List of apps you should delete from your phone to prevent storage from filling up
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - If we check our phone today, chances are we will find many apps that are rarely or never used. Unfortunately, these apps are left to lurk and end up consuming storage. Not only do they take up memory, but they also often run in the background, thereby burdening the phone’s system.
To keep the device performing optimally, users should know which types of apps should be promptly deleted. By clearing certain apps, you will not only save storage space but can also improve the device’s performance and speed.
Here is a list of types of apps that should be deleted to prevent your phone’s memory from filling up quickly:
- Bloatware (Pre-installed Apps)
One of the most common complaints from Android users is the presence of pre-installed apps or bloatware. These apps are usually installed automatically since you first bought the phone.
Although some of them have specific functions, most of these pre-installed apps are actually never used by the owner. The problem is that some bloatware is locked by the system and cannot be deleted. However, if the uninstall option is available, you should promptly remove the useless pre-installed apps from your phone.
- Performance-Enhancing Apps
Many users deliberately install third-party apps with the lure of improving phone performance. Examples include battery saver apps or game booster apps.
In reality, these types of apps are not particularly useful and often end up as digital ornaments. Rather than saving energy, they actually consume RAM and memory. So delete these apps promptly if they are still installed on your phone.
- Apps with Similar Functions
Not a few users accumulate several apps with the same functions and features on a single phone. For instance, having more than two photo editors or browser apps.
Because they offer similar usefulness, it is better to choose only the most frequently used one to save storage space. Remove duplicate apps that are rarely touched.
Google Warns About ‘Eating’ Memory
In addition to apps, phone storage can also be depleted quickly due to the habit of storing old photo and video files. In fact, tech giant Google has specifically warned about this.
According to Google, there are at least five types of files on Android phones that consume memory the most. A full memory condition has been shown to drastically reduce system performance and also cause the phone battery to drain faster.
Google suggests users clean up these files so Android storage can be freed again. Citing The Sun, here are some mitigation steps that can be taken:
- Photo and Video Files: The abundance of automatically stored visual documentation quickly fills storage. Immediately curate and delete photos/videos that are not important, or back them up to the cloud before deleting them from the device.
How to delete photos on Android via Google Photos:
Open the Google Photos app.
Sign in to your Google account.
Tap and hold the photo or video you want to delete.
At the top of the screen, tap the Delete/Trash icon.
Media Files (Movies and Music): Users are advised to delete offline downloaded media, such as films or songs. You can go to the settings of the related app (such as Play Music or Google TV), go to the downloads management menu, then select the items to delete.
Use Auto Archive Feature: If there are apps rarely used but you do not want to delete entirely, you can enable the auto-archive feature. To do so, open the Play Store, go to Settings, select General, then enable the Auto-Archive feature.
Delete Downloaded Files (Downloads): Documents or PDFs that were downloaded via the browser or messaging apps are often forgotten. Check your ‘Downloads’ folder and delete old files that are no longer used to free memory.