Have you noticed that your smartphone is starting to slow down and applications are crashing with the error “Not enough memory”? The first thing to do is check the free space on the internal drive. On Android, this can be done in several ways: from standard tools to professional utilities. In this article, we will look at all the current memory checking methods, including hidden functions and nuances for different OS versions.

It is important to understand that Android reserves part of the memory for system needs, cache and updates. For example, out of 256 GB, about 230–240 GB are available to the user. We will show you how to distinguish Samsung Galaxy S23 Of the 256 GB, about 230–240 GB are available to the user. We'll show you how to distinguish real free space from those occupied by system files, and give tips on freeing up space without losing important data.

If your phone gives a warning about low memory, do not rush to delete files at random. First, figure it out what exactly takes up space: it could be application cache, duplicate photos, unnecessary APK files or even viruses. At the end of the article there is an FAQ with answers to frequently asked questions and a comparison table of verification methods.

1. Checking memory through standard Android settings

The easiest way is to use the built-in tools of the system. The interface may differ slightly depending on the version Android (from Android 10 to Android 14) and the manufacturer's shell (One UI, MIUI, ColorOS etc.), but the general algorithm is the same.

Open Settings and go to the Storage section (sometimes called Memory or Device and memory). Here you will see:

  • 📊 Total volume memory (for example, 128 GB)
  • 🟢 Free space (green bar)
  • 🔴 Used space divided by category: applications, photos, videos, audio, system files, etc.
  • 🔄 Button (automatically clearing cache) data-i="70">in this section there is an additional tab Clear or Make room (automatic cache clearing)

On Samsung And Xiaomi there is an additional tab in this section Additional or Memory analysiswhere you can see exact folder size (for example, DCIM for photos or Download for downloads). On Google Pixel and "clean" Android the breakdown is less detailed, but there are tips for optimization.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Huawei s EMUI) in the "Storage" section may be displayed combined memory (internal + memory card). To see data separately for each drive, tap on the line Internal memory or SD card.

Open "All applications" in settings and find "Storage"

Reboot the phone (sometimes the display is glitchy)

Check if the memory is hidden in developer mode

Update the firmware (there may be bugs on older versions of Android)-->

2. Using a file manager for detailed analysis

Standard Files (or My files on Samsung) allows you not only to view files, but also to analyze the occupied space. This method is suitable if you need see specific folders and filesthat "eat up" memory.

Instructions:

  1. Open the application Files (usually a blue folder icon).
  2. In the top menu, select Categories or Analysis (on Xiaomi — Storage).
  3. The system will show a chart broken down by file type: Images, Video, Audio, Documents, Applications.
  4. Tap on a category (for example, Large files) to see a list of the most “heavy” ones files.

The advantage of this method is the ability delete unnecessary files directly from the interface. For example, you can find and delete:

  • 🎥 Duplicate videos (often take up 1–3 GB)
  • 📁 Old backups (backup or TitaniumBackup)
  • 🎮 Game cache (folder Android/obb)
  • 📄 Unneeded APK files (folder Download)
⚠️ Attention: Do not manually delete folders with names Android, data or system —this may cause the OS to malfunction. To clean system files, use specialized utilities (see section 5).

Standard (from the smartphone manufacturer)

Google Files (Files from Google)

Solid Explorer

FX File Explorer

Other-->

3. ADB commands for advanced users

If you need accurate memory data, including hidden system partitions, use Android Debug Bridge (ADBThis method requires connecting the phone to the PC, but gives the most detailed information. information.

Steps:

  1. Install ADB on your computer (you can download from the official Android website).
  2. Enable on your phone Developer mode (tap on the build number in Settings → About phone7 times and activate USB debugging.
  3. Connect your phone to the PC and enter in the command line:
adb shell df -h

The command output will show:

  • 📌 /data — user data and applications
  • 📌 /system — system files (usually 5–15 GB)
  • 📌 /cache — update cache (can be cleared)
  • 📌 /sdcard or /storage/emulated/0 — internal memory (your files)

For a more detailed analysis, use:

adb shell du -sh /storage/emulated/0/*
This command will show the size of each folder in the root of the internal memory.
What to do if ADB does not recognize the device?

1. Check if the drivers are installed for your phone model (download from the manufacturer’s website).

2. Try another USB cable (preferably the original one).

3. In the developer settings, enable the "Allow USB debugging (safe mode)" option.

4. Restart your phone and PC.

4. Third-party memory monitoring applications

If standard tools do not seem informative enough, install one of the specialized applications. They will not only show the free space, but also analyze which files take up the most space. Top 3 applications (free versions are quite functional): Application Which files take up the most space?.

