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.