How to free up space on your Galaxy device when it is full

Last Update date : Jun 10. 2021

We use our phones for everything these days for communication, entertainment, camera, and storage. So it’s easy to find yourself with a lot of unused apps and cached data taking up space on your phone affecting the speed of the phone. 

So, in order to improve the performance of your Galaxy device, there are several ways to increase the storage capacity of your device.

Note: Device screenshots menus and navigation path may vary depending on the device model and software version.

Just like temporary internet files stored in a computer, Apps store temporary files in the device's internal memory which can pile up eventually and take up a considerable amount of space.

To remove Apps Cache and Apps Data, follow these steps:

Step 1. Tap Settings.

Step 2.. Tap Apps.

Step 3. Select the desired app.

Step 4. Tap Storage.

Step 5. To clear App Data, tap Clear data.

Step 6. To clear App Cache, tap Clear cache.

Removing Apps is a quick-and-simple way to free up space. To uninstall apps, you can tap and hold an app icon in the App mode and select Uninstall

Alternatively, you can also select Settings > Apps > Tap on the app to remove > Uninstall.

Having everything stored in the cloud means that you have one less thing to worry about when your device stops working or when you have lost your phone. It is also simple to restore your data and settings, whether to an existing device or a new one.

Here are some apps on your phone that support the backup and restore feature:

  • Call logs: Call and message history
  • Clock: Alarms, world clocks, and timers
  • Apps: Installation files and app settings
  • Calendar: Events and tasks saved on your phone
  • Messages: Enhanced messages, multimedia messages, and text messages
  • Contacts: Contacts, email addresses, and business cards saved on your phone or USIM.
  • Home screen: Layout, wallpapers, and Samsung DeX settings (your default wallpapers won't be backed up)
  • Settings: Accessibility settings, ringtones, Samsung Keyboard options, Wi-Fi settings, and Always on Display settings (your default ringtone won't be backed up).

Manually back up data

From Settings, tap Accounts and backup, and then tap Samsung Cloud. Swipe down to and tap Back up this phone. On the next screen, select the content you want to back up, or simply tap Select all. When you're ready, tap Back up. Once it's finished, tap Done.

Automatically back up data

Auto back up automatically backs up your data once every 24 hours. However, for this, your phone must be charged, connected to Wi-Fi, and the screen must be off for at least an hour.

Step 1. Go to Settings > Accounts and backup.

Step 2. Tap Samsung Cloud.

Step 3. Tap More options (three vertical dots) > Settings.

Step 4. Tap Sync and auto-backup settings > Auto back up.

Step 5. Select what to back up automatically to Samsung Cloud. 

Restore backup data using Samsung Cloud

Once everything is backed up on Samsung Cloud, restoring your data is simple. You can even transfer it to another device using the Restore feature, just perform these steps on the new device.

From Settings, tap Accounts and backup, and then tap Restore data under Samsung Cloud. Select your desired device from the drop-down at the top, and then select the content you want to restore. Next, tap Restore. If needed, follow the on-screen instructions to download your backup data.

Some Samsung mobile devices such as the Galaxy series have an additional microSD/memory card slot as an additional hard drive for your device.

Just insert your microSD card and you can begin transferring your files. You can also use the options in Device care to help clear space.

Step 1. With your microSD card inserted, navigate to and open the My Files app.

Step 2. Find the file(s) you want to move, and then touch and hold the file(s).

Step 3. Tap Move or Copy at the bottom of the screen, and then navigate back to the My Files Home page 

Step 4. Tap SD card - this will only show up if you have an SD card inserted. Navigate to the folder where you'd like to place the files.

Step 5. Tap Move here or Copy here and the files will be placed on the SD card.

To learn how to insert and remove the microSD/memory card, refer to How to insert and remove SIM card on Galaxy device

If you're experiencing unusual behavior on Samsung mobiles, tablets, or wearables, you can send us an error report or ask us a question in the Samsung Members app. This allows us to take a closer look at what is happening. The data is anonymized and only held for the duration of the investigation. Find out more about how to send an error report here: How to use the Samsung Members app 

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