Clogged memory on a smartphone is a problem that every second user faces. Android. Even devices with 128 GB and 256 GB of internal storage begin to issue warnings about lack of space over time, and the operating speed slows down significantly. The reasons are always different: these are application caches, duplicate photos, residual files after uninstalling apps, and even hidden system data that most users are unaware of.
In this article we will analyze all possible ways to clear memory - from basic (removing unnecessary files manually) to advanced (using ADB hidden functions Android 13/14). You will learn how to free up from 5 to 20 GB of space without losing important data, which applications “eat up” memory unnoticed, and why even after deleting files, the amount of free space does not always increase. We will separately dwell on myths (for example, “clearing the cache speeds up the phone”) and give a checklist for regularly maintaining memory in order.
Important: the methods are suitable for all versions Android (from Android 8 Oreo to Android 15), including devices Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, Google Pixel and other brands. If you have root access, at the end of the article you will find a bonus section with advanced features.
1. Analysis of occupied space: what exactly is taking up space?
Before you start cleaning, you need to understand which files and applications they are eating up memory. In 80% of cases, users delete something that is not really needed, and after a week the memory runs out again. Here's how to properly diagnose:
- 📊 Built-in Android tools: go to
Settings → Storage. Here you will see the distribution of memory by category: “Applications”, “Photos and videos”, “Audio”, “System data”, etc. Click on any category to see the details. - 🔍 Third-party analyzers: applications like Files by Google, SD Maid or DiskUsage will show hidden files larger than 100 MBthat are not displayed in the standard manager.
- 📁 Manual inspection of folders: through any file manager (for example, Solid Explorer) check the folders:
/DCIM/.thumbnails— photo thumbnails (can weigh up to 1 GB);/Download— downloads from browsers;/Android/data— application data (there are often “tails” left after uninstall).
Pay attention to the “System Data” or “Other” section - if it takes up more than 10-15 GB, this is a sign clogging the system process cache or residual files after updates. Such data cannot be deleted manually, but we’ll talk about this in the section about ADB.
2. Removing the application cache: when it helps and when it is useless
Application caches are temporary files that are created to speed up apps. For example, Instagram caches stories, YouTube caches video previews, and games cache textures and levels. In theory, clearing the cache should free up space, but in practice there are nuances:
- ✅ Helpsif:
- The application is unstable (crashes, slows down);
- The cache takes up more than 500 MB (checked in
Settings → Applications → [name] → Storage).
- ❌ Uselessif:
- You clear the cache “for prevention” - it will be restored in a few minutes;
- Expect the phone to become faster (cache does not affect on system performance).
How to clear the cache correctly:
- Open
Settings → Applications. - Select an application (start with the heaviest ones - Facebook, TikTok, Google Play Services).
- Click “Storage” → “Clear cache.”
- For bulk cleaning, use Files by Google (section “Cleaning”).
Do not clear the cache Google Play Services and Android System WebView unnecessarily - this may disrupt the operation of Google services.
If after clearing the cache is quickly restored, this means that the application is actively used. In this case, it is better to limit its background activity in the battery settings.
3. Removing unnecessary applications and their “tails”
The average user installs 30-50 applications, but actively uses only 10-15. The rest take up space not only by themselves, but also with their data, cache and residual. files after removal. Here's how to clear them completely:
- 🗑️ Deleting applications:
- Go to
Settings → Applications; - Sort by size (click on the three dots in the upper corner);
- Delete apps that are not used for more than a month (especially games and social networks).
- Go to
- 🧹 Cleaning the “tails”:
- After uninstallation, check the folder
/Android/data/[package name]- files often remain there; - Use SD Maid (section "CorpseFinder") to search for residual data.
- After uninstallation, check the folder
- 🚫 Blacklist:
- Do not delete system applications (for example Google Play Services) - this will lead to failures;
- Be careful with “light” versions of applications (for example, Facebook Lite- they also cache data.
| Application type | Average size | Is it possible delete? | How to clear leftovers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social networks (Facebook, TikTok) | 200–800 MB | Yes | Delete + clear folder /Android/data/com.facebook.* |
| Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact) | 1–5 GB | Yes | Delete + check /Android/obb |
| System (Google Play Services) | 500 MB–2 GB | No | Clear cache, but do not delete |
| Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) | 100 MB–10 GB | No (but you can clear media) | B messenger settings: “Storage and data” → “Clear cache” |
If you deleted the application, but the space is not freed up, check the folder /Android/obb - game files weighing up to several gigabytes often remain there. These files can be safely deleted manually.
