Smartphone owners Samsung Galaxy often encounter the unpleasant “Device memory is full” notification. This happens even on models with a large amount of storage, if you do not monitor the accumulation of system garbage and temporary files. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many users are afraid of losing important photos or correspondence while trying to free up space.
Fortunately, there are safe optimization methods that can free up gigabytes of space without touching personal content. You can only delete application cache, duplicate media files, or unused system reports. In this article, we will look in detail at how to clear memory your device using built-in tools One UI and third-party utilities.
The main goal is to return your smartphone to its former performance without resorting to a radical reset. We will consider both automatic functions of the system and manual methods for advanced users who want to get maximum free space.
Using the built-in memory optimizer
The company Samsung has built into its shell One UI a powerful tool for maintaining the device. This service analyzes the system state and offers to delete unnecessary files that do not affect the operation of your apps or the safety of personal data. It is accessed through the settings menu, where all diagnostic tools are collected.
To start the procedure, go to Settings → Device Maintenance → Storage. Here you will see a graph of storage usage and a “Clear Now” button. The system will automatically find temporary files, remnants of advertising caches and unused installer packages. It is important to note that this process does not affect your photos, videos or documents.
Inside the maintenance section, the “Storage Cleanup” function is also available, which works in more detail. It divides data into categories: images, videos, audio, documents and applications. By clicking on any category, you can see duplicate files or screenshots that can be safely deleted. Automatic cleanup Saves time and minimizes the risk of accidentally losing important information.
⚠️ Attention: Always check the folder before mass cleaning using the system tool "Trash" in the gallery, as some files may be moved there automatically.
Removing the application cache without losing data
The largest consumer of space is often the application cache. This is temporary data that apps download to quickly load content: video previews on YouTube, news feeds on social networks, or thumbnails in messengers. Deleting the cache does not erase your logins, passwords or correspondence, it only resets temporary buffers.
To clear the cache of a specific “heavy” application, go to Settings → Applications. Select a app that takes up a lot of space (for example, TikTok, Telegram or Instagram), and go to the "Storage" section. There you will see two buttons: “Clear data” and “Clear cache”. It's the second option you need. Clicking on “Clear data” will lead to a complete reset of the application, which should be avoided.
If you want to clear the cache of all applications at once, you can use the recovery menu, but this requires a reboot and more complex actions. It’s easier to use third-party utilities or the “Optimization” function described above. Regularly clearing the messenger cache can free up from 2 to 10 GB of space, which is critical for devices with low memory.
☑️ Checking the messenger cache
Pay attention to video streaming applications and browsers. They accumulate gigabytes of data without the user noticing. Browser cache can take up hundreds of megabytes if you often visit “heavy” sites with graphics. Cleaning it will speed up the operation of the device, although the first page loads after this may take a little longer.
Cleaning the “My Files” folder and system garbage
Standard file manager My Files (My files) on smartphones Samsung has hidden functions for finding unnecessary data. Users often forget about downloaded files from the Internet, old installation packages .apk or temporary files from remote apps. This data sits like dead weight and takes up valuable space.
Open the My Files app and scroll down to the Storage Analysis section. The system will offer to delete duplicate files, large files that you have not opened for a long time, and unused applications. It is also worth checking the Download (Downloads) folder. Presentations, restaurant menus, and instructions often accumulate there, the relevance of which has long since passed.
Pay special attention to the folder DCIM/.thumbnails. It stores thumbnails of your photos. Over time, this folder can grow to several gigabytes. Deleting files from this directory is safe - the system will re-create them the next time you open the gallery, but this will take time and battery power. It is better to do this when the phone is connected to charging.
⚠️ Attention: Do not delete files with the extension.obbor folders with game names inAndroid/obbif you want to save progress and the ability to launch heavy games without re-downloading.
Where to look for hidden ones logs?
System logs and error reports can be stored in the log or dumpstate folder. They can be deleted manually through the file manager if you have root access, but for the average user it is better to limit themselves to cleaning through the settings.
Working with cloud services and optimizing photos
Photos and videos take up the lion's share of the memory of any smartphone. If you don't want to delete your memorable photos, the best solution is to transfer them to the cloud and then delete the local copies. The service Google Photos or Samsung Cloud allows you to store media files on servers, freeing up space on the device.
