You probably have more than enough space on your phone to hold what you want. The bad news: your phone is probably full of junk that you never think to remove.
Take your photo gallery. How many duplicates, screenshots and memes are hiding things? It’s not that bad if you have the right tools to clean it up. Tap or click here for my best choice to easily organize your photos.
Then it’s time to dump her and move on. Do not make the mistake of deleting programs without first deleting the associated account. Tap or click for easy steps to identify and remove programs you no longer use.
If you are ready to start deleting, you need to tackle these programs first.
1. QR code scanners
If you have never heard of these codes before the pandemic, you probably recognize them now. Many restaurants have made traditional menus disappear in favor of QR or Quick Response codes to limit unnecessary touch. These are small squares with black twists that meander into a vague maze shape.
Instead of typing in a URL, you can take a picture of a QR code and your phone takes you to the website.
If you have an iPhone with iOS 11 or later, this feature is built into your phone. No separate app is required. The same goes for an Android using Android 8 or later.
RELATED: Are you trying to get your business at the top of the Google search results? This is all in SEO. Read the SEO secrets you can now implement in this podcast.
2. Scanner programs
If you need to scan a document, you do not need to download a special app for the purpose.
On an iPhone:
- Make the Notes app. Create a new note by clicking on the icon that looks like a square with a pen at the bottom right of the screen.
- Tap on the camera icon at the bottom of your new note and select Scan documents.
- Hold your phone over the document you want to scan. Tap the photo shutter button at the bottom of the screen.
- You can edit the image by dragging the page angles.
- Tap when done Save at the bottom right of your screen. Your file is saved as a PDF.
You can do the work with your camera or the Google Drive app on an Android phone. To do this with Google Drive:
- Make the Google Drive app. Type add in the lower right corner.
- Type Scan, and take a photo of the document you want to scan. Hit finished.
3. Facebook
How long have you had Facebook installed? If it’s been a few years, this app can consume a large amount of space on your phone. Even if you browse the timeline, your temporary and cached files are added to your device, which consumes valuable space.
There’s an easy solution: Remove Facebook from your phone and download it again from the App Store or Google Play Store. Ultimately, however, this is a temporary solution. The only way to prevent this app from taking up long-term space is to permanently remove it.
Tired of Facebook? Tap or click here to save your Facebook photos and videos from the site.
4. Flash apps
These apps were very popular when smartphones first came out. Currently this feature is built in correctly.
You can still get a bunch of it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. I’ll let you in on a secret: they want your data.
Many of these programs require permission to track your location, and they may even hide malware. Tap or click here to see what these whimsical apps are capable of.
Cut off your flashlight app and rely on the natural capabilities of your phone.
5. Press the bloatware bubble
Our phones are preloaded with apps we never use. This ‘bloatware’ eats up your space and the device manufacturer locks some to make sure you can not remove it.
Most, however, can be removed. Stop swiping over the compass app or a music player you will never use and remove it. See here the complete list of pre-installed apps that you can uninstall from your iPhone.
If you have an Android, you have more options for cutting fat. There are even programs that can help you. (You should also remove it when you are done.) Tap or click to clear your Android phone.
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What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call Kim’s national radio program and tap or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to or watch The Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet, television or computer. Or tap or click here for Kim’s free podcasts.