Phone Disk Space

NE5NE5 Posts: 655
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Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

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  • Denco1Denco1 Posts: 3,738
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    Go to your storage and look what you've used?
    It will be split into images, videos etc
  • prkingprking Posts: 9,995
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    NE5 wrote: »
    Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

    I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

    Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

    I'm not quite sure I understand, you are concerned because you have used 44Gb out of 128Gb?

    (Some general advice, your phone uses unused storage as a cache to speed things up both for the OS to swap out memory and for the apps so that they are not constantly loading data. If your storage ever got near to being full then the OS would clear down the cache. It's better that your phone uses empty space to make a better experience for you than to sit there unused)
  • andydenyerandydenyer Posts: 10,508
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    edited 07/11/25 - 08:03 #4
    NE5 wrote: »
    Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

    I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

    Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

    Do you take and share lots of photos and videos, especially via the likes of WhatsApp etc.? Also, there will be your browsing history and other temporary files created as you use certain apps. If you go in to the properties of each app, you will see under "Storage & cache" how much storage is being used and, if you click on that, you get the option to delete storage and/or cache (but be aware that will erase any saved settings or history etc.).
  • PuckyPucky Posts: 5,196
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    andydenyer wrote: »
    NE5 wrote: »
    Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

    I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

    Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

    Do you take and share lots of photos and videos, especially via the likes of WhatsApp etc.? Also, there will be your browsing history and other temporary files created as you use certain apps. If you go in to the properties of each app, you will see under "Storage & cache" how much storage is being used and, if you click on that, you get the option to delete storage and/or cache (but be aware that will erase any saved settings or history etc.).

    I was going to say the same thing. It'll be cache from apps that grows bigger as you use the apps, especially social media.

    I have an S24 Ultra that's almost 2 years old and I have used just about 50% - 139.3 of 256GB.

    You can run the device care from the Settings menu that'll look at your phone and clear out unnecessary stuff and close apps you don't use.

  • The SackThe Sack Posts: 11,774
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    Google apps in particular love a massive cache.
  • JurassicMarkJurassicMark Posts: 15,208
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    prking wrote: »
    NE5 wrote: »
    Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

    I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

    Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

    I'm not quite sure I understand, you are concerned because you have used 44Gb out of 128Gb?

    (Some general advice, your phone uses unused storage as a cache to speed things up both for the OS to swap out memory and for the apps so that they are not constantly loading data. If your storage ever got near to being full then the OS would clear down the cache. It's better that your phone uses empty space to make a better experience for you than to sit there unused)

    That's exactly what I was thinking. Using about one third of disc space should be of zero concern.

    I've just checked mine and I'm using 69GB out of 256GB. The only problem I've had with disc space is with my first smartphone, which was a Moto G4 with 16GB of disc space. I kept having to clean it of junk and even installed some apps on the SD card.
  • andydenyerandydenyer Posts: 10,508
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    edited 07/11/25 - 15:53 #8
    prking wrote: »
    NE5 wrote: »
    Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

    I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

    Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

    I'm not quite sure I understand, you are concerned because you have used 44Gb out of 128Gb?

    (Some general advice, your phone uses unused storage as a cache to speed things up both for the OS to swap out memory and for the apps so that they are not constantly loading data. If your storage ever got near to being full then the OS would clear down the cache. It's better that your phone uses empty space to make a better experience for you than to sit there unused)

    That's exactly what I was thinking. Using about one third of disc space should be of zero concern.

    I've just checked mine and I'm using 69GB out of 256GB. The only problem I've had with disc space is with my first smartphone, which was a Moto G4 with 16GB of disc space. I kept having to clean it of junk and even installed some apps on the SD card.

    Same here! Can't remember the model number, but it was a Motorola. It was only the lack of storage space that I didn't like about it and needed to upgrade. Otherwise, I absolutely loved the phone!

    EDIT - It was a Moto G (1st Generation) with just 8GB storage IIRC, and was my second smartphone (the first was a Galaxy Ace 3). :)
  • P+3P+3 Posts: 14,718
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    NE5 wrote: »
    Despite constantly optimising my phone, and emptying screenshots, I STILL find the hard disk filling up.

    I've got plenty (128GB) and only using 40gb, but its now 44 and I have not installed any apps other than a c ouple which only use hardly anything.

    Why does this happen ? How can you get rid of apps you don't want, if the reason is Samsung bloatware.... because what else could it be ?

    Before you remove anything.......what apps do you have on there that you do not use /want?
  • NE5NE5 Posts: 655
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    Samsung TTS voice apps in different languages,
  • NE5NE5 Posts: 655
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    Camera kit plugin. Spotify. Modes and routines
  • NE5NE5 Posts: 655
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    SIM toolkit is listed twice
  • JurassicMarkJurassicMark Posts: 15,208
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    NE5 wrote: »
    Samsung TTS voice apps in different languages,
    NE5 wrote: »
    Camera kit plugin. Spotify. Modes and routines

    What?

    Why not explain why you're concerned about using roughly one third of the disc space on your smartphone?
  • NE5NE5 Posts: 655
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    To me, its just clutter or junk
  • JurassicMarkJurassicMark Posts: 15,208
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    It's not causing any problems so either uninstall (if you can) what you don't want or just ignore it.
  • NE5NE5 Posts: 655
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    But the main point of the thread, is a month or two ago, it was 40-41gb and i have no idea why it is going up
  • JurassicMarkJurassicMark Posts: 15,208
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    There can be number is reasons for that. Apps can use up more space as they're updated with changes and/or new features. If you optimise your phone by getting it to clean cache, etc, the apps will subsequently start using cache again and you'll be back to where you were before.

    If your phone was almost empty of free disc space then I would understand your concern but as it's only about one third full, I'm struggling to understand why it matters.
  • andydenyerandydenyer Posts: 10,508
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    NE5 wrote: »
    But the main point of the thread, is a month or two ago, it was 40-41gb and i have no idea why it is going up

    And some of the posters have responded with possible reasons (most of which are just normal as a result of using your phone and particular apps).
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