How flash storage works

Flash stores data in tiny electronic cells on a chip (NAND flash) rather than on a spinning magnetic disk. With no moving parts, it reads and writes quickly, survives being dropped, and uses little power — which is why every modern phone and tablet uses it.

It is non-volatile, meaning it retains data without electricity. That is the key difference from RAM, which is also chip-based but loses everything the moment the device powers down.

Flash storage and wear

Each flash cell can be rewritten only a finite number of times, so devices spread writes evenly across the chip (wear-leveling) to make it last for years of normal use. For everyday phone and computer use, the storage almost always outlasts the device itself.