Users of the budget segment of smartphones often face a lack of free space, and Samsung Galaxy A12 here is no exception. Even with a memory card slot, the built-in storage quickly fills up with system updates, application cache and personal media files. When the amount of available memory drops to critical values, the device begins to work slower, and installing new apps becomes impossible.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the available methods for freeing up space on your gadget. We will look at both standard operating system and shell tools, as well as more advanced methods that require manual intervention. Proper organization of files and regular cleaning of garbage will help extend the comfortable life of your Android and shells One UI, as well as more advanced methods that require manual intervention. Proper organization of files and regular cleaning of debris will help extend the comfortable life of your smartphone.
Analysis of occupied space and built-in tools
Before deleting anything, you need to understand what exactly is taking up space. Modern versions of the shell include a convenient built-in analyzer. Go to One UI from Samsung There is a convenient built-in analyzer. Go to Settings → Device maintenance → Memory. The system will automatically scan the drive and show a breakdown by category: applications, images, videos, audio and documents.
Pay attention to the “Applications” section. Often social networks and instant messengers take up gigabytes of space due to saved media files. You can click on a specific application in the list and see detailed statistics. The function Clear data will delete all settings and logins, so use it with caution, it is better to select Clear cache.
The “Clear Now” function is also available in this menu. The smartphone algorithm will suggest deleting unused files, duplicates and rarely used applications. This is a quick way to get back a few hundred megabytes of free space without diving deep into the file system.
⚠️ Warning: The automatic cleanup feature may delete temporary files that some applications use to boot quickly. After cleaning, news feeds or video hosting may take a little longer to load when first launched.
Cache and application data management
The largest amount of “garbage” is generated by social networks and browsers. The application Instagram or TikTok can quietly take up several gigabytes, saving watched videos in temporary storage. Manually clearing the cache for each application is a time-consuming but effective process.
For bulk clearing, you can use the memory management menu. Go to Settings → Applications, select sorting by size. Open the top 5 heaviest apps. Inside the menu of each application, find the item Storage. Here you will see two buttons: clear cache and clear data.
- 🗑️ Clearing the cache deletes temporary files without affecting your personal correspondence and login settings.
- 🧹 Clearing data resets the application to the "just installed" state, deleting all accounts and local files.
- 📦 Removing updates returns the application to the factory version, which can free up space, but will deprive it of new features.
Pay special attention to instant messengers such as WhatsApp i Telegram. They have their own internal storage settings. In Telegram, for example, you can go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage and set the cache to be automatically deleted. This will prevent the accumulation of gigabytes of watched videos in the future.
In the Telegram messenger, enable the “Auto delete cache” function and set the period to 3 days. This will automatically delete old media files from the device, leaving them available for re-downloading from the cloud if necessary.
Transferring files to a memory card and to the cloud
The model Samsung Galaxy A12 supports installation of memory cards of format microSD. This is an ideal option for storing photos, videos and music that do not require the fast access typical of internal memory. Transferring media files can free up up to 80% of the space.
To transfer, use a standard file manager My files. Go to the Internal memorysection, select the folders DCIM (camera photo), Download (downloads) and Pictures. Click the menu (three dots) and select Move. Specify your memory card as_destination_ SD card.
| File type | Recommended storage location | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Photo and Video | Memory card (SD) | Take up the largest volume, do not require high reading speed |
| Documents | Memory card or Cloud | Rarely used, important for backup |
| Application cache | Internal memory | Requires high speed for system performance |
| System files | Internal memory | Not subject to movement, critical for the operation of the OS |
If there is no memory card, use cloud services. Google Photos allows you to configure automatic uploading of pictures to the cloud and then deleting them from the device. In the application settings, find the “Free up space” option. Services work similarly Google Drive and Yandex.Disk.
How to make a memory card the main storage?
