How to clear or free up internal storage on your phone
Samsung Galaxy smartphones come with a large amount of internal storage capacity for you to save your pictures, videos, games, and apps. However, you may still need to free up some storage space from time to time if you want to install large apps or save longer videos.
Find out the different ways that you can free up storage space on your Galaxy smartphone.
Check how much storage space you have
Before clearing storage space, first find out how much you have left on your smartphone:
1
Swipe up to reveal your apps screen
2
Tap the Settings icon
![Settings icon]()
3
Tap “Battery and device care”. On some older operating systems, this is called “Device care”
![Battery and device care selected in settings menu]()
4
Tap “Storage”
![Storage selected in battery and device care]()
5
You will be able to see how much storage space you have available
![Screen showing breakdown of storage usage]()
Empty the recycling bin
1
Swipe up to reveal your apps screen
2
Tap the Settings icon
![Settings icon]()
3
Tap “Battery and device care”. On some older operating systems, this is called “Device care”
![Battery and device care selected in settings menu]()
4
Tap “Storage”
![Storage selected in battery and device care]()
5
Under “Recycle bin”, tap the app you want to empty the recycle bin for
![Recycle bin selected in storage]()
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Tap “Empty” to delete all the files
![Empty selected in storage]()
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Press and hold one file, then select the ones you want to delete
![Files selected in storage]()
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Tap “Delete”
Uninstall unused apps
1
Swipe up to reveal your apps screen
2
Tap the Settings icon
![Settings icon]()
3
Tap “Battery and device care”. On some older operating systems, this is called “Device care”
![Battery and device care selected in settings menu]()
4
Tap “Storage”
![Storage selected in battery and device care]()
5
Tap “Unused apps”
![unused apps selected in storage]()
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Select the apps you wish to uninstall
![Unused apps selected for deleting]()
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Tap “Uninstall”
Delete duplicate files
1
Swipe up to reveal your apps screen
2
Tap the Settings icon
![Settings icon]()
3
Tap “Battery and device care”. On some older operating systems, this is called “Device care”
![Battery and device care selected in settings menu]()
4
Tap “Storage”
![Storage selected in battery and device care]()
5
Tap “Duplicate files”
![Duplicate files selected in storage]()
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Select the version of the file or files you wish to delete
![Repeated versions of duplicate files selected in storage]()
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Tap “Delete”
Delete large files
1
Swipe up to reveal your apps screen
2
Tap the Settings icon
![Settings icon]()
3
Tap “Battery and device care”. On some older operating systems, this is called “Device care”
![Battery and device care selected in settings menu]()
4
Tap “Storage”
![Storage selected in battery and device care]()
5
Tap “Large files”
![Large files selected in storage]()
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Select the file or files you wish to delete
![large file selected for deleting]()
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Tap “Delete”
Move files to an SD card
Most Galaxy smartphones have the option to use an SD card to provide additional storage. Find out more about moving your files to an SD card.
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