Owners of Samsung Galaxy smartphones often encounter a situation where the built-in storage suddenly becomes full, although you have not downloaded new applications or heavy videos. A detailed analysis of the memory in the device settings reveals a mysterious section that can occupy tens of gigabytes, and it is called “Other” or “System”. This mass of data, invisible to the user, can paralyze the work One UI, cause the interface to slow down and prohibit the installation of necessary updates.
Many users in a panic begin to delete personal photos and delete applications, but this rarely gives a tangible result, since the root of the problem lies deeper. System partition accumulates cache, temporary files, leftovers remote apps and error logs, which the standard interface does not always display correctly. Understanding the nature of these files is the first step to freeing up valuable space on your Samsung Galaxy.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at the anatomy of the Other partition, explain why it gets so bloated on Samsung devices, and offer proven methods for safe cleaning. You will learn to distinguish critical system files from digital junk that can be painlessly deleted.
Anatomy of the “Other” section: what’s hidden inside
Section Other (Other) is not a separate folder in the usual sense of the file system, but rather an aggregated indicator of all data that the operating system Android cannot classify as applications, images, video or audio. This includes browser caches, temporary messenger files, leftovers from unsuccessful updates, and archives created by various services. On Samsung devices, this partition often grows due to the features of the shell One UI and pre-installed services.
One of the main reasons for the bloat of this partition is the operation of background processes and logging mechanisms. The system constantly records reports about the operation of applications, which allows developers to track errors, but over time these logs take up gigabytes. This also includes files remaining after uninstalling applications if the uninstaller did not work correctly or the app developer did not provide for complete data clearing.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to manually delete files from system directories through file managers with root access without a precise understanding of their purpose. Removing critical libraries can lead to a “bootlap” (cyclical reboot) of the smartphone.
It is important to understand that the volume of the “Other” section is dynamic. It can increase sharply after updating the system or installing a heavy application, and then partially decrease after a reboot when the system performs automatic optimization. However, without user intervention, this indicator rarely returns to normal on its own.
The “Other” section is a hodgepodge of cache, logs and residual files, which the system could not classify into standard categories.
Why does the memory fill up specifically on Samsung
Smartphones from the South Korean company have their own file storage features systems that affect the occupancy of the “Other” section. The shell One UI is distinguished by the deep implementation of system services that actively use background data saving for fast operation of functions like Bixby, Samsung Pay and the gallery. These services create a lot of temporary files that accumulate over time.
Another reason is the Smart Switch backup mechanism. When transferring data from an old device or creating local backups, the system can create temporary copies of data that are not automatically deleted after the process is completed. If you haven't done a complete cleanup in a while, these backups may take up a significant amount of memory.
It is also worth mentioning the specifics of how multimedia applications work on Samsung. The camera and gallery create high-resolution preview files for quick display in the gallery. These thumbnails and index files often fall into the "Other" category, especially if there are thousands of photos in the gallery. The file system ext4 or f2fsused in Android can also become fragmented, which visually increases the space taken up.
Safe cleaning methods through system settings
Before resorting to radical measures, you must use the standard optimization tools provided by the manufacturer. Samsung smartphones come with a powerful device maintenance tool that can safely clean up a significant amount of junk. To access it, go to Settings → Device maintenance → Memory.
Here the system will offer to optimize memory, which will launch a script for deleting temporary files and the cache of inactive applications. This process is safe and will not affect your personal data. After the optimization is complete, it is recommended to reboot the device for the changes to take effect and the file system to recalculate the indexes.
Special attention should be paid to the cache of individual applications, which most often bloat the “Other” section. Usually these are social networks and instant messengers. Go to Settings → Applications, select a “heavy” application (for example, Telegram or TikTok) and click “Storage”. There you will see the “Clear cache” button.
- 📱 Telegram: Often stores gigabytes of cache in the “Data and Memory” section within the application itself, and not just in the system.
- 📸 Instagram: Caches viewed stories and videos, which can be safely deleted through the app settings.
- 🌐 Chrome/Samsung Internet: The accumulated cache of sites and cookies can occupy hundreds of megabytes.
- 🎵 Spotify/YouTube Music: Offline tracks and streaming audio cache are often disguised as system files.
