Published April 5, 2025 6:00am EDT close How to free up space on your Android Three simple tricks to free up valuable space on your device. Is your Android running out of storage space again?Lets fix it with three simple tricks that can free up valuable space on your device.IPhone users, here's how to free up space on your device. A man holding an Android. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Trick 1: Delete hidden clutterHidden files and folders often consume significant storage space. Heres how to clean them up:STAY PROTECTED & INFORMED! GET SECURITY ALERTS & EXPERT TECH TIPS SIGN UP FOR KURTS THE CYBERGUY REPORT NOWSettings may vary depending on your Android phones manufacturer.Open your File Manager (it might be called "My Files").Tap thethree dots in the top-right.SelectSettings.Enable"Show Hidden System Files".Now, lets go to the".thumbnails" folder by tapping on the folder that says"My Files". Steps to delete hidden clutter. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Next, select"Internal Storage".Tap thePictures folder.Then, click .thumbnails.Select "All"images.Then tapDelete. Steps to delete hidden clutter. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Confirm by clickingMove to Trash.By deleting the thumbnail folder, you'll free up valuable storage space on your Android by removing the small preview images of photos and videos stored on your device. Note, the file or folder will come back automatically as you browse photos again, so if you're constantly low on storage, clearing the .thumbnails folder every so often can help but it's just a temporary fix. The system will rebuild it as needed.Now,go back twice by clicking the back arrow.Open"Movies" or"Downloads", and repeat the above steps to clear more space.Finally, find the Trash and click on it. Steps to delete hidden clutter. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Select "All".TapDelete all.Confirm your decision by clickingDelete. Steps to delete hidden clutter. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Trick 2: Google Photos magicGoogle Photos offers a seamless way to manage photo storage without losing your memories. Here's how to free up space using Google Photos:Settings may vary depending on your Android phones manufacturer.Open theGoogle Photos app.Tap yourprofile picture in the top-right corner.ChooseFree up space on this device.Review the files and tap theblue bar at the bottom of the screen.ClickAllow to clear local copies of photos already backed up. Steps to free up space using Google Photos. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Your photos stay safe, but won't take up your phone's storage. Now, before deleting files in your downloads, movies, or .thumbnails folders, take a moment to review them. These may contain files youve saved intentionally, including important documents or personal media.While cleaning up unused files can free up space, be sure not to remove anything you still need. Steps to free up space using Google Photos. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Trick 3: Clear unused appsUninstalling unused apps can significantly free up storage space on your Android device. Heres how to uninstall unused apps:Settings may vary depending on your Android phones manufacturer.Open Settings on your Android.Click onApps or Apps and Notifications.Click the Filter and sort icon.TapUninstalled by you,then tap OK.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Steps to clear unused apps. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Review yourinstalled apps and identify those you no longer use.Uninstallthese apps to free up space byclicking on the app.Click App details in store.Then, tapUninstall.It'll ask you to confirm your decision by clickingUninstall. Steps to clear unused apps. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Trick 4: Get rid of old filesYou can also delete unused files and images on Android. These are files or images you haven't edited in the past 30 days.Settings may vary depending on your Android phones manufacturer.Navigate to Settings on your Android.TapDevice Care.Click Storage.ClickReview old files.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Steps to get rid of old files. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)TapAll in the upper left-hand corner of the screen to free up space.ClickDelete at the bottom of the screen.Confirm your decision by clickingDelete. Steps to get rid of old files. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)By incorporating these steps, you can efficiently manage your Android device's storage and maintain optimal performance.Kurt's key takeawaysRunning out of storage on your Android can be frustrating, but these tricks provide quick solutions to reclaim space without compromising essential data. By implementing simple strategies like deleting hidden clutter, leveraging Google Photos to free up space, and uninstalling unused apps, you can significantly improve your device's performance. Additionally, regularly reviewing and deleting old files can help maintain a clutter-free phone.Whats the most surprising thing youve found taking up space on your device? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.