Cleaning memory on ASUS Android smartphones: from cache to system files

Smartphones ASUS —whether gaming ROG Phone or classic ZenFone —over time they face shortages memory. Even models with 128–256 GB of storage begin to slow down if you do not keep track of the application cache and duplicate files. Unlike the iPhone, where cleaning comes down to a few taps, Android requires a more in-depth approach - especially on devices with custom firmware system garbage, application cache and duplicate files. Unlike iPhone, where cleaning comes down to a few taps, Android requires a more in-depth approach - especially on devices with custom firmware ZenUI.

In this article we will look 7 proven methods free up memory on ASUS without root access and loss of important data. From standard system tools to hidden functions that are not written about in official manuals. We’ll also find out why, even after deleting files, space is not always freed up - and how to fix it.

1. Built-in ASUS tools: what can be cleaned without third-party apps

Firmware ZenUI (or ROG UI for gaming models) includes several utilities for optimizing storage. Their main advantage is security: they will not delete critical system files, unlike some "cleaners" from the Play Market.

To open the cleaning menu:

1. Go to Settings → System → Memory.
2. Tap on "Clear" at the top of the screen.
3. Select categories: "Cache", "Downloads", "Unused files".

• 📁 Application cache: temporary files that can be deleted without consequences. Frees up to 1–3 GB on an actively used phone.
• 🗑️ Trash: files deleted less than 30 days ago. B ASUS Trash is hidden - its contents are displayed only here.
• 🔍 Duplicates and large files: the tool searches for duplicate photos, videos weighing >500 MB and APK installers.

⚠️ Attention: B section "Unused files" you may find archives with backup copies (for example, from Titanium Backup) or game caches. Before deleting, check the list manually!

2. Manual deletion of cache and application data: when automation does not help

Built-in cache clearing Settings → Storage only deletes part of the temporary files. Many applications (especially social networks and instant messengers) store caches in protected folders that the system does not touch. To delete it completely:

1. Open Settings → Applications.
2. Select an application (for example Facebook or Telegram).
3. Tap "Storage" → "Clear cache".
4. For radical cleaning, tap "Clear data" (⚠️ this will reset the application settings!).

Top 5 "gluttonous" applications on ASUS (according to users ROG Phone 5/6 and ZenFone 9):

Critical information for owners ASUS ROG Phone: the game cache in the section /sdcard/Android/obb can take up to 20 GB. You can delete it only if you are ready to download add-ons again.

Check if the application is not being used for work|Save important files (for example, chats in Telegram)|Remember your login/password in case you need to re-authorize|Do not clear data from system applications (starting with "com.asus.")-->

3. Cleaning the Downloads folder and other “junk” directories

Folder Downloads (or Downloads) - the main storage of unnecessary files. The following are accumulated here:

• 📄 APK files of installed (and deleted) files. applications;
• 📥 Archives from instant messengers;
• 🎵 Music and videos downloaded “for later”;
• 📊 Exported data (for example, backups WhatsApp).

How to clear:

1. Open any file manager (for example Files by Google or built-in ASUS File Manager).
2. Go to Internal memory → Download.
3. Sort files by date or size ("Sort → By size").
4. Delete everything that is older than 3 months or weighs >100 MB.

Other “problem” folders on ASUS:

• 🗃️ /DCIM/.thumbnails — photo thumbnails (can be deleted);
• 🗃️ /Android/data — cache of games and applications (clear selectively!);
• 🗃️ /Pictures/Screenshots — screenshots (often duplicated in Google Photos).

4. Transferring files to a memory card or cloud: nuances for ASUS

If the phone has a slot for microSD, transfer multimedia and documents to it. applications support working with external memory on ASUS. For example, WhatsApp does not allow saving media to an SD card in new versions.

How to transfer files:

1. Open File Manager.
2. Select files (press your finger on one of them → mark the rest).
3. Tap "Move" and select a memory card.

For automation, use Google Photos (free up to 15 GB) or ASUS WebStorage (5 GB for owners ZenFone). To enable auto-upload:

Settings → Google → Backup → Photos and videos → Enable

⚠️ Attention: On ASUS ROG Phone s ROG UI function «Adoptable Storage» (turning the SD card into part of the internal memory) is disabled by default. It is not recommended to enable it - this may lead to failures when removing the card.

5. Removing system debris and application remnants

After uninstalling applications, ASUS often remain:

• 🗑️ Folders in /Android/obb and /Android/data;
• 📦 Residual files in /data/data (requires root access for access);
• 🔧 Settings and cache in /sdcard (for example, folders .nomedia).

To remove them:

1. Use SD Maid (requires root) or Files by Google (without root).
2. B Files by Google select "Cleaning" → "Residual files".
3. For deep cleaning, connect the phone to the PC and use ADB:

   adb shell pm list packages -u

   This command will show a list of applications that have been deleted, but not completely cleaned.

Unique problem ASUS ZenFone 8/9: after updating to Android 13, there are “dead” APK files weighing up to 500 MB in the folder. They can only be deleted through /data/app “dead” APK files weighing up to 500 MB remain. They can only be removed through ADB or a factory reset.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.example.app

for pkg in $(adb shell pm list packages -u | cut -f2 -d":"); do adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 $pkg; done

6. Reset to factory settings: when nothing helps

If there is critically little free space (less than 500 MB) and standard methods do not work, the only option left is hard reset. On ASUS it is performed in two ways:

Method 1. Through the settings menu:

1. Settings → System → Reset → Delete all data.
2. Select "Erase internal memory" (optional).
3. Confirm the action.

Method 2. Through Recovery Mode (if the phone does not turn on):

1. Turn off the device.
2. Hold Power button + Volume Up.
3. In the recovery menu, select «Wipe data/factory reset».

⚠️ Attention:

On ASUS ROG Phone 3/5 After the reset, you may need to re-activate the game functions (for example, AirTriggers). A backup copy of your settings can be created in Settings → ASUS → Backup.

7. Optimizing memory after cleaning: how to avoid re-filling

To prevent memory from filling up again:

• 🔄 Set up automatic cache clearing in Settings → Memory → Auto cleanup (available at ZenUI 8+).
• 📵 Limit background activity of applications: Settings → Battery → Battery optimization.
• 🚫 Disable auto-downloading of media in instant messengers (for example, in Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoload media).
• 🔍 Check the folder regularly Downloads (once a month).

For owners ASUS ROG Phone it is useful to disable recording of game videos in high resolution:

Armoury Crate → Recording settings → Quality → 720p (instead of 1080p/4K)

This will reduce memory consumption from 1–2 GB per session to 200–500 MB.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about clearing memory on ASUS