Samsung Galaxy Storage Full? Clean Junk Files Safely

If your Samsung Galaxy is running out of storage, clearing junk files can free up space and improve performance. This guide provides multiple safe methods to remove unnecessary files without affecting important data.

1. Use Device Care to Free Up Space

Samsung’s built-in Device Care feature helps remove junk files and optimize storage.

Open Settings: Launch the Settings app on your Samsung Galaxy.
Go to Battery and Device Care: Scroll down and select “Battery and Device Care.”
Tap on Storage: This will display a breakdown of your used and available storage.
Select “Clean Now”: Tap “Clean Now” to remove unnecessary files, such as cache and residual data.
Review Deleted Items: Check the deleted file summary to ensure no important data was removed.

2. Clear App Cache and Data

Over time, apps accumulate cached data that can take up valuable storage space.

Open Settings: Navigate to “Settings” and tap on “Apps.”
Select an App: Choose an app that takes up a large amount of storage.
Go to Storage: Tap on “Storage” to view the app’s cached data.
Clear Cache: Tap “Clear Cache” to remove temporary files.
Clear Data (If Necessary): If an app is using excessive space, tap “Clear Data” (note: this will reset the app).

3. Delete Duplicate and Large Files

Manually finding and removing duplicate or large files can free up significant space.

Open My Files: Launch the “My Files” app on your Samsung Galaxy.
Go to Categories: Tap on “Documents,” “Images,” “Videos,” or “Audio” to browse files.
Sort by Size: Use the sorting option to list files from largest to smallest.
Delete Unnecessary Files: Select large or duplicate files you no longer need and tap “Delete.”
Check the Recycle Bin: Open the “Recycle Bin” in My Files and permanently delete files to free up space.

4. Uninstall Unused Apps

Removing apps you no longer use can instantly free up storage space.

Open Settings: Navigate to “Settings” and tap on “Apps.”
Sort by Size: Tap the three-dot menu and select “Sort by Size” to see the largest apps first.
Select an App: Choose an app you no longer use.
Tap Uninstall: Press “Uninstall” and confirm to remove the app from your device.
Repeat for Other Apps: Continue removing other unused apps to free up additional space.

5. Move Files to an SD Card

Transferring files to an SD card can reduce internal storage usage.

Insert an SD Card: If your device supports expandable storage, insert a microSD card.
Open My Files: Navigate to “My Files” and go to “Internal Storage.”
Select Files: Choose photos, videos, or documents to move.
Move to SD Card: Tap “Move” and select “SD Card” as the destination.
Confirm Transfer: Wait for the transfer to complete and check your SD card for the moved files.

6. Use Samsung Cloud or Google Drive

Backing up files to cloud storage helps free up local storage while keeping data accessible.

Open Samsung Cloud or Google Drive: Go to “Settings” > “Accounts and Backup” > “Samsung Cloud” or open the Google Drive app.
Select Backup & Sync: Enable backup for photos, videos, and other important files.
Upload Files Manually: Open the cloud storage app, tap “Upload,” and choose files to store online.
Delete Local Copies: Once uploaded, remove the local copies to free up internal storage.
Access Files Anytime: Download files from the cloud whenever needed.

7. Manage Downloads Folder

The Downloads folder often contains old and unnecessary files that can be deleted.

Open My Files: Launch the “My Files” app on your device.
Go to Downloads: Tap on “Downloads” to view all downloaded files.
Sort by Date or Size: Use the sorting option to find the oldest or largest files.
Select and Delete: Choose files you no longer need and tap “Delete.”
Empty the Recycle Bin: Open the “Recycle Bin” and permanently remove deleted files.

8. Disable Auto-Download in Messaging Apps

Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram can automatically download media, consuming storage space.

Open WhatsApp or Telegram: Launch the messaging app on your device.
Go to Settings: Tap on the three-dot menu and select “Settings.”
Select Storage & Data (WhatsApp) or Data and Storage (Telegram): Open the data usage settings.
Disable Auto-Download: Turn off automatic downloading of images, videos, and other media.
Manually Delete Old Media: Go to the media section in chats and delete unnecessary photos or videos.

9. Empty the Recycle Bin

Deleted files remain in the Recycle Bin for a limited time, still consuming storage.

Open My Files: Navigate to the “My Files” app.
Go to Recycle Bin: Tap on “Recycle Bin” to view recently deleted files.
Select All Files: Tap “Select All” to choose all files in the bin.
Tap Delete: Confirm deletion to permanently remove files and free up storage.

10. Compress or Archive Large Files

Compressing files reduces their size, saving storage space.

Open My Files: Launch the “My Files” app.
Select Large Files: Choose large files that you don’t need to access frequently.
Compress Files: Tap the three-dot menu and select “Compress” to create a ZIP archive.
Store or Transfer Compressed Files: Keep the compressed files on your device, move them to an SD card, or upload them to the cloud.
Extract When Needed: Open the ZIP file whenever you need to access the compressed data.