Regardless of how much memory is in your Android tablet or smartphone, you are bound to face the problem of lack of free space on your device's drives. Modern three-dimensional games, megapixel photos, high-quality music and movies manage to bite off gigabytes so quickly that very soon after purchasing Android it starts bombarding you with warnings about lack of space and errors when installing programs. Therefore, urgent measures have to be taken for general cleaning. In this article, you will find a detailed roadmap to help you get your gigabytes back.
1. Estimating memory usage
Before proceeding with the first steps, you should conduct a survey of the area and assess the degree of filling the disk. Having learned how much space is occupied by various data, it will be easier for you to decide whether to take certain actions. One of the best utilities for this purpose is DiskUsagewhich allows you to see the complete picture of your data placement in a simple and visual way. One glance at the resulting diagram will be enough to identify the worst space eaters on the map. By the way, you can start cleaning already at this stage, since you can delete some files you don't need right from the application.
Another utility of this kind is “ Disks, Storage & SD Cards". This interactive application is used to visualize the memory and storage of the device. It will help you free up space on your memory card, quickly find and delete large and already unnecessary files in the internal storage.
2. Transferring programs to an external memory card
Almost all Android devices allow the use of an additional SD card, which is much larger than the internal storage. Therefore, you should definitely try to transfer your installed programs to an external card. This can be done both by means built into the system, and with the help of special utilities, which is much more convenient. For instance, AppMgr III (formerly App 2 SD) can not only move applications to internal or external storage to free up additional space, but can also hide built-in system programs, and also has the ability to batch remove unnecessary programs.
3. Removing preinstalled programs
Many manufacturers try to stuff their devices with as many applications as possible without caring whether you need them or not. Moreover, it is usually impossible to delete them in the usual way, so you have to put up with this garbage, which is wasting space and device resources.
However, if you have a device, then the situation is quite fixable. Using the program Root App Delete you can either completely root out unnecessary programs, or simply disable them. This is useful if you are not very sure about the safety of uninstalling a system application. Just freeze it for a while, and then, if everything works as it should, you can permanently delete it.
4. Cleaning up garbage
In the course of their work, the operating system and individual applications create a lot of temporary and auxiliary files, which, accumulating over time, begin to occupy quite significant volumes. Therefore, it is recommended to periodically clean the application cache, remnants of deleted programs, empty folders and other debris. The program copes with this task perfectly. Clean master, about which we wrote in. Please note that recently the authors of this application have managed to stuff it with a whole set of additional functions, so do not forget to disable all auxiliary modules in the settings so that the program does not bother you too much with its care.
5. Save data to an external card
There are many programs that get their data from the network and store it on the device. These can be podcasts, online music players, readers, and so on. Typically, they all allow you to choose a directory to store your files. If you see that the internal memory of the gadget is filled with downloaded music, videos and documents, then do not be lazy to delve into the settings of the corresponding programs and specify the appropriate directories on the external card.
6. Use cloud services
Let's not forget that the Internet is a two-way street, thanks to which you can not only download data to your device, but also upload it to the network. Thanks to the existence of cloud services and the increasing spread of broadband connections, you no longer need to store data in your mobile or tablet for all occasions, you just need to have what you need at this moment.
For example, the service allows you to save an extensive music collection (20,000 tracks) on a remote server, and download to your smartphone only what you want to listen to when there is no network connection. It is no less effective to deal with the deposits of photographs and filmed videos. It is enough to install Dropbox or, for example, a social network client
The smartphone's memory has run out of space - what to do? You can buy a memory card with a large capacity, but it is not a fact that it will be supported by the device. It will be much more effective to delete unnecessary files: then you will not have to spend money, and free space will appear, and even performance will increase slightly.
Let's see how to clear memory on Android, what tools can be used for this, and what can be deleted altogether.
What is memory?
