Why does my phone run out of storage? Explained

Why does my phone run out of storage?

Why do i always see internal storage running out even though I have cleared my cache, deleted some files and uninstall some apps from my phone.

These are some of the questions that gets phone users confused, but I’m here to help you out.

Both on android and Iphone, this type of issue is very common and nothing new though it has a fix.

Looking at the question on why does my phone run out of storage, there are many things that causes such problem or issue. I will list them one after the other, and explain how to fix the problem.

Even if you’re having a problem on my phone keeps saying storage space is running out, this post will be of help to you.

Why does my phone run out of storage

Some of the major causes of phones running out of storage includes the followings;

  • Lot’s of cached files in the phone
  • Too many junk files in the phone
  • Too many files in the phone internal storage
  • Too many installed apps exceeding the phone internal storage
  • Lot’s of files in the trash folder

So these five are the major reason why you’re having internal storage running out on your phone.

I will take them one after the other.

So let’s proceed on how to fix why does my phone run out of storage.

1. Too many junk files

Asking on why does my phone keep running out of storage, junk files are one of the major reasons.

Junk files can reach up to 7GB in size, stored in your phone internal storage. If you don’t get rid of the junk files, they continue to pile and gets bigger in size. The bigger it gets, the chances you will start seeing internal storage running out on your phone.

This is usually the case if you don’t have enough internal storage in your phone.

Junk files are created by apps installed on your phone that write temporary files, during installation and when running on your device, to your internal storage which they need to do in order to work.

The more apps you have in your phone, the higher the junk files will be. As you use many apps, there will lots of junk files stored in your phone.

If you don’t clean up these junk files in your phone, they will occupy lots of space in your phone internal storage and you will start to see phone run out of storage.

THE SOLUTION

You can’t clean or remove junk files manually or it is quite difficult to do, and time consuming. You need a application to help you on cleaning or removing junk files from your phone.

For android phone, I recommend this two android phone cleaner apps;

For iPhone, I recommend this two ios cleaner apps;

Kindly download and install any of the apps, open it and tap clean junk files. It will run and display the size of junk files in your phone, and finally tap on clean to clean off the junk files.

When you’re done cleaning the junk files, go to your phone internal storage and you’ll see the effect of cleaning junk files. Your phone internal storage space will be freed, and you won’t encounter storage space running out.

This is the firsr reason and solution to the question on why does my phone run out of storage.

2. Lots of cached files in your phone

Having lots of cached files in a mobile phone can occupy space in the internal storage though it is not as much as the junk files.

There’s no problem in cleaning cache from a mobile phone or probably mobile app. Cleaning up cached files helps to free up space and prevent space running our on internal storage.

Cleaning off cached files is the number two solution to the question on why does my phone run out of storage.

THE SOLUTION

To clear cached files on your android phone, you’ll have to go your phone settings and app. On the app, select the apps you frequently use and clear cache from them.

For example using an android phone.

Go to the settings app and scroll down to app. Tap to open, and you will see all your installed apps.

Tap on storage and right there you’ll see clear cache just like the picture below.

why does my phone run out of storage

As you can see on the picture above, the cached file on my aliexpress app is 248mb which is quite big in size, when you multiply it with other cached files, it will reach 3GB in size.

To fix why does my phone run out of storage, tap on clear cache and it will clear the cached file on that very app.

After you’re done, move onto the next app you use frequently and also clear cache on the app. Continue doing this until you clear all the cached files in your phone.

3. Too many files in the phone internal storage

Why does my phone run out of storage?

Too many files in the phone internal storage. You have tons of downloaded files in your phone internal storage. This is why having an SD card or external drive for you mobile phone.

Even if your phone doesn’t support sd card, try and get an OTG USB drive and store large files in it.

THE SOLUTION

Get an SD card or OTG USB drive and move large files like videos, songs, large documents to the SD card or OTG USB drive. If you’re using android phone, move large game file from the internal storage to the SD card.

4. Too many installed apps exceeding the phone internal storage

Why does my phone run out of storage?

Too many installed apps exceeding the phone internal storage. While downloading and installing apps on your mobile phone, you should consider the number of space you have in your phone internal storage.

Game apps consume lots of spaces in your mobile phone, and this is why I do recommend to move them to the SD card if you’re using an android phone that supports SD card.

THE SOLUTION 

Uninstall apps you rarely use on your phone, and move large file like game data to the SD card. It’s so easy and you can move game data from the internal storage to the SD card for android users.

5. Lot’s of files in the trash folder

Why does my phone run out of storage?

Lot’s of files in the trash folder stored in your phone.

You cleared cached files, deleted junk files, and more especially deleted large files from your phone internal storage but still sees storage running out on your phone.

It may be caused by the trash folders in your mobile phone. There are some phone users that doesn’t know that their smartphone has a trash folder. You will see them say “I deleted files from my phone but storage is still the same”.

That’s because of the trash folder.

For example, Samsung phones has a trash folder and when you delete a file or files, it goes straight to the trash folder. It is left for you to delete the files permanently from your phone.

THE SOLUTION 

For example you’re using the Samsung Galaxy phone, tap to open my files and also tap on the three dot option menu located at the top right corner.

my phone keeps saying storage space is running out

Tap on the trash folder and you’ll see all the deleted files on your phone. Tap on empty to wipe out all the deleted files permanently from your phone. Afterwards you will see that your internal storage now has lots of space compared to when you haven’t cleared the trash folder.

These are answers to the question on why does my phone run out of storage. However, installing a software update can also cause a phone internal storage to be low.

In this case, you need to downgrade your phone to solve the problem.

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With all these said on this post, you won’t have the need to ask why does my phone run out of storage cause by now you have known what causes such issue and also how to fix it.

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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