4. photos, videos and duplicates
Photos and videos are the main “eaters” of memory. Even if you regularly transfer them to a PC or cloud, the following remain on the phone:
- 📸 Duplicates and screenshots (folder
Pictures/Screenshots); - 🎥 Videos from messengers (automatically saved in
WhatsApp/MediaorTelegram/Telegram Video); - 🗑️ Deleted photos (in Google Photos they are stored for 60 days in the basket);
- 🔍 Hidden files (for example,
.thumbnailsor.nomedia).
How to clean media effectively:
- Use Google Photos:
- Enable "Free up space" in the settings - this will delete local copies of photos already uploaded to the cloud;
- Check the "Archive" and "Trash" folders - there may be gigabytes of unnecessary files there.
- Applications for search for duplicates:
- Files by Google (section “Cleaning” → “Duplicates”);
- Duplicate Files Fixer - finds similar photos even with different resolutions.
- Manual cleaning:
- Delete folders
DCIM/.thumbnails(photo thumbnails); - Check
Download—memes, GIFs and random files often accumulate there.
- Delete folders
☑️ Checklist for cleaning multimedia
If you actively use instant messengers, disable autosaving of media files:
- V WhatsApp:
Settings → Storage → Autoload media→ disable for mobile data; - In Telegram:
Settings → Data and storage → Autoload media→ select “Never.”
5. Cleaning system data and hidden files
Even after removing all unnecessary files and applications, the system may show that 10-20 GB are occupied by “unknown data”. This is:
- 🗃️ System process cache (for example,
com.android.systemui); - 🔄 Remains after OTA updates (folder
/cache); - 📦 Dalvik-cache files (if you have root);
- 🔒 Protected data (for example, encrypted files WhatsApp).
How to clear system data without root access:
- Cleaning system application cache:
- Go to
Settings → Applications → Show system ones; - Find
Google Play Services,Android System WebView,Download Manager; - Clear the cache (not data!).
- Go to
- Removing temporary update files:
- In Files by Google select “Cleanup” → “Temporary files”;
- Delete files marked “System update” or “APK”.
- Resetting the cache via Recovery (if the phone is slow):
- Turn off the phone;
- Hold
Power + Volume up(the combination depends on the model); - Select
Wipe cache partition(notfactory reset!).
What to do if "System Data" takes up more than 20 GB?
This may be due to an error in operation Android System Intelligence or Device Health Services. Try:
1. Clear the cache of these applications manually.
2. Disable them (if possible) in the settings.
3. Reset application settings (Settings → System → Reset → Reset settings applications).
If the problem persists, this is a reason to contact a service center (the file system may be damaged).
If you have root access, you can delete:
- Files in
/data/dalvik-cache(after reboot they will be restored); - Folder
/cache(includingrecovery/last_log); - Residual files in
/data/app-lib.
Do not delete files in /system or /vendor - this will lead to the phone not working!
6. Using ADB for deep cleaning (without root)
ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is a debugging tool that allows you to control your phone via a computer. You can use it to delete files that are not accessible through the standard interface. for example:
- 🧹 Residual data after deleting applications;
- 🗑️ System process cache;
- 📦 Unnecessary APK update files.
Instructions for cleaning via ADB:
- Install ADB on PC (download Platform Tools from the site Google).
- Enable on your phone
Debugging by USB(Settings → About phone → Build number(press 7 times) →Developer settings → USB debugging). - Connect the phone to the PC and run the commands:
adb shell pm list packages -f | "application_package"To delete residual data:
adb shell pm clear application_packageTo delete the cache of all applications:
adb shell pm trim-caches 100G
To delete temporary update files, use:
adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*
adb shell rm -rf /cache/*
Before using ADB make a backup copy of your data (adb backup -all).