A computer, smartphone, tablet and other smart technology have two types of memory: operative and permanent. The operating room stores running applications and processes, and the permanent contains files. This is if it is very simplified to remember what was told in the lessons of computer science. Besides the built-in read-only memory, phones usually have a slot for a memory card. On some models it is combined with a SIM card slot, so you have to choose - two numbers or memory expansion.When the RAM and permanent memory are completely filled, Android starts to slow down. To correct this malfunction, it is enough to carry out a comprehensive cleaning. But first, you need to make sure that the smartphone really has problems with memory.
- Open the settings.
- Go to the "Memory" or "Storage" section.
- Wait for the counting to complete.
As you can see, out of 16 GB of internal memory, 5.56 GB was immediately filled with system files. Nothing can be done about it, so if I have to delete something, it will be applications, videos, images and other files: content downloaded from the Internet, documents with shared access, etc.
At the bottom there is an item "Cache data". Through it, you can clear the cached data of all applications. In my case, this will free up 209 MB.
Below is the statistics of the memory card. I don't use it, so the entire workspace is available. If you click on the map, the explorer will open with its contents. The button with three dots next to it calls up an additional menu through which the card can be removed or formatted.
Yes, the memory card must be removed before taking it out of the phone, just like a USB flash drive from a computer. If you have removed the card before without first removing it, stop doing it - it is dangerous for files.
Manual Android cleaning
We have already figured out how to clear the cache in memory. But that might not be enough to clean up the device, so let's go ahead and delete other unnecessary files. Open the "Memory" section in Android settings and go in order.- Applications - open the list, sort the programs by size. For applications that take up a lot of space, you can clear data and wipe the cache.
- Images - Select and delete unwanted photos and pictures. Do the same with video and audio.
- The system is not available for cleaning, as it contains only files that are critical for the operation of Android.
- Other - Click "Open" to go to Android internal storage. Here you can delete downloads, temporary application files, the same photos and videos, archive messages in messengers and other data.
- The cache data is the first thing to clear.
You can also use third-party applications to delete files from the internal storage, such as ES File Explorer. It has a quick device wipe feature and a sidebar link to local storage. After navigating to it, you will see the same folders as when opening the "Other" section in Android settings. In addition, through ES Explorer, you can clean your multimedia libraries and Android trash.
What else can be removed from the phone without harming its performance? We bend our fingers:
- unnecessary applications;
- SMS-correspondence;
- history in the browser.
After such a cleaning, several gigabytes of free space should appear on the phone, which can be safely occupied with new information.
Unloading RAM
All of the above methods were related to persistent memory. But there is also RAM, the filling of which leads to a decrease in device performance. The easiest way to clear your RAM is to quit all applications you are not using right now.- Hold down the menu button on your device or press a special key that calls the manager for switching between running applications.
- Click on the "Close" button to close all applications.
This is not the end of cleaning up RAM. The fact is that even if you removed the application from the manager, its processes can be executed and continue to load RAM. To remove this load, go to the "Applications" section in the settings and go to the "Running" tab. Open applications that Android does not depend on (all third-party programs - Instagram, VKontakte, games), and click "Stop".
This will lead to the fact that the next time you launch these programs will have to wait a little longer, but they will not consume the resources of the phone when you are not using them.
Cleaning with apps
If you don't want to go through all these directories and settings, download the cleaning application and give it the right to penetrate all corners of the system. If you type in the Play Market the request "memory cleaning", Clean Master will be in the first place. It is so popular that it is installed in some smartphones by the manufacturer - I saw it myself and even removed it on one budget Fly model. Clean Master offers a free virus scan in the load. However, on older phones, it only gets in the way.You won't have to deal with the Clean Master interface for a long time. All actions, including clearing memory, are performed in one or two clicks. But I prefer a less versatile app: Piriform's CCleaner. I use it on my computer and phone, there have been no complaints over the past 5 years.
The CCleaner interface is still simpler. There is a button "Analyze", after clicking on which the application will scan the memory and find unnecessary files. You can see a list of this data and mark the ones that should be deleted. To complete the procedure, you must grant the application special deep cleaning rights.
In addition to Clean Master and CCleaner, there are other decent apps for cleaning Android (judging by the reviews). But I have not tried them, so I will not advise. CCleaner's capabilities have always been enough to remove temporary files.
