How to effectively clear memory on your Android smartphone

Smartphone memory is a resource that is always worth its weight in gold. No matter how much it is, free space becomes scarce over time. And the accumulated "junk" not only takes up valuable megabytes, but also slows down the device. You can delete unnecessary data manually or with the help of special applications — the main thing is to do it regularly.

Channel 24 writes about it.

What is hidden in the "Other" section, and how to deal with it?

One of the most common issues Android users face is the mysterious "Other" folder. It often takes up the most space, but it is impossible to clear it in one click. It contains cache, thumbnails, and temporary files that accumulate during the installation and use of applications. To get rid of them, you'll have to manually check the apps or use utilities like CCleaner or SD Maid.

Manual cleaning involves going into your phone's settings, browsing through all the apps, and deleting the cache for each one. Pay special attention to those that actively use multimedia:

• Messengers;
• Browsers;
• Social networks.

For example, Telegram saves all photos and videos locally, which quickly fills up the memory.

Another useful step is to delete thumbnails from the gallery. To do this, you will need a file manager that supports viewing hidden files. In the DCIM folder, find the ".thumbnails" folder and delete its contents. It is also recommended that you activate cloud photo sync so that some of the data is stored in the cloud instead of on your phone.

The alternative to manual cleaning is automatic cleaning through apps. The most popular are CCleaner and SD Maid. They analyse the memory, determine what can be deleted, and perform cleaning in a few clicks. However, it's important to take your time and check what exactly will be erased — some data may be important.

To clean your smartphone with these apps, just run the scan and follow the instructions. For example, in CCleaner, you should select the "Quick Clean" option, and in SD Maid, select "Junk", and the app will show you a list of files that take up extra space.

In addition to the system cache and files in "Other", don't forget about the contents of your gallery and download folder. You should review and delete unnecessary photos, videos, and documents from time to time. This is especially important for devices with low storage capacity.

As a reminder, in 2025, smartphones have become full-fledged pocket computers — they not only provide communication and notifications, but also run games, process large photo and video files, perform artificial intelligence tasks, and keep dozens of apps in memory at the same time. All of this requires not only powerful processors but also a significant amount of RAM.

We also wrote that it takes a few seconds to download a new app from Google Play, so smartphones quickly fill up with dozens of "test" apps. After the interest in them fades, they remain in the system along with the cache and service files installed in the background, taking up memory.