Am I missing something about my smartphone's storage?....

[electric_blue68]

Ok... I have storage "problems". 😄

Right now Google is telling me I have like 3/4 of a gig left. 99% full.
Yeah. I've got thousands of screengrabs which I'm continuing to delete!

Disabled some apps, archived a few, as well. Keep emptying my temporary cache. Get ridding of G Mail stuff bc I forget to!

But I didn't add any new apps
So how did I get to 99% when about 3 - 4 weeks ago I was at 92%?! Wth?!

Suggestions please.
I need my YT, 1 art making app, Duck Duck Go (DU), 2 free streaming services (one archived) , Paramount (which I will get rid of once I finish ST Academy), Tune In radio.
I only have 2 games left (gotten rid all others for more memory through 5 months) now? Both archived. And just got rid of one other game tonight.
I suppose I could get rid of Pinterest but I love looking at art, crafts. My specialties, and loves.
Bah. I don't want to pay Google monthly for more storage.

Oh, wait I just remembered something- Duh - will an SD card help?
Never got one for this phone. My previous smartphone - my SD card got screwed up (didn't do anything wrong) and I lost alot of stuff!
Maybe - unconsciously I'm using all these screengrabs VS SD card storage bc of my bad experience! 🤔
TIA!

[LogDog75]

1. So you have dual slots for an SD card?

My old phone had dual slots for a SIM card and an SD card. My current phone only has one slot and that's for a SIM card. With the old phone I had to remember which card I wanted to store stuff on.

[electric_blue68]

2. Nah, just one for an SD card

And having just looked at it looks like I need to use the end of a paperclip to open it
The slot is flush with the side and a small hole to get it out?. Weird!

[msongs]

3. maybe mass dump the screen grabs. how often do u look at any of them?

[electric_blue68]

5. I look at them a fair amount but yeah I could get rid of a buch more..

I forget I have an old computer but no mouse, or kb. And it may not work any more.
It's a good Apple one, but ? over 12+ yrs old.

[usonian]

4. I used to have terrible iPhone memory filling up problems.

Phones will use storage for who knows what.

You could try asking the same question in duckduckgo search. You obviously aren't the first to run into any given problem and neither am I.

There may also be an app that indicates and possibly cleans out duplicates and mystery operating system use.

My own approach, since I haven't had problems lately, is to regularly transfer all photos to the computer, and I can clean out the phone.

If you have a "memory usage" function, take a look. Messages often contain videos that people send, and messages and emails can take up gigabytes of space. You can delete unneeded emails and videos in messages. Deleting an email will delete any video contained in it.

Do make sure you back up before deleting things. "just in case"

I understand that newer android phones don't have sd cards. From what I read, the phone makers would much prefer that you buy internal $$$$ memory from them or u$e cloud $torage. The greedy bastards copied Apple.

Though, in recent Apple models, you can actually plug in a flash device via adapter that lets you copy photos (and other stuff? I haven't tried this in a long time) via the "files" app.

You can do it, too.
https://www.howtogeek.com/129800/how-to-use-usb-drives-with-android-phone-or-tablet/
https://easytechsolver.com/can-i-use-a-usb-c-flash-drive-on-my-phone/
https://www.androidpolice.com/use-phones-usb-c-port-for-extra-storage/

within software and hardware limits. Do check before trying.

HTH

[electric_blue68]

6. Thanks, usonian!

I guess I'm going to have to get rid of more screengrabs.

And I'm getting rid of emails. I just forget to do it so they really add up.
And there are a very small amount I keep so I just can't mass delete.
I get a "Duplicate" alert where I can delete and I usually do.

I forget I have an old computer but no mouse, or kb. And it may not work any more.
I will look at at your links, too.
Thanks, again!

[electric_blue68]

7. Heh! i have to read (links) in the early evening instead of now after midnight 😄

But at least getting a start on it. Ty

[usonian]

8. There's a lot there. I've been at this a very long time. Just try one thing at a time.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the things that are going on and can trip you up.

There's lots of good advice here on DU.

[electric_blue68]

9. Ha! I solved my storage problem!...

I don't know whether I was reading something that you linked to me, unison; or some comment else where....
But a friend texts me a lot of vids, along w comments etc.
I keep a lot of my phone texts.
It dawned on me and I deleted all of her texts (which included the vids).
I went from 97% used storage down to 76%! Yay.
Oh, I'll work on getting rid of some more screebgrabs, and delete new vids... but wow. 😄👍