As one Android user to another, I get how quickly our devices can become plagued with digital clutter. Before you know it, you‘re seeing annoying "storage space running out" errors as years of accumulated photos, videos, apps and who knows what else clogs up your phone.
The solution? Taking out the trash! Just like cleaning up around your home, regularly tidying the digital clutter on your Android can make a world of difference. In this guide, we‘ll explore 5 easy ways to empty the trash and reclaim storage on your device. I‘ll also share some best practices so you can keep your phone or tablet running smoothly for years to come!
Why You Should Empty Trash Regularly
First thing‘s first – let‘s briefly cover what exactly "digital trash" refers to on our Android devices:
- Unused apps and files – Photos, videos, downloads you no longer need
- App cache data – Temporary files apps create that build up over time
- Other junk files – System files, residuals from uninstalled apps
Having too much unused digital content floating around can lead to:
- Annoying low storage space warnings
- Slow, laggy performance
- Data security vulnerabilities
To visualize just how much space this digitaljunk can consume, check out the graph below:
As you can see, photos and videos alone account for nearly 40% of content clogging up people‘s phones. When you combine all the other digital clutter, it‘s easy for storage capacity to get choked out over years of accumulation.
The bottom line: regularly emptying the digital trash frees up valuable storage capacity and keeps your Android running smoothly.
Now let‘s get into those 5 cleaning methods…
Method 1: Files by Google App 🗑️
Files by Google provides a simple way to browse and delete files directly on your device.
Step 1: Open the Files app
Step 2: Browse categories and select unwanted files
Step 3: Tap trash can icon to delete
Pro Tip: Sort files by size to find storage hogs!
The Files app makes quick work of removing unwanted downloads, images, videos and documents.
Method 2: Empty App Trash Folders 🗑️
Apps like Gmail, Google Photos, Spotify and others have built-in trash folders that temporarily store deleted items.
Here‘s how to empty Gmail‘s trash for example:
Step 1: Open Gmail > Tap hamburger menu
Step 2: Select Trash folder
Step 3: Tap "Empty Trash Now"
Repeat the process for other apps. For Google Photos:
Step 1: Open Photos > Tap bottom left menu
Step 2: Choose Trash
Step 3: Select all > Delete
Emptying these hidden trash folders can free up gigs of storage!
Method 3: Clear App Cache Data 🗑️
App cache refers to temporary files apps create to load faster. This accumulates over time and can consume a lot of unused space.
To clear it out:
Step 1: Open Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps
Step 2: Select app to clear
Step 3: Tap Storage & cache > Clear cache
I recommend doing a periodic cache cleanout on apps that use a lot of local data like Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, etc.
Method 4: Remove Unused Apps 🗑️
It‘s surprisingly easy to end up with unused apps just taking up space.
Do some Spring cleaning:
Step 1: Open Settings > See all apps
Step 2: Browse and select apps to remove
Step 3: Tap Uninstall and confirm
Removing unused apps provides one of the biggest storage space gains. Out with the old!
Method 5: Download Storage Cleaner 🗑️
For automated cleaning help, specialized storage cleaner apps can identify and delete junk you wouldn‘t find manually.
Give one a try:
Step 1: Install top-rated cleaner like Files by Google
Step 2: Scan device storage
Step 3: Review and clean identified junk
Just be careful about files you permanently delete!
Keeping Your Android Clutter-Free
With these 5 trash removal tactics, you‘re equipped to tackle device storage clutter and keep your Android running smoothly for years.
To stop digital junk from building up again, I recommend setting reminders to:
- Weekly: Review and remove unneeded files
- Monthly: Clear app caches and empty trash folders
- When device slows: Troubleshoot and mass delete clutter
Taking out the digital trash doesn‘t need to be a dreaded chore. With a few taps along the way, you can easily clean things up and have your Android operating like day 1!
Now go enjoy all that newfound storage capacity my friend! Have an optimally organized rest of your day. ☺️
