Samsung Galaxy • Slow or full • 10–30 minutes

Phone storage is full — Samsung Galaxy

Safety firstDo not erase the Galaxy until you have checked its backup and know the Google and Samsung Account passwords.

Start by finding what is actually filling the Galaxy. Then work on the largest category using items you can safely download again.

Check for a software update
Open Settings > Software update > Download and install. Follow the on-screen steps if one is available.
Find the largest storage category
Open Settings > Device care > Storage. Look at Images, Videos, Audio files, Documents, and Installation files, and notice which category uses the most space. This tells you what is making the phone full. If Images or Videos is largest, use the separate “Free up space from photos” guide before continuing here.
Clear a recycle bin only if it contains nothing you need
If the Storage page shows that a recycle bin is using a lot of space, tap Recycle bin. Open Gallery or My Files and review every item. Tap Empty only when you are sure none of those files is needed.
Remove an unused app
If Apps was one of the largest categories, open Settings > Apps. Tap a large app you recognize but rarely use, then tap Uninstall > OK.
Remove duplicate or large files
Open My Files > Analyze storage. Compare Duplicate files and Large files with the category you found in step 1. Select only files you recognize and no longer need, then tap Delete.
Restart and confirm that space increased
Hold the Side button and Volume Down > Restart. Then return to Settings > Device care > Storage and compare the available space with what you saw in step 1.