Written by Gina
Whenever you receive a notification telling you that storage if full or not enough memory. There is something you can do to increase space and achieve optimal performance in your Android phone. Before I proceed, you need to understand that your Android phone stores Data categorically in 3 places you normally see in your phone.
Memory card - Memory card is a storage device that is attached within your phone. It stores and retrieves media like photos, videos, music, games and some apps. It is advisable to make memory card your default storage where your Android phone has provided you with the options.
Internal storage: is your Phone storage or Device Memory. That is the space that is built in your phone by the manufacturer. This is a default or original location where all the system software and Apps automatically stores in your phone. If you haven't set memory card as your default storage, internal storage will begin to save all the photos, Videos, Audios and downloaded items. Though it is non-volatile, in that it can store and retrieve data whenever you need them. A bigger size of Internal storage gives more space to store more data as you want. However, you cannot store items bigger than the size. Always check to see if you are getting close to the limit of your internal storage. Once you reach the limit, it cannot accept to save new items and will somehow affect your phone performance.
The RAM - Random Access memory is a memory in your phone where your apps runs its performances. (See it as a workshop). It also determines the speed of your phone. A bigger size of RAM makes your phone apps to perform faster and smoother. A phone with 1GB performs faster than that of 512MB. In the same way, 2G RAM is faster than 1GB and on it goes. RAM is volatile in nature; meaning it can give up your data when power is off and cannot store retrievable information. RAM can be cleared to increase performance and speed of your phone. If you are able to clear all the data in your RAM, the speed of your phone will be as good as new.
The Cache: Cache stores all the information and sites you have visited within an App you used at that time, so that when you visit again, it won't download the site and its contents again, thereby saving your time and cost of Internet data. This busy process in Cache contributes a lot in consuming space within your phone memory.
The App Data: App Data stores activities that happen in all your Apps, including saving your login information such as usernames, passwords, app preference settings and also carries the Cache. Clearing the app data will automatically erase your app preference settings, your login details, your cache and takes your app back to original state.
Now that you have known the differences. Let's learn how to Free up space in your Phone storage in two stages.
The first stage will take you to individual Apps. You should start with the App you use frequently because they are mostly accumulated.
Stage one:
1. Go to settings
2. Storage
3. App manager. Notice the number beside the App is the size of App software including the accumulated data.
4. Scroll to select any frequently used app (I use Facebook).
5. Click on App Storage
6. Click on Clear data.
As you can see, this process also clears both the App data and the Cache data are now empty, showing you zero. The next time you open the Facebook app you will have to start a fresh login with your password.
If you go back to view your internal storage size, you will see that your free space has increased. Repeat the process in all your frequently used Apps and watch your RAM and internal storage increase in Free space.
Stage Two : (Clears only the Cache)
This process will take you to where all the apps Cache is located in a particular spot. You don't have to open Apps one after another to clear the cache like we just did in clearing App data. The exciting thing about this process is that Cache can accumulate substantial amount of data that can fetch enough space when you clear it. Now Let's go and clear the Cache !
1. Open settings
2. Click on storage
3. Internal storage
4. Cached data
5. Click on ok and you are good to go!
6. Move a step back to observe that your Cache size is now zero and
7. Notice that your internal storage free space has increased and that includes your RAM.
The End!
Note:: You can also uninstall some apps you are not using to increase internal storage.
To Uninstall an App;
1. Open Settings
2. App manager
3. Scroll to select the App you want to Uninstall. Notice that each size of App is listed under the app. That is to show you how much space it is consuming in your Phone Memory.
4. Open the the App and click uninstall. You are good to go!
Take Note Again !
There are Apps that has no uninstall option. When you open to Uninstall it, you can only see DISABLE and FORCE STOP. This kind of App is called System program / software. What you should do is clear the App Data and click on DISABLE. This action will stop the App from accumulating data.
WARNING ! It is advisable you clear the App Data of system program from time to time and not DISABLE it because, it may affect your device performance.
Finally ! You can delete media saved in your internal storage such as; Videos, Music, files, Photos and others to boost your internal storage. To do this, go to
1. Settings
2. Storage
3. Internal storage
4. Others or Media
5. All the media you see through this process are sure the ones that are saved in your internal storage and not on Memory card. Delete them or move them to Memory card if your Phone provides the option to move to Memory card.
Conclusively !
Change your camera storage to Memory card through settings and also set your phone storage to Memory card.
That's all I have for you!
If you have a better suggestion please use the comment box.
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