How to Clean Other Files on Android

Mytips.id - Here is a way to clean up File Others on Android. You just need to follow a few easy steps to clean them up. 

Many Android users often complain about their phone's storage getting easily filled up. Even after deleting some files, the system keeps showing full storage warnings. 

If this is also happening to you, then maybe files that are consuming a lot of memory are neatly stored in File Others. Yes, Android phones have a folder known as File Others.

In Android devices, File Others refers to the storage space that is not specifically categorized into identifiable files such as photos, videos, apps, or games.

This includes various types of files that are not easily recognizable by the system and are included in the miscellaneous or uncategorized group. 

Some files that might fall under File Others include:

1. Personal App Data: Some Android apps and games create data that does not fit into standard categories, like additional download files, cloud syncing data, and temporary files from streaming services.

2. Failed Backups: Cloud backup services may encounter issues during backup, resulting in incomplete or failed backups, which end up in the "Others" section.

3. Failed OTA Updates: Over-the-air updates sometimes fail due to poor network conditions or other reasons, leaving temporary installation files in the "Others" storage.

4. Hidden Cache Files & Temporary Data: Apps and games download temporary data files like images, videos, and text, which may not always be properly cleaned, leading to accumulation in the "Others" category.

5. Miscellaneous System Files: Some system files and data that do not fit into standard categories can also contribute to the "Others" storage.

In essence, File Others often comprise a combination of various files that do not have clear differences, making it difficult to identify and manage them one by one. 

As a result, this category can expand over time and consume valuable storage space on your device. Cleaning up File Others on an Android phone can help free up space and improve the overall performance of your Android device.

How to Clean Up File Others on Android

Method 1: Use Cleanup Feature on Your Android

Most Android devices now offer a Cleanup feature in the Settings app. This allows you to easily clear out your phone's internal storage. 

To use the Cleanup feature on your smartphone, follow the steps below. 

Please note that the appearance and location of the Cleanup feature may vary slightly depending on your device manufacturer and Android version.

• Open Settings on your Android phone. 
• Within the Settings app, scroll down until you find the Storage option. 
• For Samsung devices, the phone storage may be labeled as Device Care. 
• If you're having trouble finding it, simply use the search bar at the top and type Storage. 
• Select Storage, and you will be presented with details of various categories such as Photos, Videos, Other Media Files, Apps, Games, and more. 
• You can choose any of these categories to view more information about their contents.

Method 2: Clean up by choosing the apps taking up the most storage space

Your Android device's storage may be full because of app data, such as hidden cache data, temporary files, and additional downloads. Fortunately, Android devices have another built-in function to help you manage these large files. Here's how:

• Open the Settings app on your phone. 
• Navigate to the Storage Options section if applicable, or open Storage > Apps.
• If your device allows it, sort apps by size. If not, manually check each app to find apps with large data sizes.
•  Open the app you want to manage (which occupies a lot of storage space) and select the Clear Cache option.

Method 3: Clean up Android /obb & /data Directories

When you uninstall an app from your device, sometimes its files are not completely removed from the system. 

This can happen due to specific issues with updates that are not compatible with the app or can be caused by third-party launchers that are not fully optimized for your specific device.

As a result, some app files may still exist on your device's storage even after you delete the app. 

If you have tried the previous methods to delete Others storage and were not successful, you can try this method to manually clean up residual app files from deleted apps on your local storage. Here's how:

• Open your preferred File Manager app. Go to the Settings section within the File Manager and enable the option to Show System Files & Folders or Show hidden files. 
• Navigate to the /Android/obb directory in your file manager.
• In this directory, most files will have names like com.ABC.XYZ, with ABC representing the developer's name, and XYZ representing the app's name. 
• Look through this section to find the name of the app you previously deleted. If you find it, go ahead and delete it. After you're done with the /Android/obb directory, navigate to the /Android/data directory.

Method 4: Factory Reset Your Android Smartphone

If all else fails, consider resetting your device to its factory settings. This can help improve your phone's speed and give you a fresh start by resolving storage issues.

Before proceeding with the reset, make sure to properly back up your device. You can back up your data to Google Drive, and Samsung devices have a feature called Smart Switch for backups. 

Here's how to perform a factory reset on your Android:

• Open the Settings app on your device. 
• Use the search bar at the top to find the Factory Reset or Reset Phone option. 
• Select this option to confirm. Follow the on-screen instructions to perform a factory reset, which may vary depending on your phone's user interface.
• After the reset, restore your data selectively back to the device and monitor your device's storage. That's how you can easily clean up File Others on Android. 
• Now, the storage space on your phone is definitely more spacious. Good luck!