Is clearing the cache safe?

Yes. The cache is temporary files that the app rebuilds when it needs them. You are not signed out and no content disappears. Do not confuse it with Clear data, which resets the app completely and signs you out.

What does Free up space in Google Photos do?

It removes the copies on the phone of photos that are already backed up to Google Photos. The originals stay in the cloud and you still see them in the app as long as you have internet. Check that backup says it has finished first.

How long do deleted photos stay in the bin?

In Google Photos they stay for 60 days, in the Samsung Gallery for 30 days. They take up space that whole time. Once you empty the bin the photos cannot be recovered, so look through it before you empty it.

Can I move apps to a memory card?

On most modern Android phones only some apps can be moved, and many phones no longer have a memory card slot at all. Photos, videos and downloaded files can always be moved there, and they are what uses the most space anyway.

Android storage full? How to make room on your phone

When an Android phone says storage is full, the camera stops working, apps stop updating and the phone starts to feel sluggish. It usually takes ten minutes to sort out. The two steps that free the most space are emptying the bin in your gallery and using Free up space in Google Photos once your pictures are backed up.

The menus are named slightly differently on Samsung, Google Pixel, Xiaomi and other makes, but the steps are the same. Start by seeing what is using the space. On Samsung: Settings > Battery and device care > Storage. On Pixel and most others: Settings > Storage.

Try this first

Check that your photos are backed up. Open Google Photos, tap your profile picture at the top right and read the line under your name. It should say backup is complete. If something is still waiting, leave the phone on Wi-Fi until it finishes.
Empty the bin. In Google Photos: Library > Bin > Empty. In the Samsung Gallery: menu > Bin. Photos you already deleted keep using space until the bin is emptied, and after that they cannot be recovered.
Choose Free up space in Google Photos. Tap your profile picture > Free up space. The phone then removes its own copies of photos that are already in the cloud.
Clear out downloaded files. Open My Files on Samsung or Files on Pixel, go to Downloads and remove old tickets, receipts and installation files.
Look at the number under Storage again. Once you have freed a gigabyte or so, the camera usually works straight away.

If that did not help

Delete downloaded music, films and podcasts in Spotify, Netflix, SVT Play and similar apps. There are often several gigabytes left there from a holiday.
Clear the cache for your biggest apps. Settings > Apps > pick the app > Storage > Clear cache. This removes nothing you have saved. Leave the Clear data button alone, since it resets the app and signs you out.
Uninstall apps you do not use. Hold your finger on the icon and choose Uninstall. The contents of the app go with it, so save anything you want to keep first. Apps you paid for can be reinstalled without paying again.
Go through your videos. Open Google Photos and search for Videos. A few minutes of video uses as much space as several hundred still photos.
Put in a memory card if your phone has a slot, and move photos and files there using My Files.
Use Device care on Samsung: Settings > Battery and device care > Optimise now. It clears temporary files safely.

Never install an app that promises to clean up your phone. Most of them do nothing useful and show adverts instead. Everything you need is already built in. If you are unsure whether your photos are really safe in Google Photos, open photos.google.com in a browser on a computer and look before you delete anything. If you would rather have someone look through it with you, write to us first.