Five ways to increase your smartphone’s storage

We’re creating data at a truly exponential rate – something that is in no small part down to the growth of smartphones. As these devices are physically small, however, the amount of data that a user can store on them is often limited. With the technological and economic breakthroughs needed to change this still some way away, the need to either free up or create some extra storage space on mobile devices is something that many users struggle with on a daily basis. Here are Fields Data Recovery’s top five tips for increasing your smartphone’s storage:

1.       Delete what you don’t use

Are you, honestly, ever going to play Candy Crush again? You can’t still be listening to ‘Gangnam Style’? Deleting the things that you no longer use can fill some people with anxiety (online communities have dubbed these people datahoarders) and is certainly low-tech, but it’s still a highly effective way of freeing up storage space.

So, be ruthless and delete anything you rarely use. You can check your phone’s battery usage stats to get a better idea of what you are and aren’t using.

2.       Data Transfer

Photographs and videos can eat up a surprisingly large amount of storage space so, if you’ve got a desktop or laptop device, simply transfer them over then delete them from your phone.

Just remember, if any of these files are precious, it’s worth backing them up to another device, too. With flash drives capable of storing the same amount of data as most smartphones available for less than £10, it’s a no-brainer. Oh, and speaking of flash drives…

3.       iFlash/Micro Android Drives

Yes, there are now flash drives that can connect directly with smartphones using Apple and Android’s operating systems. They boast large storage capacities (most ranges start at 16GB) and are even relatively cheap.

So, you could buy one exclusively for your music collection and then simply plug it in to your phone during your commute, for example. Alternatively, keep a few mobile games on there. Whatever you use it for, one of these inexpensive drives could free up a lot of storage whilst allowing you to keep data you would otherwise have deleted on your person at all times.

4.       SD Cards

Whilst these are sadly not an option for iPhone users and many Android devices no longer support them, SD cards are a great way to add a large amount of storage to a phone without breaking the bank. Be careful,though, they're fragile and you might find yourself needing SD card data recovery services.

5.       The Cloud

Like transferring your data to another device, when you backup your vital data to the cloud, you can then delete it from your phone safe in the knowledge that it’s been stored elsewhere. Unlike other backups, though, you’ll still be able to access this data via your phone provided you’ve got signal.

Don’t forget to backup to a separate device, though: the cloud isn’t immune to data loss.