Using a computer
You can use a computer to delete unnecessary files. This is how I usually deal with photos and videos. , threw it off, immediately removed it from the internal memory.- Connect Android to PC.
- Select MTP mode to access your files through Explorer.
- Open the internal drive through "Computer".
The main problem is the same as when manually cleaning the file system on Android. If you delete something wrong, the phone may stop working and you will have to reflash it. Therefore, on my computer, I delete only those files whose purpose I know for sure. Audio, video, photos, documents - you can part with it without fear.
This article is a more in-depth continuation of the one in which we described. If you are wondering how to clear the internal memory on Android manually or using third-party applications, we will help you find a solution.
Let's analyze an example of cleaning on a smartphone. Let's say we bought a new phone with built-in memory of 32gigabytes, but in fact only 26 are available. We will not immediately run to the store and return the goods, but we will begin to figure out what is the matter.
You can see how much free built-in memory the system has by going to the “Settings” item “ Memory" or " Vault". It is important to note that each phone model reserves a different amount of memory for the system.
In modern models, the size depends on the brand (Samsung, Lenovo, LG) and the Android version (6, 7), on average about 2-5 GB.
Please note that on devices with their own proprietary firmware installed (for example, Xiaomi, Meizu), the memory will initially be occupied even more. The same applies: for the normal functioning of such smartphones, at least 3 GB are required.
How to completely clear the internal memory of Android
If you do not have SuperSU rights, then, of course, you will not be able to fully clean your smartphone or tablet. The lack of this feature seriously limits your actions. After reading our article about - you can completely remove all junk from the device. But if you do not want to lose the official guarantee, then you can do about half of what is described below.
To free up the system memory, do the following step by step:
- Go to the menu item "Settings";
- Find the section "Applications";
- Go to item "Third Party Applications";
- Click on the image of the ellipsis in the upper right corner;
- Sort the list by size.
Removing the app or its updates
After you have completed the above steps, after a few seconds you will see the largest applications stored on your Android device. If there are programs among the list that you do not use, you just need to delete them.
If paragraph Delete»No - then without root rights it will be impossible to do this... In this case, you can select the item " Remove updates". They are quite voluminous and will help free up some space.
But if you are determined to remove system applications that do not benefit you, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with For example, you have set a third-party excellent alarm clock, the built-in one is no longer needed, but it does not want to delete it using the standard method. Also, do not forget that the desire to free up more space can lead to the fact that you delete the files necessary for the operating system, and this increases the risk of occurrence.
Stopping the application
Another powerful way is to force stop the application. But again, you need to use this function carefully, after all, this can only be done if the application is not a system application.
It is worth remembering that the Android system itself takes up a fairly large part of the memory, and nothing can be done about it.
Efficiently clean the internal memory on your phone and tablet
The cleaning process is almost universal and does not differ much for smartphones and tablets. It's important to take into account the Android version and the brand of your device.
If you have cleaned everything, removed unnecessary applications and you still have little memory, there is little choice. you need to get root user rights... If possible, some applications are better.
All kinds of gadgets have recently become an integral part of the life of many modern people. Most owners of smartphones and tablets with the Android operating system sooner or later face the problem of insufficient memory. In budget models, its volume is, as a rule, no more than four gigabytes, but here it should be borne in mind that at least a fourth is occupied by the operating system itself.
All modern games, like high-quality photos, music and films, require more and more available memory. So, at some point, the user simply cannot install the required application, download the required data. The lack of free space also negatively affects the speed of the device itself. So how do you free up internal memory on Android? You can move files to external media and optimize your smartphone.
What is filling the free space?
While figuring out how to free up the internal phone memory on Android, you should pay attention to a few points. Certain methods can be effective in some cases, but completely inappropriate in others.
Before freeing up the internal memory on Android, you need to understand where the data that populates the device comes from. Here are some of the most common options:
- saving photos, music and videos;
- data used in the exchange on social networks;
- audio from a voice recorder;
- data downloaded via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi;
- applications from the Play Store located in the device memory.