The application Google Photos has a “Free up space” function. It finds on the device those pictures that have already been uploaded to the cloud and deletes their local copy. You'll still be able to see these photos in the app's gallery, but they won't take up space in your internal storage. This is an ideal way save memorieswithout sacrificing phone performance.
You can also change the camera settings. Shoot in HEIF/HEIC instead of standard JPEG. The format HEIF provides the same image quality, but takes up half the space. To enable this feature, go to the camera settings and select “Format and advanced options” → “Image format” → “High efficiency”.
| File type | Medium size (12 MP) | Space saving | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPEG | ~4-6 MB | Basic | All devices |
| HEIF | ~2-3 MB | Up to 50% | Android 9+, iOS 11+ |
| RAW | ~25-30 MB | Negative | Only pros |
| WebP | ~1-2 MB | Up to 70% | Internet/Messengers |
Set up automatic uploading of photos to the cloud only when connected to Wi-Fi, so as not to waste mobile traffic.
Managing the messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp)
Messengers are the main ones “eaters” of memory in modern smartphones. Telegram i WhatsApp automatically save all received photos and videos to internal memory. Without configuration, these applications can quietly take up 20-30 GB over several months of active correspondence.
In Telegram the situation is solved most elegantly. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage. Here you can set a cache limit (for example, 200 MB) and configure the automatic cleaning period (for example, delete the cache if files have not been opened for 3 days). In this case, the files will remain on the Telegram servers, and you can download them again if necessary.
The WhatsApp mechanism is slightly different. You need to go to Settings → Data and storage → Storage management. The application will show the chats that take up the most space. You can selectively remove media from specific conversations while leaving text conversations intact. This allows you to specifically free up space by deleting only heavy videos from work chats.
It is recommended to disable autosaving of media to the gallery. In the settings of both messengers, find the “Media Visibility” or “Save to Gallery” item and disable it. This will prevent duplication of files: they will be stored inside the application, but will not be copied to a shared folder DCIM, creating excess space.
Setting up automatic cache deletion in Telegram is the most effective way to keep memory clean without manual intervention.
Transferring applications and files to a memory card
If your smartphone Samsung has a memory card slot microSDthis is a great way to relieve internal storage. Although modern versions Android limit the ability to transfer the applications themselves to the card, you can easily move all media files, documents and downloads.
Use the file manager to move folders DCIM (camera photos), Downloads, Music and Documents to an external card. After transferring, in the camera settings, specify the memory card as the main storage location for new pictures. This will prevent the internal memory from filling up in the future.
Some applications allow you to change the path where data is saved in their internal settings. For example, navigators Google Maps or Yandex.Maps allow you to save offline maps to an SD card. Offline maps of regions can take up several gigabytes, so transferring them is critical to save space.
⚠️ Attention: Memory cards have a slower write speed than internal memory. Do not transfer system applications or games to them that require fast loading of textures, otherwise they may slow down.
How to make the card part of the memory?
In older versions of Android there was an Adoptable Storage function that allows you to combine the card with the phone's memory. In new Samsung shells, this function is hidden or removed for reasons of security and stability.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will clearing the cache delete my passwords and correspondence?
No, clearing the cache only affects temporary files that speed up applications. Your logins, passwords, settings and chat history are stored in the “Data” section, which remains untouched when clearing the cache.
Why does the memory fill up even if I don’t download anything?
This happens due to the work of background processes: social networks cache the feed, instant messengers save media, and the system creates logs and reports. Also, updating applications takes up temporary space during the installation process.
Is it safe to delete the Android/data folder?
No, it is not recommended to delete this entire folder. It stores application data. Removal may result in app settings being reset or game progress being lost. Clean only the contents of folders of specific deleted applications.
How to find out what exactly is taking up the most space?
Go to Settings → Device maintenance → Memory. The system will show a detailed diagram of the distribution of space by category: applications, images, videos, audio and documents.
Can a virus fill up the phone's memory?
Yes, malware can create many hidden files or mine cryptocurrency, clogging the cache. If the memory fills up abnormally quickly for no apparent reason, check the device with an antivirus or in safe mode.