How to fix insufficient storage error in android phone

Hi Friends, how many times it happens that when you try to install a new app from google play store and you saw error of "Insufficient Storage" in your android phone or tablet. Do you want to resolve this issue. Keep reading on.

Let me first of all show the the screen shot of error of google play insufficient storage.

If this error looks similar to you then you are at right place. I have resolved this issue many times without using any third party app.

Let us go step by step.

Step 1: Clear phone cache

First of all you need to clear the cache which will create app storage. This is the mostly used approach. To clear the cache:

a.) Go to Settings > Storage > 

b.) Tap on Cached data 

  

 

c.) Alert will pop up which says "Clear Cached Data"

 

d.) Tap on OK. It will clear the cache of your phone

It will free storage of your phone. If you have large data as cached then it will create a big space for you. See whether now you are able to install app. If not, keep reading on.

Step 2: Clear app cache

 
Does step 1 free storage space of your need, then good you can now install the application of your choice. If your answer is no then you can free up the space by clearing the cache used by individual app. For this follow the steps mentioned below.

a.) Go to Settings > Storage > Apps

 

b.) Sort apps by size

 

c.) Now tap the application name and see if there is cache consumed by it.

 

b.) Tap on clear cache.  This will clear the cache.

e.)  If you want to free up more space then tap on clear data, this will erase all temporary data stored in your phone by that app. Do this only when you really think that data of this app is not required for you. 

f.) When you tap on clear data this will pop up an alert which says “Delete app data”. Tap on OK this will clear the data of that particular app and create a free space for you.

 

Step 3: Move app from phone storage to external memory

 
Does this create enough space for you? No
Now we will move app from our phone location to memory card. This will work only if you have external memory card attached to your phone.

1.)   Go to Settings > Storage > Apps 

 
2.)  Tap on the application see if we can move the app to external storage.

   

    

       In my case it is internal storage, we need to move to external storage.

3.)   Tap on button move to external storage, this will move app to external storage/memory card and free up memory in phone.

Step 4: Remove app data from phone storage

Does this create enough space for you? NO, We need to free more space. So some application in our phone create file in phone storage which also consume phone memory and does not allows us to install the application. For example most of the time when we use WhatsApp it store media files in phone storage or if we have call recorder then it also save sound files in phone storage. You carefully need to move this files to external storage.

1.)   For this you need to use some file explorer software. 

2.)  With the help of this open the folder of application. 

 

3.)   I am taking whatsapp files for example. For this your need to open phone storage with file explorer, then browse whatapp folder. I can see that lots of media files are there in my phone memory. I have moved this files to external storage. 

 

These way we can free up the space in phone to install application when we are running out of space.

Another way which works for me sometimes is to install the application in another device which has sufficient storage, then transfer to my phone(using Xender or Flash transfer).

Few other third party applications are also available which automatically clear out the cache of phone but again when you are running the issue of insufficient storage you can not install them and need to follow above steps to free up the space.

Hope you like the solution. Please share your thoughts and queries. I will try to answer all.

Happy learning.