Galaxy A series smartphones, which include Samsung Galaxy A10, often face the problem of lack of built-in memory after just a few months of active use. The Android operating system and pre-installed applications accumulate gigabytes of temporary files, cache, and residual data over time. This leads to the device slowing down, errors appearing when installing new apps and the inability to take new photos.
It is especially important for owners of budget models with 32 GB of built-in space to regularly check deep cleaning the system. In this article, we will analyze not only standard methods for removing garbage, but also specific settings available specifically on the One UI shell from Samsung. You will learn how to transfer data to a memory card and which folders can be deleted without fear of damaging the system.
Analysis of occupied space through settings
The first step before any actions to delete files should be diagnostics. You need to understand exactly what is taking up space in your device. In modern versions of Android, the built-in analyzer works quite correctly, showing the distribution of memory by category. Go to the menu Settings, then select the item Device maintenance and tap on the section Memory.
The system will analyze the data and will issue a detailed report. You'll see a breakdown of apps, images, videos, audio files, documents, and system data. Users are often surprised to find that the "Other" or "System Data" categories take up a disproportionate amount of space. This may be due to the error log, temporary update files, or messenger cache, which is not always correctly identified as application data.
Pay attention to the “Applications” section. By clicking on it, you will get a list of apps sorted by size. It often happens that social networks or browsers take up more space than the entire photo gallery. This is due to the content caching mechanism. Application cache speeds up the loading of pages and media, but over time it turns into ballast that can be safely deleted.
Use the built-in memory analyzer once a month to monitor the dynamics of space growth and identify “parasite” applications that are swelling in size faster others.
Do not ignore the tab with_sd-card, if it is installed. Sometimes the system offers to move some of the data there automatically, but it is better to do it manually for complete control. Understanding the storage structure is half the battle in the fight for free gigabytes on your Samsung A10.
Using the built-in Samsung optimizer
Samsung has implemented a powerful tool for automatic system maintenance in its One UI shell. This tool is available to all users without the need to install third-party software. To launch it, open the application Settings and select Device Maintenance. On the main screen, you will see a button Optimize Now.
Pressing this button launches a complex script that closes background processes, checks for malware and, most importantly for our topic, cleans up unnecessary files. The system automatically finds advertising files, remnants of deleted apps and duplicates. The process usually takes no more than a minute, but its effectiveness depends on how long ago you last performed such a procedure.
However, automatic optimization does not always remove everything unnecessary. For more detailed work, click on the icon Memory inside the maintenance menu. Here the system will prompt you to remove unused applications and large files. Samsung's algorithm flags files larger than 500MB that you haven't opened in a long time. This is a convenient way to find forgotten videos or archives.
☑️ Monthly optimization
⚠️ Attention: The built-in optimizer may suggest deleting files that you downloaded recently, but have not had time to view yet. Always check the list of files before confirming the deletion, so as not to lose important documents or downloaded videos.
After finishing the optimizer, it is recommended to restart your smartphone. This is necessary so that the file system correctly recalculates free space and frees blocks that have been marked for deletion, but have not yet been physically erased. Rebooting also helps clear temporary errors in the memory manager.
Manually clearing cache and application data
Automatic means are good, but manual control gives the maximum result. The largest volume of garbage is usually generated by instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) and social networks (Instagram, VK, TikTok). These apps save every photo and video you view in hidden cache folders. To get to them, go to Settings → Applications.
Select the desired application from the list, for example, Instagram. Inside the application menu, find the section Storage. Here you will see two important buttons: Clear cache and Clear data. The first deletes temporary files without affecting your account and settings. The second resets the application to the “as after installation” state, deleting logins, passwords and downloaded files.
Pay special attention to instant messengers. In Telegram, for example, the cache can reach tens of gigabytes. It is best to clean it not through the Android settings, but through the app itself: Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage → Clear cache. There you can also configure automatic deletion of the cache so that it does not accumulate in the future. This is a critical point for owners Samsung A10 with low memory.
What is Dalvik Cache?
Dalvik Cache is a special memory section where optimized files are stored applications for quick launch. Clearing this partition is only possible through Recovery mode and requires a system reboot to re-optimize all apps, which may take 10-15 minutes.
Do not be afraid to clear the cache of the Chrome or Samsung Internet browser. Copies of visited pages are stored there. Removing them will only force the browser to download the images again the next time you visit the site, but will free up valuable space. Regularly clearing the cache of heavy applications is the key to stable operation of a budget smartphone.
Managing media files and gallery
Photos and videos are the main consumers of space. The camera of a modern smartphone, even a budget one, creates high-resolution files. One minute video in Full HD can weigh 100-150 MB. Over time, the gallery grows to indecent sizes. Samsung's standard Gallery application has built-in tools for removing duplicates and similar photos.
Open the gallery, click on the menu (three dots) and select Suggestions or Delete similar photos. The algorithm will find a series of identical frames where you blinked or the camera shook, and will offer to delete the unnecessary ones, leaving the best option. Also check the folder Trash inside the gallery. Deleted photos are stored there for 30 days, continuing to take up space until they are completely erased.
For video files, the situation is even more acute. If you have a microSD card, set your camera to save all new photos and videos directly to it. Go to the application Camera, click on the settings gear and find the item Save location. Switch it to SD card. This will prevent the internal memory from filling up in the future.
