Modern smartphones Samsung Galaxy are equipped with powerful processors and excellent cameras, but even they are not immune to the lack of internal storage. Users often encounter the “Device memory is full” notification, which blocks the creation of new snapshots, updating applications and normal system operation. This happens not only due to the large number of installed apps, but also due to the accumulation of hidden temporary files.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the available methods for cleaning the drive on devices running the shell One UI. You will learn how to properly use the built-in maintenance tools, find and remove “garbage” that is invisible to the eye, and also transfer data to external media to free up space as much as possible.
Using the built-in memory optimizer
The easiest and safest method to start fighting for gigabytes is to use a standard tool from the manufacturer. The company Samsung has integrated the “Device Maintenance” utility into its devices, which automatically analyzes the system status. It allows you to close background processes with one click and delete unnecessary files that are no longer required for applications to work.
To start the procedure, go to the menu Settings → Device Maintenance → Storage. The system will scan and show how much space is occupied and how much is available. The categories typically displayed here are apps, images, videos, audio, and documents. Clicking the "Clear Now" button will delete the cache of all apps and residual installer files.
Important to understandthat this method deletes only temporary data. Your personal photos or game saves will remain intact. However, this may not be enough for some users if the storage is full of media content. In this case, a more in-depth manual cleaning is required.
⚠️ Attention: After clearing the cache, applications may take a little longer to load when first launched, since they will have to re-download temporary data from the network. This is normal system behavior.
The interface of the “Device Maintenance” menu may vary slightly on different models Galaxy S and Galaxy A depending on the Android version and regional firmware. If you do not find the item in the specified location, use the search in the settings.
Analysis and removal of large files and duplicates
Often space is taken up by files whose existence you don’t even know exist. These could be old browser downloads, forgotten video files, or duplicate photos taken when the camera crashed. The built-in file manager My Files (My files) has a smart analysis function that helps identify such objects.
Open the application My files and scroll down the screen to the “Storage Analysis” section. Here the system will prompt you to remove duplicate files, large files (over 256 MB in size) and rarely used applications. This is the most effective way to quickly regain several gigabytes of free space without deleting important system components.
Particular attention should be paid to the folder Download (Downloads). Many users have been downloading APK installation files, presentations and archives for years, which become useless ballast after use. Manually checking this directory can often free up from 500 MB to 2 GB of space.
Enable the “Show hidden system files” function in the My Files application settings to see folders left behind by deleted applications and delete them manually.
Clearing the cache of instant messengers and social networks
Communication applications such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Viberare the main memory hogs on smartphones Android. They automatically save every photo, video and voice message received to internal memory. Over time, this data can take up tens of gigabytes, even if you have already deleted the correspondence from the chat itself.
Unlike the system cache, messenger data must be cleared through their internal settings. For example, in Telegram you can go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage and click “Clear cache”. In this case, your media files will remain available in the cloud and will be downloaded again only when you need to view them.
For WhatsApp, the procedure is a little more complicated, since there is no button to completely clear the cache without deleting history. It is recommended to go to the chat settings and disable autosaving of media to the gallery. You can also manually delete the folder WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images via the file manager, after saving important pictures.
- 🗑️ Regularly check the “Documents” section in messengers - heavy PDFs and archives often accumulate there.
- 📵 Disable auto-downloading of media in roaming and via a mobile network in the settings of each application.
- 💾 Use the “Chat Archiving” function before manually clearing folders so as not to lose important correspondence.
⚠️ Attention: When deleting messenger folders through the file manager, make sure that you have a recent backup of chats in Google Drive or iCloud, otherwise you will not be able to restore the correspondence impossible.
Transferring photos and videos to the cloud or to a card
Media content is the most voluminous category of data. If you have a model Samsung Galaxy with support for memory cards microSD, the most logical solution would be to transfer all photos and videos to an external drive. This will instantly free up internal storage for the system and applications.
To transfer files, insert a memory card, then open My files → Internal memory → DCIM → Camera. Select all files, select the “Move” option and specify the path to the memory card (SD card). After the operation is completed, you can delete originals from the internal memory.
If the card slot is missing or occupied, use cloud services. Google Photos allows you to configure automatic uploading of pictures and then deleting them from the device. The Free Up Space feature in this app finds and deletes copies that are already safely stored in the cloud.
☑️ Transfer data to a memory card
Deleting unused applications and games
Modern mobile games and professional applications take up a huge amount of space. One Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile one can weigh more than 15 GB, taking into account downloaded resources. If you haven't played a game in the last three months, chances are you don't need it right now.
Go to Settings → Applications and sort the list by size. This will immediately show the heaviest “inhabitants” of your phone. Do not remove system applications that you did not install yourself - this may lead to unstable operation One UI. Uninstall only custom software.
For some pre-installed Samsung apps that cannot be completely removed, the “Disable” function is available. This hides the application from the menu and prevents it from updating, which also saves space and CPU resources. Be careful when disabling Google or Samsung Pay services.
| Data category | Average size | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Application cache | 500 MB – 2 GB | Cleaning through settings |
| Messengers | 5 GB – 20 GB | Cleaning within the application |
| Games | 2 GB – 15 GB | Delete or transfer data |
| 4K video | 300 MB / min | Transfer to the cloud or PC |
⚠️ Attention: Before deleting heavy games, check if your progress is linked to your account (Google Play Games, Facebook or developer account), otherwise you will lose all achievements and purchased items.
Hidden system folders
The Android/obb and Android/data folders are often found in the root of the internal memory. Do not delete their contents manually through the file manager unless you know exactly which application it belongs to. This can lead to app crashes.
Radical measures: resetting settings to factory settings
If none of the above methods helped free up enough space, the file system may be damaged or too much system garbage has accumulated that cannot be cleaned normally. In this case, the only effective solution is to completely reset the device.
Before performing this procedure be sure to create a full backup of all important data to an external drive or to the cloud, since absolutely all user files, contacts and settings will be deleted during the process. The phone will return to the “as from the store” state.
To perform a reset, go to Settings → General settings → Reset → Reset data. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot. After turning on, the phone will work faster, and the amount of free memory will return to factory settings.
Full reset is an extreme measure that guarantees 100% memory clearing, but requires careful preparation and saving backup copies of data.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the memory fill up immediately after clearing?
This may happen due to the work of background processes of instant messengers, which instantly start downloading new media files, or due to a failure in the system cache. Try rebooting the phone after cleaning.
Is it possible to transfer applications to a memory card on Samsung?
On modern versions of Android and the One UI shell, the ability to transfer applications to an SD card is often blocked by developers or depends on the specific application model. This feature is not available for all apps.
Is it safe to delete the Android folder?
No, you cannot delete the entire Android folder. It stores data from all installed applications. Deleting will reset app settings and loss of progress in games. Clean only specific subfolders inside if you are sure of their purpose.
How to find out what exactly is taking up space?
Use the built-in Device Maintenance tool or third-party applications like DiskUsage, which visualize memory usage in the form of a block map, showing the largest files.