If you are looking To free up some space On your phone, one of the often-given recommendations is to uninstall apps you're not using much. You save on the space they take up and the bandwidth required to keep them updated, and you also prevent them from collecting data about you.
However, if you're not willing to completely delete your less-used apps – in case you might need them – there is another option. Both Android And iOS Enables you to remove a large portion of the data and files associated with an app, without uninstalling it. App icons and some data remain on your phone. If and when you need it again, the remaining required data is retrieved from the web, and the app is completely restored.
Android calls this Archiving Apps, and on iPhone it's called Offloading Apps. Once you've enabled this feature, you can manage everything automatically for you – meaning your less-used apps aren't taking up large amounts of space on your device, but They are still within easy reach if needed.
Storing Apps on Android
You can manually archive any app on Android.david neeld
Starting with Google's mobile operating systems, archiving an app “removes its software, permissions, temporary files, and turns off notifications, but the app icon and data remain intact”. google wordsYou can manually choose which apps to archive, or let Android decide which apps you use the least.
To manually archive an app, open Settings and select AppsThen select (tap) the app you want to archive. View all apps If you don't see the one you want). Tap archive To archive it: The app icon in the app drawer – and on the Home screen, if it's there – will have an archive icon next to it (an arrow inside a cloud symbol). To return an archived app to its normal state, simply tap its icon. After a quick reinstall, the app will launch normally.
To have this all managed automatically for you, open the Play Store app: Tap your profile picture (top right), then select settings And Generaland enable Archive apps automaticallyGoogle doesn't specify the criteria it uses to decide when an app should be archived, but you'll see the same archive symbol next to the name of any archived app as it appears when you manually archive it. Let's start the process formally.
If you've turned on automatic app storage, you can still archive apps manually if needed. You can also prevent certain apps from being automatically archived: From the main Android Settings screen, select Apps And then select the app you want to protect. (Tap View all apps If you can't see it.) Close Manage app if unused Toggle the switch, and it will be left alone.
Offloading Apps on iOS
iOS will automatically offload apps for you.david neeld
If you're using an iPhone, iOS gives you the opportunity to offload apps. Like Android, large chunks of app data are deleted to free up space, while also keeping important information on your phone. For example, if you decide to reinstall the app, you won't have to go through the process of signing in and setting your preferences again.
To find the option, open Settings on iOS, then select app StoreYou will see a toggle switch labeled Offload unused appsAlong with a little information about what it does. Offloaded apps still appear on the Home screen and in your App Library, but they have a cloud icon.
Apple doesn't say much about the criteria it uses to choose which apps to offload – like how long an app has to be left idle before the action is taken, for example – But you can quickly restore an app by simply tapping on its icon. The necessary data will be downloaded again, and the app will then launch normally.
You can always offload an app manually if you need to. From Settings, select GeneralThen iPhone StorageYou'll see a list of all installed apps (you can sort them by size using the filters at the top if necessary): Tap an app to find it. offload the app Option. then that button changes reinstall the appWhich will restore the app again.