The storage capacity of our phones is limited. And if you take a lot of photos and videos, sooner or later you will end up having to delete things or compress files. Even if, Is it possible to install apps if you run out of space on your phone? We tell you how to do it.
All thanks to a new Google feature that will allow youto install apps even if you don't have space on your phone. And, if that's not enough, we'll leave you with some other perfect tricks to install applications, even if you don't have free space.
You can reduce the size of apps you already have installed
Google has recently launched a feature called Auto-Archive, designed specifically for those times when you run out of space on your phone and still need to install new apps. They explain in the press release, with this new feature You can reduce the size of applications you already have installed without having to delete them completely.
So that you understand its mechanism, say that Auto-Archive works by archiving a portion of the apps you use the least, thus freeing up significant space on your device. What about apps? Don't worry, they'll still be handy.
As Google explains, Archived apps remain visible on your Home screen, but they take up much less space, and best of all, the data and settings for those apps are kept intact. If you ever need to use an archived app again, just click on its icon and the system will quickly reinstall it from the Play Store.
How to activate Auto-Archive on your Android mobile
- Make sure you have the latest version of the Play Store installed on your mobile.
- When you run out of space and want to install a new app, you'll see an on-screen prompt offering you the option to auto-archive other apps you don't use often.
- Accept this option.
- If you want to use an archived app again, simply tap its icon on your home screen and Google Play will automatically download it again.
This feature is perfect if you want to install apps and you don't have space. Very useful if you want to keep your apps without having to make drastic decisions like uninstalling. In addition, Google claims that this can reduce uninstalls by 60%, which is a huge advantage for both users and app developers.
Of course, it has limitations. Finally, you should keep in mind that this function will only be available for those applications that use App Bundles (AAB). These new packages are the evolution of the classic APKs and have the advantage of being able to reduce the size of the downloads, as well as being more modular.
This means that the APK file that is installed on your device is smaller, and the rest of the necessary data (the AAB package) is downloaded externally when needed. However, because not all apps are optimized to use App Bundles, Google's system for the Auto-Archive feature is more limited.
Apps that still use the traditional APK format cannot benefit from this feature, so we are going to give you some other alternatives.
Other ways to install apps if you run out of space on your phone
In addition to the Auto-Archive feature, there are several alternatives to Install new apps without having to delete important contentLet's look at the best options.
Store media files in the cloud
Photos, videos and music are usually the main reasons for mobile storage consumption. If you're short on space, moving your media files to the cloud is a great alternative.. And for this you have a good number of cloud storage websites, with services like Google Photos, Google Drive or Dropbox
Move apps to SD card
A classic solution that is still effective is to move apps to an external SD card if your device allows it. Not all apps can be moved, but many can, especially those that take up a lot of space like games or heavy tools.
- Go to Settings and then Applications.
- Select the app you want to move.
- If the app allows moving, you will see the Move to SD card option.
- Select this option and wait for the process to finish.
Use “Lite” versions or web apps
Another way to free up space by installing the light versions of the applications, known as “Lite” versions. These versions are designed to take up less space and consume fewer resources. Popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all have their Lite versions available on the Play Store. For example, you have Google Maps GO.
Clear cache and temporary data
The cache is an important part of the storage on your mobile. Over time, apps accumulate temporary data that can take up a considerable amount of space. Clearing the cache can free up this space without you having to delete the app itself.
- Go to Settings and then Applications.
- Select the app you want to free up space for.
- Tap the Storage option and select Clear cache.
Uninstall pre-installed app updates
Some apps come pre-installed on your phone and take up a considerable amount of space, especially after being updated several times. Although you can't remove them completely, you can uninstall their updates and revert them back to the original version, which is usually lighter.
- Go to Settings and select Applications.
- Find the pre-installed apps that are taking up the most space.
- Tap Uninstall Updates to revert to the original version of the app.
Delete downloaded and duplicate files
Downloaded files often accumulate without us realizing it. From PDFs to work documents to memes, these can all take up a considerable amount of space. Plus, it's common to have duplicate files, such as repeated photos or videos.
And for it we will use Google Files, a perfect app to free up space on your device by deleting duplicate photos. Follow these steps
- Download and install Files by Google.
- Use the automatic cleanup feature that will suggest which files to delete, such as duplicates or unnecessary items.
- Review large files or files that you haven't opened in a long time to decide if you can delete them.
As you have seen, It is possible to install applications if you run out of space on your mobile, So follow these tips to get more out of your device.
