How to increase memory on Android: a complete guide 2026

Owners of Android smartphones sooner or later face the same problem: memory is running out, but you don’t want to delete important files. Applications slow down, photos are not saved, and the system constantly issues warnings about lack of space. But what if we say that you can increase your available memory without buying a new phone?

In this article you will find practical ways from basic (cleaning cache, deleting garbage) to advanced (transferring applications to an SD card, using cloud storage, and even root access for advanced users). We will look at what methods work on Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi Redmi, Realme and other popular brands, and also explain why some “tips” from the Internet can harm your device instead of helping.

Important: not all methods are universal. For example, transferring applications to a memory card may not be supported on devices with Android 10+ no root access. And manually clearing the cache sometimes leads to messenger malfunctions. Therefore, we not only give instructions, but also warn about possible risks.

1. Cleaning the built-in memory: where to start

Before looking for ways expand memory, you should make the most of what you already have. Start by analyzing the occupied space - users are often surprised to find that half of the memory is occupied by unnecessary files.

How to check what is taking up space:

• 📱 Open Settings → Storage (on some devices the path may differ: Settings → Memory and storage → Internal memory).
• 📊 The system will show a diagram with memory distribution by category: applications, multimedia, cache, other files.
• 🔍 Click on any category (for example, “Applications”) to see a list of the most “gluttonous” apps.

Typical memory “eaters”:

• 🎮 Games (especially with 3D graphics: Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty can weigh 2-5 GB each).
• 📷 Photos and videos in high resolution (one 4K video weighs up to 500 MB per minute!).
• 🗑️ Application cache (messengers, social networks, browsers accumulate up to several gigabytes of unnecessary data).
• 📄 Downloads (PDF, APK, archives that you forgot to delete long ago).

Quick cleaning:

1. Delete unused applications (even if they are “light”, their accumulation eats up memory).
2. Clear the cache manually: Settings → Applications → Select an application → Storage → Clear cache.
3. Use the built-in cleaning function: on Xiaomi this is "Cleaning", on Samsung — "Optimize Now".

2. Transferring data to an SD card: does it work in 2026

One of the most popular tips is use a microSD memory card. there are nuances:

• ✅ On devices with Android 6–9 you can transfer applications to the SD card through the settings (function Adoptable Storage).
• ❌ Starting from Android 10+, many manufacturers (including Samsung and Google) have limited this ability due to performance issues.
• 📁 The memory card is suitable for storing photos, videos, music and documents, but not all applications.

How to transfer files to an SD card:

1. Insert the card into the slot (if there is one). Some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy A54) support cards up to 1 TB.
2. Open Files (or My file on Samsung) and select the files to transfer.
3. Click "Move" and specify the SD card as the destination folder.

To transfer applications (if supported):

1. Go to: Settings → Applications speed| Settings → Applications.
2. Select an application and click Storage → Edit → SD card.

Buy a UHS-I class card (U1/U3) for speed|

Format the card in FAT32/exFAT via phone|

Create a backup copy of data before formatting|

Check compatibility with your smartphone model-->

⚠️ Attention: Not all applications work correctly from an SD card. For example, WhatsApp and Banking applications can block the transfer due to security reasons. Also, low-class cards (Class 4/6) will slow down the system.

3. services

If it is not possible to physically expand the memory, cloud storage become an excellent alternative. They allow:

• 📤 Automatically upload photos and videos (for example, via Google Photo).
• 📁 Store backup copies of contacts, messages and documents.
• 🔄 Free up space on your device by leaving thumbnails instead of originals.

Popular services and their features:

Service	Free volume	Auto-upload photos	Features
Google Photos	15 GB (shared with Gmail i Drive)	Yes (with quality selection)	Photo compression without loss of quality, search by content
Yandex Disk	10 GB	Yes (only through the app)	Integration with Yandex Mail, auto-downloading videos
iCloud (for owners iPhone, but also available on Android)	5 GB	Yes	Convenient if you have other devices Apple
Mega	20 GB	No	Data encryption, high free limit

How to set up autoload in Google Photos:

1. Install the application and log in to your account Google.
2. Open the menu (three lines) → Settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Enable switch and select quality (High —unlimited storage, Original —considered 15 GB).

⚠️ Attention: When deleting photos from your phone after downloads to the cloud, check that they are actually saved in the service. Sometimes synchronization is interrupted due to poor Internet.

4. Clearing the cache and unnecessary files manually

The system cache and temporary files can take up up to 5–10 GB memory, even if you have not installed new applications for a long time. space, but will also speed up the operation of the device.

Where to look for garbage:

• 🗑️ Application cache: Settings → Applications → Select an application → Storage → Clear cache.
• 📂 Folder Download (Downloads): APK, PDF, archives accumulate here.
• 🎵 Music and podcasts: applications like Spotify or YouTube Music caches tracks.
• 📺 Offline content: videos in YouTube, movies in KinoPoisk HD.

Instructions for deep cleaning:

1. Open Settings → Storage → Free up space (on Samsung this may be called Device Care).
2. The system will analyze the files and offer to delete unnecessary ones (for example, duplicate photos or old screenshots).
3. For manual cleaning, use a file manager (for example, Files by Google), where there is a "Cleaning" tab.

Which files can be safely deleted?

