Insufficient storage availabe

[EpicRazzy]

Hello, comunity!I've been getting this error ''Insufficient storage available'' for some time and it's starting to drive me crazy!Keep in mind that I have like 3.2 GB of free space on my internal storage (just so you know I can't use my microSD for apps) and I want to download apps that are at most 1.05 GB.It especially happens when I want to download updates or small apps which require at most 100 MB.Any ideas how can I fix this?

 

[Rukbat]

Download to the external card. Installing an app or update from there will still install it to internal memory.

 

[El Presidente]

Download to the external card. Installing an app or update from there will still install it to internal memory.

There's no option to do that on the Z1.

 

[Powerlimes]

I really have no idea but try to boot in safemode and download. It works wonders for me with other things. And if nothing works, maybe backup and then factory reset?

 

[psyxologos]

I really have no idea but try to boot in safemode and download. It works wonders for me with other things. And if nothing works, maybe backup and then factory reset?

How can you boot on safe mode? I never knew this is an option...

 

[El Presidente]

Go to turn off the phone and when the power off option appears on screen, hold it down for a few seconds and it will give you the option to boot in to safe mode.

It disables all 3rd Party apps. Handy if you're trying to diagnose problems with apps etc.

 

[EpicRazzy]

What am I supposed to do after I boot it in safe mode?

Edit:nevermind I wasn't paying attention to the other answers

 

[EpicRazzy]

It still doesn't work! Do you think a system update would fix it?

 

[El Presidente]

It still doesn't work! Do you think a system update would fix it?

Do you have one ready to install? Aren't you on 4.3 yet?

 

[EpicRazzy]

Do you have one ready to install? Aren't you on 4.3 yet?

I hadn't been untill last night which by the way still didn't fix the problem. Do you think it's because of the apps I want to download?Those apps are Helium backup and Injustice Gods Among Us. Another thing, do you think a hard reset will fix the problem?

 

[SavageRobot]

I have been getting this error for some time now too. It is starting to drive me up the wall. Every day now It comes up with it, quite annoying that the only things you can transfer to external storage is Pics, Vids and Music. It's the apps and system files that are taking up all but 3GB on my internal memory. Miss the ability to transfer to SD on my outdated S2.

 

[johna2u]

Clear your cache and try again.

 

[xgemh83x]

I am having the exact same problem?!! I have just bought a 64gb memory card and hoped i could transfer apps to it but it won't let me. I'm so annoyed. Everytime i try update or download an app it says i have insufficient storage and to move things to external storage. Is there a way to move apps to the sd cars at all?

 

[Hawker]

Search for any file or folder called .write_test and if you find any, delete them.

You may have to use ES Explorer or similar as I don't think MyFiles picks up hidden files

 

[xgemh83x]

I'll have a look

 

[xgemh83x]

Found the app and installed, searched and nothing. Will that app help me clear up some space and move apps to my sd card? I have a fair few apps on my phone and because its saying insufficient storage i can't update them.

 

[EarlyMon]

Found the app and installed, searched and nothing. Will that app help me clear up some space and move apps to my sd card? I have a fair few apps on my phone and because its saying insufficient storage i can't update them.

Android hasn't supported apps on the SD card for some time.

Some individual apps still support it (not well in my experience) and mods keep popping up to allow it, but I have seen only a few and far between happy with the results.

 

[xgemh83x]

Looks like i need to sort out what i want to keep. There seems to be a lot of files on my phone I don't know what they are. Will it do harm to delete them, i think they're ones that have been somehow downloaded from the Internet. There isn't anyway of telling is there what your phone does and doesn't need is there?

 

[El Presidente]

What sort of files? Can you let us know the file path and what they are?

You should be relatively safe anyway, the OS shouldn't allow you to delete anything important (unless you're rooted).

Keep a backup though, just in case.

 

[EarlyMon]

Looks like i need to sort out what i want to keep. There seems to be a lot of files on my phone I don't know what they are. Will it do harm to delete them, i think they're ones that have been somehow downloaded from the Internet. There isn't anyway of telling is there what your phone does and doesn't need is there?

No but there's the big easy button!

A lot of your don't care files are likely to be in a partition of your storage that may not affect your apps. Or they may.

Here's your strategy -

Helium Backup, factory data reset, restore your backup.

You just cleaned up any leftovers where your apps live.

On restore, that's the list of safe apps to remove - see any there you don't like - don't restore them.

Next comes your internal storage.

That's stuff that you can do a whole copy paste of the whole thing into a folder on your pc, just drag and drop.

I make a folder called "sd backups" and make a new folder in there each time. I name my folders TODAY'S DATE. Drag and drop all of your stuff there.

Now you can go through and delete stuff from your SD card and if you guessed wrong, you can drag the backup back.

 

[El Presidente]

^Sage advice.

If Helium doesn't work (the play store description says some Sony devices don't work), try the built in Sony Backup and Restore app or the backup function in PC Companion, it should do the same thing (you won't lose app data using those). It backups up settings etc too.

 

[EarlyMon]

^Sage advice.

If Helium doesn't work (the play store description says some Sony devices don't work), try the built in Sony Backup and Restore app or the backup function in PC Companion, it should do the same thing (you won't lose app data using those). It backups up settings etc too.

Listen to this guy, he knows.

 

[Vim Tailor]

Try this

Settings, Storage, at the bottom should have the option to 'Transfer data to SD card', on selecting will show you what can be transferred by the systems and how much storage.

Select transfers.

I am running 4.4.4, but works for me