How to check phone memory on Android Samsung: detailed guide

Modern brand smartphones Samsung have become complex computing machines, where resource management plays a critical role in the stability of operation. When a device starts to slow down, freeze, or display low-space notifications, the first thing a user does is look for a way to assess the status of the drives. Understanding what your internal driveis filled with allows you to avoid sudden failures and loss of important data.

Checking memory on Android in the shell One UI can be done in several ways: from standard settings to using engineering codes and third-party software. It is important to distinguish between two main types of memory: operational memory (RAM), which is responsible for the performance of running applications, and permanent memory (ROM), where photos, videos and system files are stored. Incorrect interpretation of the data in these sections often leads to erroneous cleaning actions.

In this article we will analyze in detail all available diagnostic methods, including hidden developer menus and service codes that are not obvious to the average user. You will learn to accurately determine which partition is full, and understand why the free space may differ from that declared by the manufacturer.

Basic diagnostics through system settings

The easiest and safest way to get an overall picture of disk space occupancy is in the standard settings menu. The interface One UI from Samsung provides a clear visualization that is understandable even to inexperienced users. To access this data, you need to go to the section Settings → Device maintenance → Memory.

Here the system displays a pie chart showing the distribution of files by category: images, videos, audio, documents and applications. By clicking on a specific sector of the diagram, you can see a detailed list of files that take up the most space. This allows you to quickly identify "heavy" objects that can be deleted or moved.

⚠️ Attention: System files and cache data are often displayed in general in this menu. The actual size of the folder Android/data may be hidden from the standard viewer due to security restrictions in the new OS version.

Particular attention should be paid to the "Applications" section. Often they consume the lion's share of resources, accumulating cache and downloading updates. Unlike media files, clearing the application cache is safe and does not delete your personal data, but it may temporarily slow down their launch the next time you use them.

Using engineering codes for deep analysis

For users who require more technical information, there are special service codes. Entering these combinations in the Phone app opens hidden diagnostic menus that are not accessible through the regular interface. This is a powerful tool for checking the physical state of memory chips and identifying logical errors.

One ​​of the most informative codes for devices Samsung is *#9900#. This combination opens a menu SysDumpwhere you can see detailed information about disk partitions, kernel version and log status. Although the interface looks archaic, the data here is updated in real time and is not filtered by the system.

*#9900# - System dump menu
#0# - General hardware testing
*#1234# - Firmware version and CSC

Also useful code #0#that runs a comprehensive hardware test. Although it is more focused on the screen and sensor, in some models it allows you to indirectly assess the stability of the memory controller under load. If the tests fail, this may indicate physical degradation of the chip eMMC or UFS.

Danger of service codes

Using codes like *#9900# is safe to view, but accidentally pressing the "Delete Dumpstate/Log" button can clear important debugging data needed by the service center for diagnosis breakdown.

You should remember that the set of these codes may differ depending on the regional firmware version and processor model. On some devices, especially those intended for the US or Chinese market, these menus may be blocked by the telecom operator or manufacturer.

Checking random access memory (RAM) and developer mode

Unlike built-in storage, RAM works differently: it is cleared on reboot, but its lack leads to immediate lags. Standard settings Samsung often hide the exact amount of free RAM, showing only the total volume. To get detailed statistics, you need to activate developer mode.

To enable this mode, go to Settings → About phone → Software information and quickly click 7 times on the "Build number" item. After a message appears that you have become a developer, a new section “Developer Options” will appear in the main settings menu.

Option in the menu	What it shows	Why is this needed
Memory (Running Services)	List of active processes and used RAM	Search for parasitic applications
Limit of background processes	Setting the number of people running in the background applications	Freeing up resources for games
Process statistics	Working time and memory usage of each application	Detecting memory leaks

In the "Memory" (or "Running Services") section you will see a list all running services and the amount of memory they are consuming right now. This is the best way to find an application that is "eating" resources in the background, even when you are not using it.

Here you can also set a limit for background processes. However, be careful: an artificial limitation may lead to instant messengers stopping sending notifications on time, since the system will aggressively unload them from memory.

Diagnostics of SD memory cards and external drives

Many users Samsung expand storage using cards microSD. Checking their status is critical, as a faulty card can cause the entire phone to freeze. The system Android allows you to check the card for errors and recording speed directly in the settings.

