The stuff taking up Android storage nobody tells you about

When Android storage starts running out, we usually point to apps, videos, and other large files and start deleting them. While this can help, there are many neglected storage hogs that take up more space than expected. Let’s see what they are and how you can eliminate this mess.

Residual files from uninstalled applications

When we uninstall an app, we often assume that it frees up all the used space, but that is not the case. Android often leaves configuration files, downloaded content, and cached data even after completely uninstalling an app. Over time, these leftovers accumulate and consume significant storage space, so it’s worth tracking down and removing them manually.

To locate these hidden files, open your smartphone’s file manager, go to Internal storage > Android > obb and look for folders named after the apps you uninstalled. If you’ve never deleted them, you may find files from apps deleted years ago. Search for remaining APK files, cache folders or media files and delete anything you no longer need.

Be careful not to delete data from apps you’re still using, as this could erase custom settings or important app data you rely on.

Offline maps of your travel history

How often do you download offline maps from apps like Google Maps to use without an internet connection? If you’re a hiker, camper, or someone who likes to explore off the beaten path, you probably do this quite often. What many don’t realize is that each offline map takes up several megabytes and if left unchecked, they can quietly consume gigabytes of storage.

To free up space on old city maps, regions you’ve visited once, or routes you no longer need in Google Maps, open the app, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, and go to “Offline Maps.” You’ll see all the maps you’ve downloaded: just tap the three vertical dots next to the ones you no longer need and select “Delete”.

If you’re using another app, such as Waze, the steps may differ slightly, but you should still be able to locate the option to delete unused offline maps and free up storage space.

Cached files and application data

Apps store temporary files, such as images, scripts, and other resources, to help them load faster and work properly. This is called a cache. App data, on the other hand, includes saved settings, login information, and downloaded content. Although clearing the cache is safe, be careful when deleting app data because it can delete important information.

Cache and app data can consume a significant amount of storage, especially for resource-intensive apps like Instagram, YouTube, or web browsers. To free up space, open the Settings app, go to “Apps,” select the app, then tap “Storage.” To clear the app cache, tap “Clear cache” and then confirm in the pop-up window.

If an app is consuming too much space and you don’t mind losing saved settings, login information, or downloaded content, you can tap “Clear Data” to reclaim even more storage.

Duplicates and large files

Manually searching for files doesn’t always detect all large files, and sorting folders by size can make the task even more tedious. In addition, duplicates often exist in several files, making them difficult to track. What many users don’t realize is that Android can identify both large files and duplicates in one place, making cleanup much simpler.

To use this feature, open Settings > Device care > Storage. You will find options for duplicate files and large files. Tap “Duplicate Files” to see all files with the same name, size and type, which you can easily delete. For large files, tap “Large Files” to view them sorted by size, then select and delete those you no longer need.

While it’s easy to free up space by deleting the large files listed at the top, it’s often the many smaller, unnecessary files that add up and consume a significant amount of storage.

Deleted items in Trash

Have you ever deleted files, photos or videos to free up space, only to find that your free storage hasn’t changed? This happens because deleted files are moved to the Trash, where they stay for 30 days before being permanently deleted. This means your storage may remain clogged with items you thought were missing.

To really reclaim that space, make a habit of emptying the Trash every time you clean your phone. Open Settings > Device care > Storage, scroll down and tap “Recycle Bin”. Next, go through each folder, tap the three vertical dots in the upper right corner and choose “Empty”. This is how you free up storage space on your device.

Most storage hogs often hide in plain sight – you just need to pay a little attention. Now you can see how leftover data from uninstalled apps, downloaded offline maps, and even files in the Recycle Bin can eat up GB of storage. Follow the tips above to free up storage space and make it a habit to clean out these space hogs regularly so you never run out of space again.