for example, more 500 MB).
• 🗑️ Emptying the trash in the Gallery and My Files application, where deleted data is stored for another 30 days.
• 🔄 Resetting network settings, which also clears some system logs.

Manually clearing the cache of popular applications and messengers

The main “culprits” for the growth of the “Other” section most often are social networks and instant messengers. Applications like Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber i TikTok save every photo and video you view to internal memory for quick access. Over time, this cache can reach colossal sizes, formally referring to application data, but visually enlarging the system partition.

To clear the cache of a specific application without deleting its correspondence history, you need to go to Settings → Applications. Select the desired application from the list (for example, Telegram), then go to the "Storage"section. Here you will see two buttons: “Clear data” and “Clear cache”. Click only on the second option. This will delete temporary files, but will save your chats and login settings.

Pay special attention to the settings inside the messengers themselves. Telegram, for example, has a built-in cache management function. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage and click "Clear cache". There you can also set up automatic deletion of media files that were downloaded more than a month ago. This will prevent garbage from accumulating again in the future.

Path for manual checking: /Android/media/org.telegram.messenger/

In some cases, Even after clearing the cache through settings, files may remain on the file system. Use the file manager My Filesto check the folder Android/media. Make sure that you are deleting the contents of the cache folders, and not the correspondence database, otherwise you risk losing your message history.

Deleting residual files and working with the folder Download

Folder Download ("Downloads") often becomes a dumping ground for files that were needed once and forgotten. Application installation files, downloaded presentations, documents and archives can remain there for months. Although the system often classifies them separately, some specific formats or files without an extension may be classified as "Other". Open the application and go to the section. Sort files by size or date. Ruthlessly delete all installation files with the extension

Open the application My files and go to the section "Downloads". Sort files by size or date. Ruthlessly delete all installation files with the extension .apk —you no longer need them, since the application is already installed. Also check the folder Bluetooth, where received files are often saved that the user did not even open.

Another hidden threat is folders from uninstalled applications. When you uninstall a app, it doesn't always take the directories it created with it. Go to the root folder of the internal memory through the file manager and look for folders with the names of deleted games or utilities. If you are sure that the application is uninstalled, the contents of such folders can be erased.

File type	Extension	Can be deleted?	Where to find
Installer applications	.apk	Yes, if the application is installed	Download folder
Temporary file	.tmp	Yes	Root folder /temp
Log file	.log	Yes (for a regular user)	Application folders
Database	.db / .sqlite	No (risk of data loss)	Data folder

⚠️ Attention: Files with the extension .obb in the folder Android/obb are a data cache for heavy games. Removing them will cause the game to stop launching and require a re-download of several gigabytes of data. Delete them only if you delete the game itself.

What to do if the files are not deleted?

If the system writes “File busy” or “No permission to delete,” try rebooting your smartphone into safe mode. To do this, hold down the power button, and then long hold the “Power off” icon on the screen until you are prompted to switch to safe mode. In this mode, third-party applications do not work and do not block files.

Resetting settings and extreme cleaning measures

If none of the above methods helped significantly reduce the size of the “Other” partition, it is possible that critical errors have accumulated in the file system or data fragmentation has reached its limit. In such a situation, the most effective solution is to completely reset the settings to factory settings. This is guaranteed to remove all user junk, but requires careful preparation.

Before performing a reset, be sure to create a full backup of your data. Use the function Settings → Accounts and backup → Data backup. Save photos and videos to your computer or cloud. Remember that after resetting, the phone will be the same as you took it out of the box on the day of purchase.

To perform a reset, go to Settings → General settings → Reset → Reset data. Confirm the action and wait for the process to complete. After reboot, the system will create a new, clean file structure. The “Other” category will occupy the minimum possible volume required for operation Android.

An alternative to a full reset can be wiping the partition Cache Partition through the Recovery menu. This method does not delete personal data (photos, contacts), but clears the system update cache and temporary firmware files. To enter this menu on most Samsung Galaxy you need to turn off the phone, then simultaneously press the Volume Up and Nutrition buttons (on some models you need to connect to a PC via USB).

Prevention of memory filling in the future

To prevent the problem with the “Other” section from bloating from returning in a month, you need to change your smartphone usage habits. Regular maintenance only takes a few minutes a week, but saves you hours of space control in the future. Automating cleaning processes is your best ally.

Set up automatic cleaning in the Device Maintenance application. In advanced settings, you can activate the “Auto-delete unnecessary files” function. In addition, review your camera and streaming service settings. For example, disable saving videos at maximum resolution 4Kif you rarely view them on a large screen, since such files take up a disproportionate amount of space.

Use cloud storage for rarely used archives. Services like Google Photos or OneDrive allow you to free up space on your device by leaving thumbnails in the gallery and storing the originals in the cloud. This is an effective way to keep the “Other” section under control without sacrificing important memories.

• 📅 Once a month, run a full system optimization.
• ☁️ Turn on photo synchronization with the cloud and the “Free up space” function.
• 🚫 Disable auto-downloading of media in messengers on mobile networks.
• 📦 Regularly delete applications that you have not used for more than 3 months.

⚠️ Attention: The menu interface and item names may vary slightly depending on the firmware version One UI and model your Samsung Galaxy. If you do not find the described item, use the search in the settings (magnifying glass icon at the top of the settings screen).

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why does the “Other” section increase immediately after updating the system?

After updating the firmware, the system stores files of the old version and installation packages of the new one in case rollback or integrity check. Typically, these files are deleted automatically a few days after the updated system is successfully running. If this does not happen, you can clear the cache of the Recovery partition.

Is it safe to use third-party applications like Clean Master for cleaning?

Using aggressive third-party “cleaners” on modern ones Samsung Galaxy is not recommended. The embedded system Android manages memory efficiently itself. Third-party applications often simply close processes, which immediately restart, using up battery power, and can display intrusive advertising.

Can a virus or miner be hidden in the “Other” section?

Theoretically, yes. Malware can disguise its files so that they do not appear in the gallery or application list, ending up in the system partition. If the volume of “Other” grows on its own without your actions, it is recommended to check your smartphone with an antivirus through Google Play Protection or McAfee, built into the Samsung security settings.

Deleting which files will definitely not harm the system?

Safely delete the contents of folders Download, DCIM/.thumbnails (photo thumbnails), caches of specific applications through settings, as well as files in the folder Trash (Trash). Do not touch folders with the names of system processes or files in the root of the internal memory if you do not know their purpose.

What to do if, after cleaning, “Other” quickly fills up again?

This indicates a specific record-breaking application that generates a lot of temporary data (often video editors, navigators or instant messengers with active chats). Go to the storage settings, sort applications by the size of the space they occupy and check the cache limits for the leader in the ranking.