How can I prevent files from being saved to the device memory?
So that the problem does not recur from time to time in the future, you need to redirect the download of files from the device's memory to other media. For example, to a memory card (SD card). To this end, you should change the parameters of the save path in the settings of some applications:
- camera options;
- voice recorder options;
- place for browser downloads;
- location of cached files from applications;
- regulation of messengers;
- regulation of downloaders;
- regulation of navigation GPS-maps.
In all the above settings, the path to a specific folder (or several folders: separately for music, video, pictures and files), which is located on the memory card, must be registered.
How do I move data?
It is better to move files from device memory to memory card to similar folders. If there are none, you can create them using any file manager that is loaded from the "Play Store", or by connecting the device to a computer via a cable. Moving to places with similar standard names will avoid unnecessary confusion. Folders usually have the following names:
- Bluetooth;
- DCIM;
- download;
- media;
- movies;
- music;
- video;
- sounds.
Transferring files, as well as creating new folders, can be done in two ways: directly by the functions of the device itself or using a computer. You should not transfer the data, the purpose of which is in doubt. Moving program files can contribute to device malfunctions, you should be aware of this before freeing up space on the internal memory of Android.
How do I transfer files directly to my device?
To transfer pictures, music and videos directly to the device, it is better to use a file manager. ES-conductor is simple and reliable to use. The main function of the manager is precisely to work with folders and files. This file manager is very lightweight, does not take up an already small amount of memory, and is convenient.
To transfer the necessary data, you need to select it with one long press. Choosing the action "move", you should click on "SD-card". The advantage of this file manager is that the menu allows you to immediately create new folders for transferring files.
How do I transfer files using a computer?
In order to clear the internal memory of "Android" using a computer, you need to connect the device to it using a USB-cable. To provide the ability to manage data on a smartphone or tablet, specialized programs and drivers must be installed on the PC. As a rule, such software is installed automatically, but you need to wait a little while the computer detects the type of device and finds the appropriate drivers on the network.
Problems that arise when transferring files using a PC are easily eliminated by the free AirDroid service, which provides the ability to work with the device from a distance by connecting to a Wi-Fi network. Firstly, this is good because you do not need to additionally install any programs and drivers to recognize your smartphone or tablet. Secondly, this service provides communication between devices at a distance longer than a cable.
And yet, how to free up system memory on Android through a computer using this method? Everything is very simple here - data management is possible through any browser.
How do I move apps to SD card?
How to free up internal memory on Android in order to unload devices? We note right away: this is not an easy task. The reason is that in order to carry out this operation for applications, as a rule, you need to have special rights, namely administrator rights, which will allow you to fully manage all files.
You can get administrator status by installing additional software or changing the settings of your smartphone. In the latter case, everything is much simpler. Devices, in the settings of which you can set the "developer mode", allow you to perform many actions that are inaccessible to ordinary users, for example, install fake localization.
If administrator access is already enabled, then you need to install the Link2Sd application. It allows you to transfer both installed additionally and standard applications from the device memory to the memory card. But here you need to remember that such actions can lead to malfunctions of the device.
Only some applications can be moved without administrator rights. This action can be performed in the device settings. But the standard trick is not very convenient, and if you don't want to change the settings, it's better to download the Android Assistant app.
Android Assistant consists of eighteen tools to help you work with Android in a variety of ways. Directly transferring applications is carried out as follows: open the program, go to the "Toolbox" section and select "App2Sd". A list of applications that can be transferred will open.
Also, using this application, you can perform a complex removal, which will help optimize and increase the speed of the device.
How do I clean out unnecessary junk from my device?
By following the steps above, you can make significant progress in clearing your memory. Having set the correct settings once, most likely, you will not have to do all the actions again from time to time. But you will often have to use the information on how to free up internal memory on Android by removing garbage. So, by installing a special application (for example, Clean Master), you can make the cleaning process quick and easy.
The so-called garbage in the device, which occurs through the accumulation of cached data from the Internet, browser history, applications, is a very common phenomenon. Periodic cleaning allows you to increase free space on the device and speed up the execution of all activities.
