I have moved everything I can to an SD card and more.

[Android Central Question]

I have moved everything I can to an SD card. I have deleted almost every app except my calendar and text message apps. I mean EVERYTHING! I have turned off every google app I can and disabled every app that can't be removed. I have only one email app still working but clean it all the time. My SD card has 14 gigs free. My phone storage has 45 megs left out of 16 gigs! What uses 16 gigs? This is a Galaxy S5. I've removed, (3 times) all that I can. I'm running on a skeleton phone! EVERY APP that I can, I've deleted. What is the problem here? I saw someone say 'clean master' but I tried. I have no room to download it. I have nothing left to remove! Anybody run into this? Doesn't seem that many apps can be moved to the SD card but now, I only have apps that the phone came with and most are disabled.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! The S5 is a 7 year old phone, and 16 GB of internal storage is way too little storage for usage of modern apps these days. On top of that, Samsung was notorious in those days about loading the phones with uninstallable bloatware, such that some variants from certain carriers had fully half of that 16 GB taken up by the OS and bloatware, leaving only about 8 GB of available space for the user.

You can get a better idea of what's using your space with DiskUsage.

Various messaging or social media apps like Telegram, kik, WhatsApp, and others can build up an enormous cache, so if you have any of those apps, see how much cache or app data they're using in Settings>Apps.

But more importantly, using a 7 year old phone as your daily driver is risky, since there are many unpatched security flaws. I would strongly recommend upgrading to a more current device.

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[Mooncatt]

Various messaging or social media apps like Telegram, kik, WhatsApp, and others can build up an enormous cache, so if you have any of those apps, see how much cache or app data they're using in Settings>Apps.

Even text messages can add up over time. They take up almost no space individually, but I almost ran out of space once because I didn't turn the auto-delete option. Now I keep it set around 350 messages, but the app also maintains cloud backups.

But more importantly, using a 7 year old phone as your daily driver is risky, since there are many unpatched security flaws. I would strongly recommend upgrading to a more current device.

Agreed, and I would additionally make sure you account for increased storage needs these days. 128 GB plus an SD card (for media) would be the bare minimum for me, or 256+ GB without an SD card (more if you are a heavy user). If you cheap out on a replacement phone, you'll soon be in the same position you are now.

 

[Slice_m]

Thank you both! Seriously...that helps. I've already moved what I could, Telegram, Gallery etc to the SD card, but I see that you guys are right...it's just time for another phone. It was the money that stopped me but now, I'll just have to get a new phone. I did sign up to the forum.

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks for registering! Fortunately, midrange and even some budget phones can be found with a good amount of storage and decent specs. I would strongly recommend the Pixel "a" line (e.g., the 4a, 4a 5G, or the older 3a).