Go to Settings → Device maintenance → Memory → Memory card. The formatting and verification function is available here. If the system detects bad sectors or a discrepancy with the declared speed, it will offer to format the drive. Before doing this, be sure to copy the data to your computer.

• 📉 Low card writing speed may cause delays when shooting 4K video.
• 🛡️ Formatting the card as "Internal" memory" encrypts the data, making the card unreadable on other devices.
• ⚠️ Frequent reading errors indicate physical wear and tear on the card controller.

It is also worth paying attention to the speed class of the card. For modern smartphones, it is recommended to use standard cards UHS-I U3 or V30. Slower Class 4 or 6 cards may be unstable with heavy applications and games.

⚠️ Warning: If you formatted the card as internal memory, do not remove it without first transferring the data back to your phone storage. This will lead to the loss of all applications installed on the card.

Third-party utilities for monitoring resources

Standard tools Android do not always give the full picture, especially when it comes to the temperature of memory chips or detailed analysis of file systems. Third-party apps from Google Play can provide advanced statistics and cleaning tools.

One ​​of the most reliable tools is the app DevCheck Device & System Info. It shows not only the amount of occupied memory, but also the type of chip (UFS 3.1, UFS 4.0), its current load and temperature. This is useful for diagnosing overheating, which often accompanies filling the memory to capacity.

Another popular option is Files by Google. This app not only shows your busyness, but also smartly suggests files to delete: duplicates, blurry photos, old screenshots, and unused apps. Garbage search algorithms work more efficiently here than in a standard cleaner Samsung.

When using such utilities, it is important to grant them only the necessary permissions. Avoid applications that require root privileges without good reason, as this may violate warranty mechanisms. Third-party applications provide more detailed technical information, but Samsung's native tools are safer and guarantee compatibility with the One UI update system. Knox.

Hidden partitions and system junk

Users often wonder: where do gigabytes disappear from the declared 128 or 256 GB? A significant part of the space is occupied by hidden sections that are not displayed in a regular file manager. These are recovery partitions (Recovery), bootloader (Bootloader) and a backup copy of the current firmware (EFS).

In addition, the system reserves space for future updates. Mechanism A/B partitioning (used in some models) or simply creating temporary files for installing the update can take up from 5 to 10 GB, which become visible only after successful installation of the update.

It is also worth considering the difference in calculating the volume. Drive manufacturers consider 1 GB as 1000 MB, while the operating system Android uses a binary system, where 1 GB is equal to 1024 MB. Therefore, on a phone with the marking. "128 GB" the user actually sees about 119 GB of available space before installing any applications.

• 💾 Partition /data contains all user data and applications.
• 🔧 Partition /cache stores temporary system files and applications.
• 🔒 Partition /persist contains calibration data of sensors and IMEI.

Attempts to manually clean these partitions through a computer or Recovery mode without deep knowledge of the structure Linux can lead to “bricking” the device. Trust the cleaning. system garbage only standard tools or proven utilities.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why is there less free memory after updating the system?

New versions One UI often include additional functions and improved libraries that take up more space. In addition, after. update, the system keeps a backup copy of the previous version of the firmware for several days in case of a rollback, which temporarily reduces the available space.

Is it possible to transfer all applications to a memory card on Samsung?

No, from Android 6.0 and later, many application developers prohibit the transfer of their products to external drives for security and performance reasons. System applications and important services Google always remain in the internal memory.

How can I find out the real speed of my internal memory?

To do this, you can use benchmarks like AndroBenchThey will conduct sequential and random read/write tests for comfortable operation. in modern games, the sequential write speed should be at least 250 MB/s (standard UFS 2.2 and higher).

What to do if the phone says “Memory full” even though the files are deleted?

Try clearing the cache of the "Media Storage" application (Settings → Applications → Media storage → Memory → Clear cache).Then reboot the device. The system will index the files again, and the displayed volume should be updated.

Does filling the memory affect the speed of the phone?

Yes, critical. When the free space is less than 10-15%, the memory controller cannot effectively distribute data (wear leveling), which leads to a drop in write speed and general interface slowdowns. Always leave a reserve of free space.