☑️ Quick cleaning checklist
Manual cleaning through “My Files” and hidden folders
For deeper cleaning, you can use the standard file manager My Files (My Files), which comes pre-installed on all Samsung smartphones. This tool allows you to see the folder structure that is hidden from the average user. First of all, pay attention to the folder Download (Downloads), where APK installation files, PDF documents and forgotten images often accumulate.
It is also worth checking the folder DCIM/.thumbnails. Thumbnails of your photos are stored here. If you've deleted thousands of photos but haven't freed up space, this hidden cache may still be there. In some cases, it is safer to clear the gallery cache through the app settings than to delete files manually, so as not to disrupt indexing.
Another hidden directory is Android/data. This is where applications store their data. In newer versions of Android, access to this folder is limited, but you can see which apps are taking up the most space. If you deleted a game or app, but the folder with its name remains and weighs a lot, you can delete it.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and available functions may vary depending on the version One UI and model of your smartphone. Always check that the paths in the settings menu of your specific device are up to date.
What to do with the SecureFolder folder?
If you use a Secure Folder, remember that the files inside it do not appear in the shared storage, but take up space. Cleaning must be done inside the SecureFolder container itself.
Using developer mode and ADB for advanced
For users who are not afraid of technical terms, there is a more powerful tool - USB debugging and commands ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to delete the system cache and files that are not accessible through the regular interface. To do this, you need to activate developer mode by clicking 7 times on the build number in the “About phone” menu.
After connecting the smartphone to the computer and installing the drivers, you can use the command to clear the package cache. For example, command adb shell pm trim-caches (available on some versions of Android) or cleaning specific directories. However, this requires caution.
adb shell pm clear com.android.browserThis command will completely clear your browser data, which can be more useful than just clearing the cache. But remember that it will also delete logins and passwords saved in the browser. Using ADB gives complete control, but also full responsibility for the integrity of the system.
Table: Comparison of cleaning methods
To make it easier for you to choose the appropriate method for freeing memory, we have prepared a comparison table of methods. It will help assess the risks and effectiveness of each approach.
| Method | Efficiency | Risk of data loss | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| System optimization | Low/Medium | No | Low |
| Clearing application cache | Medium | No (only logins) | Low |
| Delete via “My Files” | High | Medium (user error) | Medium |
| Reset to factory settings settings | Maximum | Complete data loss | High |
Radical measures: Reset and flashing
If the “Other” section occupies a critical volume (for example, 20-30 GB on 64 GB device) and no methods help, the last step remains - a full reset to factory settings (Factory Reset). This action completely clears the file system, removing all traces of user activity and system junk.
Before performing this procedure, be sure to back up your important data to the cloud Samsung Cloud or to your computer. After the reset, the phone will be like new, and the “Other” section will occupy the minimum possible volume provided by the system.
In rare cases, when even a reset does not help (which may indicate a logical file system error or memory wear), you may need to flash the device through the utility Odin and official firmware files. This is a complex procedure that requires precise selection of the software version for your model.
Before resetting the settings, remove the microSD memory card, if it is installed, so as not to accidentally format it along with the internal memory of the phone.
Prevention: how to avoid the growth of garbage
To prevent the problem of a crowded “Other” section from returned, it is necessary to develop the habit of regular hygiene of the digital space. Don't let your memory be filled to capacity. For the Android system to work correctly, it requires 10-15% free space for temporary operations and caching.
Check your messenger settings regularly. Telegram and WhatsApp can be set to automatically delete media files after a week or a month. This will prevent the accumulation of thousands of unnecessary pictures and videos, which form the bulk of the “Other” section.
Also keep an eye on system updates. Samsung regularly releases patches that fix errors in the file system and optimize the functioning of background processes. Using the current version One UI is the best protection against software bugs that cause memory leaks.
Why does the memory fill up again after cleaning?
This is normal for Android. The system and applications constantly create new temporary files to speed up work. Cache is not always “garbage”, it is data that allows applications to load faster. The problem occurs when the cache auto-cleaning mechanism fails.
Is it possible to delete the Android folder completely?
No, you cannot delete the folder itself Android It will disrupt the operation of all applications. You can only delete the contents of folders inside it related to already deleted games or apps, but this must be done with caution.
Does the “Other” section affect the speed of the phone?
Yes, indirectly. When the internal memory is more than 90% full, the speed of writing and reading data drops significantly, which leads to interface lags, long application launches and problems with photography.