Transferring media files to an SD card is the most effective way to relieve the internal storage of the Samsung A10, as the system and applications will remain on the fast built-in drive, and heavy photos will go to the card.
Don't forget about the folder Download (Downloads). APK installation files, PDF documents and images from the Internet that are no longer needed are often saved there. Go through this folder manually through the file manager My files and delete everything unnecessary. Often old versions of apps that are already installed and updated accumulate there.
Setting up and using an SD card
Owners Samsung Galaxy A10 are lucky with the presence of a slot for memory cards. Proper configuration of microSD can increase the available space significantly. However, simply inserting a card is not enough. You need to teach the system to use it correctly. After installing the card, the phone will offer several options for use: transferring files or using it as internal storage.
The “Internal Memory” mode (Adoptable Storage) allows you to install applications on the card. But on budget devices this mode is often unstable or missing from the menu. Therefore, it is safer to use the card as portable storage and manually transfer media there. Go to Settings → Device maintenance → Memory → SD card and select formatting if the card is new or was in another device.
To transfer existing files, use the application My files. Go to Internal storage, select the DCIM (camera photo), Pictures, Movies, Music and Download folders. Click the menu (three dots) and select Move, then specify your SD card as the target location. The process may take time depending on the amount of data.
| Data type | Recommended storage location | Impact on speed | Risk of loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| System files | Internal memory | High speed | Low |
| Applications | Internal memory | Quick launch | Low |
| Photo and Video | SD card (Class 10/U1) | Average speed | Average |
| Music and Documents | SD card | Not critical | Average |
They may fail or get lost. Therefore, it is better to back up critical data, such as work documents or unique family photos, to cloud storage or to a computer, even if they are on an SD card.
Removing system junk and hidden folders
In addition to the obvious files, there are hidden directories in the system that swell over time. They are accessed through the file manager My files. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings (usually a checkbox in the menu). Pay attention to the folder Android/data. Caches of games and heavy applications are stored there.
Inside the folder Android/data you will see directories with the names of application packages (for example, com.instagram.android). Going inside, you can find a folder cache. Its contents can be deleted manually if standard cleaning does not help. Be careful: do not delete the folders themselves with application names, only the contents of the folders cache inside them.
Another problem area is the folder LOST.DIR on the memory card or in the internal memory. There the system resets files whose recovery was interrupted (for example, when removing a card without safely removing it). If you are sure that there are no important unfinished downloads there, the contents of this folder can be safely deleted.
⚠️ Attention: Never delete files from folders with the names of system services (for example, com.android.systemui or com.samsung.android..) manually if you do not know exactly their purpose. This can lead to unstable operation of the interface or endless rebooting.
It is also worth checking the folder Bluetooth. If you've ever received files via Bluetooth, they lie there like dead weight. Users often forget about transferred pictures or melodies that are no longer relevant. Regular auditing of these hidden corners of the file system allows you to free up another 1-2 GB of space.
Radical measures: Reset to factory settings
If all of the above methods did not help, and the phone continues to slow down due to lack of space, the last resort remains - a complete reset. This will return the device to the condition it was in when you purchased it. All user data, applications, settings and files will be permanently deleted.
Before starting the procedure, be sure to make a backup copy. Use your Google Account or Samsung Smart Switch on your computer to save contacts, messages, and photos. After creating a backup, go to Settings → General settings → Reset → Data reset. Confirm the action by entering your PIN code or pattern.
The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will reboot and begin the initial setup. You will notice a significant increase in speed and the appearance of several gigabytes of free memory. This is the most effective way to get rid of deep-seated system junk that cannot be removed manually.
After resetting, do not restore all applications at once from a backup copy. Install only the essentials manually. Often, along with the backup, old erroneous settings are returned, which again clog the memory.
Use this method only if other methods have been exhausted. Regular maintenance and monitoring of installed applications will help you avoid the need for a hard reset in the future. A clean system is the key to your long life Samsung A10.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and names of menu items may vary slightly depending on the version of Android and the One UI shell update installed on your device. If you do not find an exact match, look for similar sections.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to delete the Android folder completely?
No, you cannot delete the entire folder Android . It stores critical data for application operation. Deleting this folder will cause apps to stop running and lose settings and authorization. You can only clean subfolders cache inside it.
Why is the space not freed up after deleting files?
Often this happens because the files ended up in the “Trash” of the gallery or file manager. Check the folder Trash and clean it. It is also possible that the file is open in another application and blocked by the system until the reboot.
How to transfer WhatsApp to an SD card on Samsung A10?
It is often impossible to directly transfer the WhatsApp application itself to the card in new versions of Android. However, you can transfer media files. Go to WhatsApp settings → Chats → Chat backup to save the history, and then through the file manager move the folder WhatsApp/Media to the memory card.
Is it safe to use cleaner applications from the Play Market?
Most of them are useless or even harmful, since show intrusive advertising and work in the background, consuming resources. Samsung's built-in Device Maintenance tool is quite enough to clean your system safely and effectively.
What should you do if the system says "Storage is full" even though there is space?
This could be an indexing error. Try restarting your phone in safe mode (hold the power button, then long press "Power off" on the screen). If the problem goes away, the third-party app is to blame. If not, you may need to reset the settings.