Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI include a dedicated Device care panel that scans for junk, cache, and large files in one place. To clean up storage, open Settings > Battery and device care > Storage, run Optimize now, then clear app caches and offload media.

Short answer:

  • Open Settings > Battery and device care > Storage to see the breakdown.
  • Tap Clean now / Optimize now to clear junk, memory, and temporary files.
  • Clear cache per app at Settings > Apps > [app] > Storage > Clear cache (safe).
  • Empty the Recycle bin in Gallery and My Files, and review Samsung's duplicate-file finder.

Use One UI Device Care First

One UI bundles Samsung's cleanup tools under Settings > Battery and device care. Tap Storage to see how much space is used and a category split across Images, Videos, Audio, Documents, Apps, and System.

Back on the main Device care screen, tap Optimize now. One UI closes background apps, clears temporary memory, and removes junk files in one pass. It is the fastest first step and is completely safe.

Open the Storage section again and scroll down to Samsung's built-in suggestions. One UI highlights duplicate files, large files, and unused apps you can review and remove without a third-party tool.

Clear App Cache on Galaxy Phones

On One UI, cache lives inside each app's storage page. Clearing it frees space without signing you out or deleting your content.

  1. Go to Settings > Apps.
  2. Tap the app you want to clean (Chrome, Samsung Internet, Instagram, and Maps are common).
  3. Tap Storage.
  4. Tap Clear cache.

One UI separates two buttons here. Clear cache removes only temporary files and is safe to use anytime. Clear data wipes the app to a fresh-install state, deleting logins, drafts, downloaded content, and settings, so reserve it for an app that is genuinely broken. The clear cache vs clear data guide explains exactly what each removes, and how to clear app cache on Android safely walks through the routine.

Clean Up the Gallery and Empty the Recycle Bin

Photos and videos are usually the largest visible category on a Galaxy phone. Samsung's Gallery includes tools to trim them quickly.

  • Open Gallery, tap the menu (three lines), and choose Recycle bin. Items you deleted recently sit here for up to 30 days and still occupy storage, so tap Empty.
  • In Gallery settings, use Suggestions or the duplicate cleanup prompt to remove near-identical burst shots.
  • Sort albums by size and delete the longest videos you no longer need.

For a faster, review-first pass through media, Cleanor scans your gallery on-device, groups large videos and duplicate screenshots, and previews every deletion so you confirm before anything is removed.

Clear Junk With My Files

Samsung's My Files app is the One UI file manager and it has its own cleanup analyzer.

  1. Open My Files.
  2. Tap Analyze storage at the top.
  3. Review the categories: Large files, Unused files, Duplicate files, and Files in Trash.
  4. Select items to delete, then confirm.

Also check the Downloads folder in My Files for old installers, PDFs, and attachments, and empty the My Files Trash to finalize the space recovery.

Manage Apps, Updates, and Samsung Bloat

Galaxy phones ship with Samsung and partner apps you may never use, plus apps that grow over time.

  • In Settings > Apps, sort by size and Uninstall anything you have stopped using.
  • For preinstalled apps that cannot be removed, tap Disable to stop updates and background data.
  • For apps you rarely open, use the Play Store > profile > Archive option to shrink their footprint while keeping the icon.

Check the SD Card, Secure Folder, and Dual Messenger

Some One UI features quietly hold storage in places the main breakdown does not always highlight.

  • If your Galaxy has a microSD card, open My Files > SD card and move large photos and videos there, or set the Camera to save new media to the card under Camera > Settings > Storage location.
  • The Secure Folder keeps its own separate copy of apps and files. Open it and clean inside, because its contents count toward total storage but are hidden from the normal Gallery and Files views.
  • If you use Dual Messenger to run a second copy of WhatsApp or Messenger, that clone caches its own media. Clear its cache the same way under Settings > Apps, where it appears with a small badge on the icon.

These spots are easy to overlook, and on a heavily used Galaxy they can together hold a few gigabytes.

Keep One UI Storage Under Control

A short routine keeps Device care from flashing the storage warning again.

  • Run Optimize now in Device care weekly.
  • Clear cache on your top apps and empty the Gallery Recycle bin monthly.
  • Keep cloud backup (Google Photos or Samsung Cloud) on so you can safely offload local media.

For more tactics, the clean up phone storage and free up Android space hubs cover the highest-impact moves, and the storage cleanup FAQ answers common follow-up questions. Between One UI's Device care tools and a brief manual sweep, most Galaxy users can recover several gigabytes quickly.

FAQ

Where is the storage cleanup tool on a Samsung Galaxy phone?

Samsung bundles its cleanup tools under Settings > Battery and device care. Tap Storage to see the category breakdown, then on the main Device care screen tap Optimize now to close background apps, clear temporary memory, and remove junk files in one safe pass.

How do I empty the Recycle bin in the Samsung Gallery?

Open Gallery, tap the menu (three lines), choose Recycle bin, and tap Empty. Items you deleted recently sit there for up to 30 days and still occupy storage.

What hidden places hold storage on a Samsung One UI phone?

The Secure Folder keeps its own separate copy of apps and files that count toward total storage but stay hidden from the normal Gallery and Files views, so clean inside it directly. Dual Messenger clones (a second WhatsApp or Messenger) cache their own media and appear with a small badge in Settings > Apps, where you can clear their cache.