Galaxy S5 Storage - Miscellaneous files - what is it??

What is in "Miscellaneous files" that it is taking up 1/3" of my device's memory? I can't update any of my apps because it says insufficient storage space. I recently got the Lollipop update (that's a whole other issue!), which I couldn't download until I had 1.8 GBs of free space (or something like that), so I cleared a ton of pics/videos and apps to get the amount of storage the update was requiring. Even then, I noticed the Miscellaneous files seemed excessive, but didn't pay too much mind to it. Since the update, I've installed an SD card (so any and all new pics/videos are stored on my SD card), and haven't installed any new apps. But now when I try to update my existing apps, it says insufficient storage! When I select Misc files in the Storage Menu, it brings up a few things, but nothing adding up to 5.5 GB or even close to that! When I clear all of the items that do come up in Misc files, it only brings the # down My Available space is only 492MB. Anyone else have this issue??

-Desperately Seeking Storage

Accepted answers

caecilia97

Miscellaneous files include things like saved app data. To clean out some storage, which will help your phone work faster and more efficiently (not to mention let you save things again!), go to settings --> applications --> application manager. Swipe to the right-most screen (all) and hit the menu button in the top left hand corner under the clock. This will allow you to sort your apps by size. You can go through the apps which are keeping hold of your internal storage, and tap on them. Go on, click on facebook. :-) Tap on the option to clear data (you'll just have to log in again). You can repeat this process for as many apps as you need, but generally there are only a few that decide that they'd like to reside in ALL of your storage. You can also try to get your pictures and videos backed up to something like your computer, or Dropbox, or Verizon Cloud or OneDrive so that you can delete them from your storage.

Regarding the issues with Lollipop, a lot of the times, a system cache can become corrupted when we're overwriting both the brains of the device AND the system of the device, like what happened with Lollipop. To fix this, and probably a bunch of things that have happened since the update, I might recommend clearing the cache via the recovery ROM in the device. Hold down volume up, home and power, releasing the power button when you see the blue "RECOVERY BOOTING" in the upper left corner, and maintaining the volume up and home buttons until you see the android icon with a menu on the top of the device display. Highlight "clear cache partition" with the volume rocker, and use the power button to select the option. The recovery ROM will clear the cache from the device, leaving your personal data fully intact. When it completes, push the power button again to reboot the device, and see if that helps with any of the troubles you're having.

I generally do this myself following any large maintenance release, including full OS/kernel changes being pushed. After this is done, it can take up to 72 hours for the OS and all of your applications to optimize, but it corrects a large array of issues that can occur due to corruption of the device cache following updates.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

All comments

caecilia97

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

Kennyb6494

I am having the exact same issues!!! I will try what has been said here. I am frustrated, because what good does it do to have an external sd card if you can't trasnfer anything to it?

bearone21

no sd card before lollipop, everything's saved to the phone & you only have 8g.

i show 5.49g in miscellaneous files & i have no idea what's included & i have a 16g sd card.

how big of an sd card did you install??

it sounds like pics/videos/ad nauseum...everything was on the phone before you added the card & why you needed to clean house before lollipop.

good luck

Snn5

I also include another shot from another phone showing the un-removable system files.