Top 3 applications (free versions are quite functional):

Application Features Cons
Files by Google Automatic garbage cleaning, search for duplicates, cloud backup No detailed analysis of system files
DiskUsage Memory visualization in the form of a diagram, shows hidden files Interface on English, requires root for full access
SD Maid Deep cache cleaning, search for "dead" files (remains after deleting applications) Some functions are paid

Example of working with DiskUsage:

  1. Install the application from Google Play.
  2. Start scanning (may take 1-3 minutes).
  3. An interactive memory map will appear on the screen, where large blocks are “heavy” files or folders.
  4. Tap on a block to see its contents and, if necessary, delete it.
⚠️ Warning: Applications like CCleaner or Clean Master often aggressively clear the cache, which may slow down your phone (applications will have to rebuild the cache again). Use them with caution!
💡

If a memory cleaning application requires root access, but you are not ready to get root access, try alternatives like Files by Google —they work without additional permissions and are safe for the system.

5. Checking memory through Recovery Mode (for experienced users)

If the phone does not turn on or is stuck on the logo, but you urgently need to know the memory status, you can use Recovery Mode. This method is suitable for emergency situationswhen standard methods are not available.

Instructions:

  1. Turn off the phone.
  2. Hold the combination of buttons to enter Recovery (usually Power + Volume up, but on Sony or LG there may be other combinations).
  3. In the recovery menu, select Advanced → File Manager (if available) or Mount → Mount /data.
  4. Some custom recovery (for example, TWRP) show free space at the bottom of the screen.

Method limitations:

  • 🔧 In standard recovery (not TWRP) there are no tools for viewing memory.
  • 📉 Data is displayed in MB, and not in GB, which is inconvenient for analysis.
  • ⚠️ The risk of accidentally formatting a partition (for example, when selecting Wipe data).
💡

Recovery Mode should be used only in extreme cases. To regularly check memory, choose standard settings or a file manager.

6. How to free up space if memory is critical little

If there is less than 10% free space left, the system starts slow down and give errors. Here's what to do first:

Fast methods (do not require deleting important data):

  • 🧹 Clear application cache: Settings → Applications → Select application → Storage → Clear cache.
  • 🗑️ Delete downloads: open folder Download and delete unnecessary files (APK, PDF, archives).
  • ☁️ Transfer photos/videos to the cloud: Google Photo: Yandex Disk → Games or Yandex Disk offer free space.
  • 🎮 Delete game cache: in Settings → Storage → Games find games with a large cache (for example, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).

Radical measures (if all else fails):

  • 🔄 Reset the partition cache /cache via recovery (does not delete user data).
  • 📱 Delete unused applications (in Settings → Applications sort by size).
  • 💾 Transfer applications to the SD card (if supported).
  • ⚙️ Reset to factory settings (last option if memory clogged with system garbage).

On Android 11+ There is a function Automatic cleaning (in the storage settings) that deletes unused files once a month. Activate it so as not to manually monitor the memory.

7. Common mistakes and myths about memory on Android

Many users mistakenly believe that:

  • 🚫 "Formatting the SD card will free up internal memory" — no, these are two different drives.
  • 🚫 "Deleting the cache will speed up the phone" —only if the cache is taking up >5 GB. In other cases, the effect is temporary.
  • 🚫 "Memory cleaning applications are safe" - many of them themselves become a source of garbage.
  • 🚫 "If the memory is 90% full, the phone will break" - it will slow down, but will not quit building.

Real reasons for lack of memory:

  • 📸 Photos and videos in high resolution (one 4K video weighs 300-500 MB).
  • 🎮 Games with cache (PUBG Mobile - up to 2 GB, Honor of Kings - up to 1.5 GB).
  • 📥 Downloads from instant messengers (in Telegram or WhatsApp gigabytes of media can accumulate).
  • 🗃️ Residual files after deleting applications (folder Android/obb).
💡

Check your memory regularly (once every 1-2 months) and clear the cache. This is easier than later trying to figure out where 10-20 GB of free space went.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Why is only 110 GB available on a phone with 128 GB?

Manufacturers indicate decimal). volume (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes), and the system counts in binary format (1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes). In addition, 5–15 GB are occupied by firmware and system files.

Is it possible to increase the internal memory of Android?

Physically - no. But you can:

  • Use an SD card as internal memory (function Adoptable Storage, available at Android 6–9).
  • Transfer some applications to a memory card (not all applications support this).
  • Connect an external SSD via OTG (root or special software is required).
How to check memory on Android via a computer?

Connect your phone via USB in File transfer (MTP) mode. On a PC, open This computer —your phone will appear as a removable disk. The amount of free space will be visible in the disk properties.

For a detailed analysis, use WinDirStat or TreeSize (will show which folders take up the most space).

Why is memory not freed after deleting files?

Possible reasons:

  • The files are in Trash (in Google Photos or file manager).
  • Applications continue to use deleted files (for example, the gallery caches thumbnails).
  • The system process has not yet updated the memory data (restart the phone).
How to clear memory on Android without losing data?

Methods:

  1. Transfer photos/videos to the cloud (Google Photos, Yandex Disk).
  2. Clear the application cache manually (see section 6).
  3. Use Files by Google to find and remove duplicates.
  4. Delete unnecessary APK files from the folder Download.

Avoid "cleaners" like Clean Master —they often delete useful data.