Once upon a time, the only things stored on a mobile phone were contacts and text messages. Today, though, things are very different and our smartphones contain huge vaults of data, including photos, videos, apps, music, and even movies. Not surprisingly, there will probably come a time when you begin to run out of memory. So how can you save memory on your smartphone?
DELETE UNWANTED APPS
Like most people, you probably have hundreds of apps downloaded on to your smartphone. But how many of those apps do you actually use? I bet not all that many of them. Well here’s the thing: a lot of those apps take up a lot of space on your smartphone, so deleting them will free up additional space. You don’t even need to be concerned about losing the app forever, because if you purchased it the app can be downloaded again at a later date. You will lose any data stored within the app, however, so make sure you definitely don’t use the app any more before you hit “delete”.
CLEAN OUT THE CACHED APP DATA
Some apps build up vast stores of temporary files, which can clog up a smartphone’s internal memory over time. Apps such as Google Maps and Facebook do this to make the apps run faster – caching files speeds up the amount of time it takes for the app to load when you want to access Facebook or check out some maps. You don’t really need these files, though, and deleting them will free up lots of space. Cached data can be cleared out by going into the smartphone’s settings and selecting the “manage applications” option. Apps such as Facebook have a “clear data” option. Alternatively, delete the app and then reinstall it: this also clears out temporary files.
CLEAR THE BROWSER CACHE
Browsers, like apps, also store a lot of temporary files on your smartphone, which can build up over time and clog up the device memory. To free up additional space, it is a good idea to go into your browser settings and periodically delete temporary internet files, cookies and other browsing data. This can be done by going into the settings menu and scrolling down until you find your browser. There should be an option to clear the cache, but if you can’t see it, read the manual for your specific model of handset.
BACK UP PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
Photos and videos take up a lot of space on a smartphone memory; videos in particular. If you are snap happy and enjoy taking lots of photos and selfies, there will come a time when your memory is full. Firstly, go through your photo archive and delete any bad photos -for example blurry ones and any photos taken accidentally – this will free up a small amount of memory straight away. Next, plug your smartphone into a computer and transfer your photos and videos to a storage folder on your PC hard-drive. This will keep your precious memories safe and allow you to delete them from your smartphone, thus saving a huge chunk of memory.
MAKE USE OF CLOUD STORAGE
There are lots of cloud based applications where you can transfer media and free up space on a smartphone. Apple iPhones have iCloud. Photos and other media can be stored in the iCloud, so you can delete it from your phone if you wish because it remains intact in the cloud. Another option to save space is to sign up for a Cloud storage service such as DropBox, although it may not solve your problems because files are “shared” between your device and the cloud, so they still take up space.
MOVE FILES TO AN SD CARD
Many smartphones have memory card slots. You can easily boost your smartphone’s internal memory by buying a MicroSD card. Or, if you already use a MicroSD card, invest in one with a larger memory capacity. Once installed, apps and media data can be transferred to the card and stored there instead of on the phone’s internal memory. On an Android phone, this is done by going into the phone’s settings and selecting the “manage applications” option. Be aware, however, that some apps can’t be moved on to an SD card.
If you follow the tips above you should be able to avoid seeing any “low storage” warnings on your smartphone; your smartphone will also run a lot more efficiently as a result. However, should you need more specific information about how to manage the storage capacity on your smartphone handset, read the manual or ring your network provider’s tech support telephone helpline. In most cases the procedure is very simple, but occasionally glitches can arise when applications are moved or deleted that need a bit of extra help to solve.