If you disassemble cleaning the device from debris using the example of the most optimal and convenient Clean Master program, then there will be no difficulties in using it. You just need to select the "trash" option and click "clear". The application, while conducting a deep analysis, necessarily specifies which files do not need to be deleted.
How to store files on the Internet?
To free up the internal memory on Android 4.2, you can use the so-called cloud storage. They allow not only to store files, but also to open them using various devices. Having installed an application of this type on a smartphone, in order to gain access to the data, you will only need to register (when you turn it on for the first time), and then enter your username and password.
It is important in working with cloud storage and constant access to the Internet, because the data is located in "virtual memory". Among the most successful cloud storages are Google Drive, Mega storage, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox.
How do I completely clean my device?
To drastically clear the device's memory, you need to completely delete all data. The action is performed using the "Formatting" option. As a rule, this item is located in the device settings in the "Backup and reset data" tab. After confirming the user's intentions and deleting the data, the device will reboot and return to its original form, that is, everything that was installed and downloaded after purchase will be missing from the smartphone.
In general, the instruction "How to free memory on Android" includes several stages, some of which are interchangeable. The sequential execution of actions of various kinds will lead to an increase in free space, which will certainly entail device optimization.
If the phone memory is full, then you need to free up space. Removing cached data that fills the space will help keep your Android running smoothly. You can clean Android from garbage manually or using special cleaning applications.
Manual cleaning
If the phone has not been cleaned for a long time, then the user faces a number of tasks:
- How to free up system memory.
- How to free up RAM.
- How to clear an SD card.
If you run out of free space, then the first question that needs to be solved is how to clear the cache on Android. Deleting the cache frees up system memory quickly and for free. If you do not understand where the free space is going, clearing the cache will give the answer - the memory on the phone is running out due to the large volume of temporary files. To get rid of them, you need to clean your Android.
- Open the settings, section "Applications".
- Go to the settings of applications that create many temporary files - Play Market, games, browser, instant messengers, social media clients. Don't forget about the built-in applications like "Gallery". Even if you delete photos and videos from your phone, the information about them will remain in the cache.
- Click on "Clear Cache".
Clearing the internal storage of an Android device manually is not limited to deleting the app cache. To completely clear the memory of your Android phone, you need to examine the contents of the system folders. This can be done manually through file managers. Let's see how you can free up memory on Android by deleting temporary files through the File Manager.
You can also clean the folders of individual applications - VKontakte, Viber, WhatsApp. You won't clean the RAM on Android like that, but you will understand how to clear the internal memory of the phone. Plus, knowing how to clean your phone can help you get rid of viruses that periodically enter your system.
After deleting the cache and unnecessary files, it will become clear where the phone memory on Android or tablet has gone. The memory is gone because the system has accumulated a complete set of temporary data. The storage device cannot delete them on its own, hence braking and other problems arise. Knowing how to clear memory and freeing up system memory, the user extends the operating time of the device.
Using cleaning apps
We figured out how to independently clear the internal memory of Android. Now let's see how to completely clean your phone using dedicated apps. In the Play Market, you can find a large number of programs in Russian and English. Pay attention to the following applications:
- Clean Master.
- Cleaning wizard.
- History Eraser.
- Smart Booster.
- 1Tap Cleaner, etc.
They work according to the same principle: you launch the program, choose which files to delete, and wait for the optimization procedure to complete.
If you know how to manually clear the memory on Android, then this will not be enough to completely delete unnecessary files. Using 2 methods, manual cleaning and optimization through applications, will help you figure out how to remove all unnecessary data that takes up space.
RAM cleaning
We figured out how to quickly clear the system memory on Android, but the question remains, how to clear the RAM? RAM on Android is also filled with data, the release from which allows you to answer the question of how to increase the speed of the phone.
Most cleaning programs can optimize RAM on Android and increase performance. If you do not understand where the performance has gone, then after the application to clean up the RAM on Android, you can again use it in full.
