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Google Pixel⏱ 5 min

How to Free Up Storage Space on Google Pixel

Find and delete large files, old downloads, and temporary data.

Last verified: February 21, 2026

Android's storage cleanup is split across two interfaces — the manufacturer's care app (Samsung Device Care, Pixel's Storage page) for device-wide cleanup, and the Files by Google app for a more granular view of large files, duplicates, downloads, and offline content from specific apps. WhatsApp, Telegram, and similar messaging apps silently auto-download every photo, video, and document shared with you and are frequently the single largest non-obvious storage consumer — clearing media from inside each app's own settings avoids deleting messages alongside it. Moving content to a microSD card (on supported devices) or Google Photos and deleting local originals is the most permanent solution for camera roll and video backlog.

Quick Steps

Follow in order for the fastest result.

  1. 1Go to Settings > Battery and Device Care > Storage > Clean Now, or open the Files app and tap Clean.
  2. 2Delete downloaded videos, podcasts, and offline maps you no longer actively use.
  3. 3Move photos and videos to cloud storage (Google Photos, iCloud, OneDrive) and remove local copies once confirmed.

Still Not Working?

Try these if the steps above didn't help.

Verify the Fix

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is taking up so much storage on my Google Pixel?
Open Settings > Battery and Device Care > Storage. Camera videos, messaging app downloads (WhatsApp, Telegram), and downloaded content from streaming apps are the usual largest consumers.
Why is my Google Pixel saying storage is full when I have space?
Storage shown as available may exclude space reserved for the OS, system files, and pending updates. On iPhone, iOS reserves space for OTA updates. On Android and Windows, certain system operations require a free-space buffer. If available space is below 10%, the device treats itself as full for safety.
Will moving photos to the cloud free up storage on Google Pixel?
Yes, but only if you also delete the local copies after confirming the cloud backup is complete. Google Photos and iCloud have an option to Remove Downloaded Copies or Optimise Storage that does this automatically after verifying the cloud backup is safe.
How much free storage should I keep on Google Pixel?
Keep at least 10–15% of total storage free for optimal performance. Below 10%, most operating systems slow down significantly as they struggle to write temp files, install updates, and manage virtual memory. On a 64 GB device, aim to keep at least 6–8 GB free at all times.

Same task, different device

Windows 11Windows 10macOSiPhone (iOS)iPad (iPadOS)Samsung GalaxyChromebook

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