✅ Application cache (does not affect their operation, but will take longer to load the next time you open it).

✅ Temporary files with the extension .tmp.temp.

✅ Old APK files (application installation packages).

✅ Duplicate photos (for example, screenshots with the same content).

❌ Do not delete files with .db.xml extensions in system folders - this can disrupt the operation of the OS.

For advanced users: you can clear the system cache via Recovery Mode (but this will delete all temporary data, including saved passwords in some applications). To get to Recovery, you usually need:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press and hold the power button + volume up.
3. Select "Wipe cache partition" from the menu.

5. Using external drives (OTG flash drives)

If your smartphone does not have a slot for microSD, but has support OTG (On-The-Go), you can connect an external flash drive via an adapter. This is relevant for devices like Google Pixel or OnePlus, where manufacturers have abandoned the card slot.

What you will need:

• 🔌 Adapter USB-C/Micro-USB → USB-A (costs 200–500 rubles).
• 💾 Flash drive (preferably with an interface USB 3.0 for speed).
• 📱 Smartphone with OTG support (check in the specifications or through the app USB OTG Checker).

How to connect:

1. Insert flash drive into the adapter and connect to the phone.
2. A message about connecting the drive will appear in notifications.
3. Open any file manager (for example, Total Commander) and transfer the files to the flash drive.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ You can use large-capacity flash drives (up to 256 GB or more).
• ✅ Read/write speed is higher than cheap ones microSD.
• ✅ Easy to transfer files between devices.

⚠️ Attention: Not all applications will be able to work with files directly from an OTG flash drive. Also, the adapter can get warm during prolonged use - do not leave it connected overnight.

6. Advanced methods: root access and custom firmware. data-i="209">If standard methods do not help, and the memory still runs out, you can consider

If standard methods do not help, and memory still runs out, you can consider obtaining root accessThis gives complete control over the system, but has risks:

• ✅ The ability to transfer all applications to an SD card (including system).
• ✅ Removing built-in applications (bloater) that cannot be removed normally.
• ✅ Using specialized cleaning apps (for example, SD Maid).
• ❌ Loss of warranty.
• ❌ Risk of “bricking” the phone (turning into a “brick”).
• ❌ Security problems (some banking applications refuse to work).

How to get root (briefly):

1. Unlock Bootloader (instructions differ for each brand).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP).
3. Flash Magisk to get root access.

After receiving root, you can:

• 🔧 Use Link2SD to transfer applications to a memory card.
• 🧹 Delete system applications via Titanium Backup.
• 📦 Change memory section using Partition Wizard (for experienced ones!).

An alternative to root is custom firmware (for example, LineageOS). They are often lighter than standard ones and do not contain unnecessary software. However, installing them requires the same steps as getting root, plus the risk of data loss.

7. applications

If memory is sorely lacking, and you don’t want to buy a new phone, you can change the approach to using your smartphone:

• 🎮 Cloud gaming: services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce NOW allow you to play without installing games (you only need a good Internet).
• 🎬 Video streaming: instead of downloading movies, watch them online via KinoPoisk, Netflix or YouTube Premium (without unnecessary water).
• 📱 Lite versions of applications: Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, Twitter Lite take up 2-3 times less space.
• 📷 Optimization photo: turn on compression ( Google Photos enable compression (High quality instead Original).

Examples of savings:

App	Regular version	Lite version	Saving
Facebook	~150 MB	~2 MB	148 MB
Messenger	~100 MB	~5 MB	95 MB
Spotify	~80 MB	No Lite version	Clear cache manually

It is also worth paying attention to automatic optimization:

• On Xiaomi: Settings → Accessibility → Memory optimization.
• On Samsung: Settings → Device maintenance → Memory → Optimize.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about memory on Android

Is it possible to increase the internal memory of a phone without a memory card?

You cannot physically increase the internal memory, but you can:

• Free up space (delete unnecessary files, clear cache).
• Use cloud storage.
• Connect an external drive via OTG.

If memory is critically short, consider buying a phone with a large amount of storage.

Why after clearing the memory, it ends quickly again?

Most often to blame:

• Automatic caching of applications (especially social networks and instant messengers).
• Hidden application updates.
• Background synchronization of photos/videos with cloud.

Solution: disable auto-update of applications in Google Play and set up synchronization manually.

Is it possible to transfer WhatsApp to an SD card?

Officially - no. WhatsApp blocks transfer to a memory card due to data encryption. However:

• You can manually transfer media files (photos, videos) from the folder WhatsApp/Media to SD.
• Using root access, you can try symbolic links (symlink), but this is risky.

Which memory card is better for Android: SDHC or SDXC?

The choice depends on the size and compatibility:

• SDHC (up to 32 GB) - suitable for older devices.
• SDXC (from 64 GB to 2 TB) - needed for modern smartphones, but check if your device supports exFAT (file system for large cards).

Recommended class: UHS-I U3 (for recording 4K video) or UHS-II (for professional use).

Is it true that formatting a memory card in NTFS speeds up work?

No, it's a myth. NTFS not supported most Android devices without root. Optimal file systems:

• FAT32 — compatible with all devices, but file size limit (4 GB).
• exFAT — no size restrictions, supported on Android 6+.

Format the card via phonePC to avoid compatibility problems.