On some In Android versions, you can format the memory card as internal storage. However, on Samsung A12 this feature is often hidden or unavailable without root access. Even if it is available, remember that the card will be encrypted and cannot be read on other devices, and its speed may slow down the system.
Removing system junk and the DCIM .thumbnails folder
Deep in the Android file system there is a hidden folder .thumbnailslocated inside DCIM. It stores thumbnails of all your photos and videos. Over time, this folder can grow to several gigabytes, especially if you have thousands of pictures in your gallery.
To find and clean it, open your file manager and make sure that displaying hidden files (files whose names begin with a dot) is turned on in the settings. Follow the path Internal memory → DCIM → .thumbnails. The contents of this folder can be safely deleted - the system will create it again, but empty, the next time you open the gallery.
Another source of garbage is the folder Android/data. Cache files of games and heavy applications are stored here. Clearing this directory may reset progress in some games or remove offline maps in navigators, so be selective. Delete only those folders whose names correspond to applications that have already been deleted.
⚠️ Attention: Do not delete files from the folder
Android/obbif you plan to continue using installed games. Deleting data from this folder will lead to the need to re-download gigabyte game files.
Resetting the settings to factory settings as a radical method
If none of the above methods helped, and the memory is still full of incomprehensible files, the system may have accumulated errors or remnants of deleted applications. In this case, an effective solution would be a complete reset (Hard Reset).
Before performing this procedure, be sure to create a backup copy of all important data, as the phone will be completely wiped. Go to Settings → General settings → Reset → Reset data. The device will reboot and return to the state it was in when purchased.
Settings → General settings → Reset → Reset data → ResetAfter resetting, do not restore all applications at once from Google backup. Install only the essentials and watch the memory fill up within a week. Often the problem lies in one specific application that does not work correctly on yours. firmware version.
☑️ Preparing for a full reset
Prevention and good habits
So that the problem of lack of memory on Samsung A12 did not return, it is important to develop good habits of using a smartphone. Regular cleaning takes less time than dealing with the consequences of an overfilled storage unit. Try to check the “Downloads” folder at least once a month.
Disable automatic saving of media files in instant messengers. You can prohibit saving received photos and videos to your phone gallery. They will remain available inside the chat, but will not be duplicated in the general memory of the device, taking up space. WhatsApp And Viber You can prevent saving received photos and videos to your phone gallery. They will remain available within the chat, but will not be duplicated in the general memory of the device, taking up space.
- 📸 Disable saving screen photos (screenshots) if you do not plan to use them.
- 🎵 Use streaming services for music instead of downloading tracks to memory.
- 🗑️ Set up automatic emptying of the recycle bin in the gallery every 30 days.
Remember that the operating system Android requires about 10-15% of free space for correct operation and installation of updates. If the memory is full to capacity, the smartphone may begin to slow down even during simple tasks.
Regularly cleaning the “Downloads” folder and disabling auto-saving of media in instant messengers are the most effective measures to prevent low memory in the long term.
Why is the space not freed up after deleting files?
Check the trash in the Gallery and My Files app. Deleted files are often moved there and stored for 30 days, continuing to take up space. It is also possible that you cleared the cache, but did not delete the application data itself.
Is it possible to transfer the applications themselves to a memory card on a Samsung A12?
In the latest versions of Android and the One UI shell, the ability to transfer applications to an SD card is often blocked by developers to ensure stability. You can only transfer media files and documents.
Is it safe to delete files from the Android folder?
It is safe to delete files from the Android/data and Android/obb folders only for those applications that you have already deleted or do not use. Deleting active application files will reset their settings or make them inoperable.
How to find out what exactly took up space suddenly?
Use third-party utilities like DiskUsage or the built-in analyzer in the storage settings. Often, sudden filling is associated with an error in the voice recorder, camera, or a failure when downloading a large file.
⚠️ Attention: The menu interface and item names may vary slightly depending on the version of the One UI firmware installed. If you do not find the specified option, use the search in settings (magnifying glass icon at the top of the settings screen).