Is your phone constantly running out of storage? Are apps crashing and updates failing to install? You've probably already tried deleting photos and videos, but that might not be enough.
Don't worry—there’s a solution! You can clear your phone’s storage without losing any important data, improve performance, speed up processing, and even extend battery life. With this step-by-step guide, you can free up space on your phone and keep your files safe.
Preliminary Steps
1. Check Your Storage Usage
Before you start clearing up your phone’s storage, first figure out what is taking up space. Here’s how to check your phone’s storage whether you’re an Android or iPhone user:
To do that, first, you need to access your storage settings:
For Android users: go to ‘Settings’-> then ‘Storage’
For iPhone users: open ‘Settings’-> go to ‘General’-> Then ‘iPhone Storage’
2. Understand the Breakdown
Once you’re in the storage settings, your phone will show different categories of data taking up space. These may include:
Apps & App Data
Photo & Videos
System Files
Cached Data & Temporary Files: these are residue files from apps that help them load faster but can take up unnecessary space.
Messages & Attachments: Large media files you receive via apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, or Telegram.
Downloads
3. Identify What’s Taking Up The Most Space
Now that you can see where your storage is going, look for:
Large apps you rarely use: Social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok can take up a lot of space due to cached data.
Duplicate photos or videos: These may be auto-saved multiple times in different folders, such as WhatsApp, Screenshots, or Instagram downloads.
Old downloads like files you don’t need anymore, such as PDFs, memes, and videos.
Unused apps
How To Clean Up Your Smartphone’s Storage Without Losing Your Data
1. Clear Cache and Unnecessary Data
Every app on your phone stores temporary files called ‘cache data’. These files help apps run faster, but they also take up space. Clearing them won't delete your personal data like passwords or settings, but it can free up storage. Now, with the mention of cache data, you may be wondering: What about app data? Or if there’s a difference between App data and cache data.
- What’s the Difference Between App Cache and App Data?
App Cache: Temporary files stored by apps (e.g., images in Instagram, webpage previews in Chrome). Clearing the cache doesn’t delete your personal data.
App Data: This includes app settings, saved logins, and downloaded content. Deleting app data resets the app, meaning you may need to log in again.
- How to Clear Cache on Your Phone
Android
Open Settings > Storage and tap Apps.
Select an app (e.g., Instagram or Chrome).
Tap Clear Cache (avoid clearing data unless necessary).
iPhone: iPhones don’t let you clear the cache manually for all apps. Instead:
Go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data (for Safari cache).
For other apps, the only option is to offload or reinstall the app.
2. Manage Photos and Videos Without Losing Them
For most people, photos and videos take up the most space on their smartphones. But deleting them outright isn’t the only option. Follow the steps below to manage your photos and videos without losing any data:
- Backup Your Media First
Before you remove anything, make sure your memories are safe, and back up your videos and photos on:
Google Photos (Android & iPhone): Offers free cloud backup with a “Storage Saver” mode to reduce file sizes.
iCloud (iPhone Users): This app automatically backs up photos but has limited free storage (5GB).
External Hard Drives/USB Drives: A great offline option for large media collections.
- Delete Duplicates & Unnecessary Media
To do this:
On iPhone: Go to Photos > Albums > Duplicates and merge similar photos.
On Android: Use Google Photos’ built-in cleanup tool to remove old screenshots and blurry photos.
Third-Party Apps: Apps like Gemini Photos (iPhone) or Files by Google (Android) can help delete junk images quickly.
- Optimize Your Storage Settings
iPhone: Go to Settings > Photos > Optimize iPhone Storage to keep only low-resolution previews on your device while storing full-quality versions in iCloud.
Google Photos: Enable ‘Storage Saver Mode’ to compress photos and save space.
- Move Large Videos to Cloud Storage
Videos take up a lot of space. Instead of keeping them on your phone, move them to:
Google Drive (15GB free storage)
Dropbox (2GB free storage)
OneDrive (5GB free storage)
3. Uninstall Unused Apps
Many apps sit on your phone without being used, yet they take up your precious storage. To uninstall unused apps:
- Find and Remove Apps You No Longer Use
On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Sort by Last Used to identify rarely used apps.
On iPhone: Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage, and check ‘Last Used’ to find apps you haven’t opened in months.
- Offload Apps on iPhone
Instead of completely deleting apps, iPhones let you “offload” them. This removes the app but keeps your data intact.
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap an app and select Offload App.
- Use Lite Versions of Apps
Some apps have “Lite” versions that take up less space. Consider switching to:
Facebook Lite
Messenger Lite
Google Go
4. Manage Downloads and Large Files
Old downloads, PDFs, and installation files can clog up your storage.
- Check Your Downloads Folder
Android: Open Files by Google > Downloads and delete anything you don’t need.
iPhone: Go to Files > Downloads and clear out old documents.
- Use Built-in Storage Cleaners
Android: Use Storage Manager (found in Settings > Storage) to clean up unnecessary files.
iPhone: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and use “Review Large Attachments” to delete big files from messages.
- Move Important Files Elsewhere
If you have large files you don’t want to delete, transfer them to:
A PC or Mac using a USB cable.
An external drive (iPhones need a Lightning-to-USB adapter for this).
5. Optimize Messaging Apps Storage
Apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and iMessage can store a ton of unnecessary media.
- Clear Unnecessary Media in WhatsApp & Telegram
WhatsApp: Go to Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage, then delete large or forwarded files.
Telegram: Use Clear Cache in Settings > Data & Storage.
- Disable Auto-Download for Media
This will prevent WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram from downloading every image or video sent to you.
WhatsApp: Go to Settings > Storage and Data > Media Auto-Download and disable it.
Telegram: Go to Settings > Data & Storage and turn off auto-download.
- Use Cloud Backup for Chats
Before deleting messages, back them up:
WhatsApp: Use Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone) for chat backups.
iMessage: Ensure iCloud Backup is enabled in Settings > iCloud > Messages.
6. Transfer Files to External Storage
- Use an SD Card (Android Only): If your phone has an SD card slot, move apps, photos, and videos there:
Go to Settings > Storage > Move to SD Card (for compatible apps).
- Connect an External Hard Drive: Use an OTG (On-The-Go) cable to transfer files from your phone to an external hard drive.
- Cloud Storage as a Backup Solution: If you don’t want to lose files, upload them to:
Google Drive (15GB free)
iCloud (5GB free)
OneDrive (5GB free)
7. Final Storage Check & Maintenance Tips
Once you’ve cleaned up your phone, do a final check:
Make sure you’ve freed up enough space.
Enable Smart Storage Management:
Android: Use “Free Up Space” in Storage settings.
iPhone: Enable “Offload Unused Apps” in Settings.
Set Reminders for Regular Cleanup: Doing this every month can prevent future clutter.
Smartphone maintenance doesn't have to be a hassle. You can clean up space and keep your phone running smoothly without losing important data. Taking these few simple steps now can prevent storage issues in the future!