A new Google Play Store feature could save storage on your Android phone

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If you like to download and try out more apps and games on your Android phone than you actually end up using, you might find the handset quickly filling up with icons you never click – but it looks like Google is rolling out a solution.

As spotted by Androidworld.nl, some Android users have begun receiving notifications from the Google Play Store, informing users that they can clean up storage space by deleting unused apps.

Clicking on the notification brings users to the Play Store, and you can see a list of your apps. The list tells you how big the apps are, and when you last used them, so you can axe all the rubbish games, or apps that you thought would be useful but then never opened.

This function could be useful for people who aren't hugely tech-savvy, and don't understand the various pre-existing options to remove useless apps, like Files by Google, or phone-cleaning apps you can download to help clean some storage.

However, if you're particularly picky about the apps you download, there's a good chance you already visit the storage menu frequently to prune your app selection – or you own a phone with enough storage to handle dead weight.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.