If you are not sure about the commands, use the utility ADB AppControl —it provides a graphical interface for managing applications and files.
7. Storage optimization: how to prevent memory from filling up
Clearing memory is a one-time solution. To prevent the problem from returning, configure your phone so that it manages the storage independently:
- 🔄 Automatic cleaning:
- Enable in Files by Google "Auto cleanup" (will delete unnecessary files once a week);
- In Google Photos activate "Free up space" when the cloud is full.
- 📥 Download control:
- Disable autosaving of media in instant messengers;
- Use 1DM+ or ADM to manage downloads (they allow you to limit file size).
- 📦 Transfer data to SD card (if supported):
- In
Settings → Storageselect “Transfer data to SD card"; - Use App2SD to transfer some applications (does not work on all devices).
- In
- ☁️ Cloud services:
- Set up automatic photo upload to Google Photos or Yandex Disk;
- Use Dropbox or Mega to backup documents.
If your phone supports adoptable storage (combining internal memory and SD card), you can expand the storage:
- Insert an SD card (Class 10 or UHS-I);
- In
Settings → Storageselect SD card → “Settings” → “Format as internal memory.”
Formatting the SD card as internal memory will bind it to the phone. After extraction, the data on it will not be available on other devices!
8. Radical methods: reset to factory settings and root
If all of the above methods did not help, and the phone still shows that the memory is full, radical ones remain. measures:
- 🔧 Reset to factory settings:
- Delete all dataincluding system junk;
- Before resetting, make a backup copy (
Settings → System → Backup); - Execute via
Settings → System → Reset → Delete all data.
- 🛠️ Getting root access:
- Allows you to delete system applications (bloatware);
- Gives access to cleaning
/dataand/system; - Risks: loss of warranty, possible “brick” of the phone.
If you decide to root, use:
- Magisk to obtain rights without a trigger SafetyNet;
- Titanium Backup to remove system applications;
- SD Maid (with rights root) for deep cleaning.
What happens if you reset the phone without backup copy?
You will lose:
- All photos and videos (except those in the cloud);
- Messages in instant messengers (if there was no synchronization);
- Application and account settings (you will have to log in again);
- Local document and music files.
It is impossible to restore them after a reset After resetting or receiving!
After reset or receipt root install only the necessary applications and regularly clear the cache. This will help avoid recurrence. memory is full.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about clearing memory on Android
Why is the space not freed up after deleting files?
This is due to how Android manages memory:
- Deleted files can remain in the “recycle bin” (for example, in Google Photos);
- The system reserves space for cache and temporary files;
- Some applications (for example, WhatsApp) do not free up space immediately after deleting media.
Is it possible to clear memory without losing data?
Yes, if you follow the instructions in this article. Start with:
- Delete. application cache;
- Cleaning duplicate photos;
- Transferring media files to the cloud;
- Deleting unnecessary APK and temporary files.
Only as a last resort, resort to resetting the settings.
Which applications take up space the most?
Top 5 memory “eaters”:
- Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty - up to 10 GB);
- Social networks (Facebook, TikTok - 500 MB–2 GB);
- Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram - up to 10 GB due to media files);
- Maps (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps - cache of offline maps);
- Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube —video cache).
Check the size of applications in Settings → Applications → Sorting by size.
How to clear memory on Android if the phone does not turn on?
If the phone does not boot, but responds to connecting to a PC:
- Connect it to the computer and try to access files via
ADB:adb pull /sdcard/ [path_to_PC] - If
ADBdoes not work, use Reccovery Mode:- Hold
Power + Volume Up; - Select
Mount /systemand connect the phone to the PC; - Copy important files manually.
- Hold
- If all else fails, the only option left is a reset via
Reccovery(Wipe data/factory reset).
Is it true that clearing the cache speeds up the phone?
No, it's a myth. The cache is needed for acceleration applications to work. Clearing it:
- Frees up space, but temporarily;
- Maybe slow down the work of apps the next time you start (you will have to cache the data again);
- Does not affect system performance as a whole.
Clear the cache only if:
- The application is not working correctly;
- The cache takes up more than 1 GB.