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Samsung Galaxy • Slow or full • 10–30 minutes

Free up space from photos — Samsung Galaxy

Safety firstDeleting a synced photo may remove it from other devices. Confirm the cloud copy opens before permanently emptying Trash.
First confirm that photos are using enough space to be worth working on. Before deleting anything, check that the pictures you want are safely backed up.

  1. Check for a software update

    Open Settings > Software update > Download and install. Follow the on-screen steps if one is available.

  2. See whether photos are the main storage problem

    Open Settings > Device care > Storage. Look at Images and Videos and compare them with the other categories. Tap Images to see which files are using the space. If Images and Videos are small, go back and work on the larger category instead; the steps below will not free much space.

  3. Confirm the photos you want are backed up

    If Images or Videos was large, open Gallery > Menu > Settings > Sync with OneDrive. Look for confirmation that syncing is on and complete. Open a few important photos in OneDrive before deleting local files so you know the backup can be reached.

  4. Remove exact duplicates next

    Open My Files > Analyze storage > Duplicate files. Compare each group, select only exact copies you recognize, then tap Delete. This clears repeated files without asking you to choose unrelated photos.

  5. Review the largest easy-to-find albums

    Open Gallery > Albums. Open Videos or Screenshots because these often hold large or unneeded files. Touch and hold an item, choose more, then tap Delete > Move to Trash.

  6. Empty Gallery Trash only when sure

    Open Gallery > Menu > Trash. Review everything there first. Tap More > Empty > Delete only when you are sure; emptying Trash is what makes the space available right away.

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