Help Play Store free up space issue, is there a fix?

[Paultx]

A few months ago Play Store started showing a warning about freeing up space to install app updates. At first, I uninstalled some apps and it solved that. But now it happens repeatedly, and cleaning cache, deleting large files etc. with Files or manually won't work. The only solution that works is to clear the cache and data of the Store itself, wait a few minutes and only then the app updates are downloaded and installed.

Now, if that solves it, there must be a problem with the Store app, not with my phone... Besides, the free space of the internal storage is more than 50%! How is it possible that there is not enough space?

Does anyone know any definitive solution to this annoying problem? TIA.

Asus Zenfone ASUS_X00RD
Android 8.0.0

If you need more information about the device and the system, just ask.

 

[puppykickr]

I stopped using the PlayStore long ago, as I found it to be intrusive at best, and extremely aggrevating otherwise.

Your device should work fine with up to 70% or so of the internal memory used.
Generally leaving at least as much empty space as the device has RAM works as well.

I would definitely turn off auto-update in the settings of the appstore if you wish to continue using it.

I also would suggest some other appstores.

https://f-droid.org/

https://en.uptodown.com/

These two are the best options, especially F-Droid.

 

[puppykickr]

Another thing to check is the app called Google Play Services.

It can grow to be quite large.
Clearing the data there may help, and you won't lose anything noticed.

Whatever it really 'needs' will quickly be replaced automatically.

 

[Milo Williamson]

Huh mine does not show that pie graph there, really nothing like that, just a list hmm...

 

[codezer0]

it's an issue of how the space is partitioned. the phone maker is partly at fault because they only advertise the total capacity of storage on the phone, never how it's partitioned and how much you as the user can actually use. And of course, the system partition is where the apps that the maker doesn't want you to uninstall go. And of course, Google demands their Play Store stuff be in there.

It is in no small part that, once you can root and get to where you can flash a custom rom on a given phone, that it becomes a blessing. For one, just being able to resize the partitions so there is a more sensible amount of space for the system to do its thing, but also because then you can exert authority, over what is allowed to stay in there.

Barring that, might just need to offload what you can with a backup of data and then wipe the phone to start fresh. factory rom makers don't ever seem to think more than two days past the launch day of any given phone, and it sucks.

 

[Milo Williamson]

it's an issue of how the space is partitioned. the phone maker is partly at fault because they only advertise the total capacity of storage on the phone, never how it's partitioned and how much you as the user can actually use. And of course, the system partition is where the apps that the maker doesn't want you to uninstall go. And of course, Google demands their Play Store stuff be in there.

It is in no small part that, once you can root and get to where you can flash a custom rom on a given phone, that it becomes a blessing. For one, just being able to resize the partitions so there is a more sensible amount of space for the system to do its thing, but also because then you can exert authority, over what is allowed to stay in there.

Barring that, might just need to offload what you can with a backup of data and then wipe the phone to start fresh. factory rom makers don't ever seem to think more than two days past the launch day of any given phone, and it sucks.

No wonder we always stay partiually with google, because without it, we would be just sitting with a bunch of bricks for paperweight.

 

[mikedt]

it's an issue of how the space is partitioned. the phone maker is partly at fault because they only advertise the total capacity of storage on the phone, never how it's partitioned and how much you as the user can actually use. And of course, the system partition is where the apps that the maker doesn't want you to uninstall go. And of course, Google demands their Play Store stuff be in there.

I believe it's a requirement for Google Mobile Services(GMS) approved phones.

Of course we don't have that around these parts. ...and I can pick and choose what Google stuff I want, or don't want on my Android phones.

 

[Paultx]

I stopped using the PlayStore long ago, as I found it to be intrusive at best, and extremely aggrevating otherwise.

Your device should work fine with up to 70% or so of the internal memory used.
Generally leaving at least as much empty space as the device has RAM works as well.

I would definitely turn off auto-update in the settings of the appstore if you wish to continue using it.

I also would suggest some other appstores.

https://f-droid.org/

https://en.uptodown.com/

These two are the best options, especially F-Droid.

I installed F-Droid, but it didn't list updates available in the Play Store, so I uninstalled it. Is there a setting I should use to make it get these official Play Store updates?

To try to better things a bit, I uninstalled some apps and my used internal space is now at 45%, and yet the issue's still here.

 

[puppykickr]

F-Droid is not going to do anything with Google Play Store.

The whole point of F-Droid is to avoid the Gulag Play Store.

These 'official' versions are filled with Google spyware, adware, and worse.

Each app on F-Droid is meticulously gone over and redone individually by F-Droid themselves, guaranteeing that none of this junk exists on the F-Droid versions.

F-Droid can be set up to notify you of updates, but only from apps that you get from there.

Apps from there have a different signature than the same apps from somewhere else.

If you are looking for 'official' Google apps and an appstore that notifies you of updates, try UpToDown.

It is the number 2 appstore on earth, and is quite nice to use- both the site and the app work well.

You will need the app if you want it to do updates.

Yet another alternative is ApkPure. It is similar to UpToDown, yet also different in some ways.

It can also be set up to do updates.
Once again, you will need the app for that.

I use F-Droid, UpToDown, and ApkPure all the time.

These three apps together are smaller than the PlayStore app, and use less energy- and spy on users much less.

All three can be accessed via websites with a browser, but the apps help with updates and ensuring that you get proper versions of apps for your device.

One thing to watch out for is BETA versions of apps, as they may not be stable and tend to be larger than the finished product.

https://f-droid.org/
https://en.uptodown.com/
https://m.apkpure.com/

 

[puppykickr]

Keep in mind that your device is aging rapidly.

Android 8 is quite old at this point, and you will be needing a new device sooner than later.

 

[Milo Williamson]

As much arugument in this, for Play Vs. f-droid and uptodown though, you cannot find any indie game out there on the UpToDown, hince as I did mentioned so many times online about Rusty Lake, it is an indie game that come straight throughout their own gaming company and have a spin off company called Second Maze, as much as you want to play indie games, hop onto of Play if you ever wanted to play some recent indie hits without having the massive heads such as UpToDown in that little trinklete. Even though "Cube Escape: The Lake is coming soon to UptoDown" They even strickly have it on Steam as well as Play.

 

[Paultx]

F-Droid is not going to do anything with Google Play Store.

The whole point of F-Droid is to avoid the Gulag Play Store.

These 'official' versions are filled with Google spyware, adware, and worse.

Each app on F-Droid is meticulously gone over and redone individually by F-Droid themselves, guaranteeing that none of this junk exists on the F-Droid versions.

F-Droid can be set up to notify you of updates, but only from apps that you get from there.

Apps from there have a different signature than the same apps from somewhere else.

If you are looking for 'official' Google apps and an appstore that notifies you of updates, try UpToDown.

It is the number 2 appstore on earth, and is quite nice to use- both the site and the app work well.

You will need the app if you want it to do updates.

Yet another alternative is ApkPure. It is similar to UpToDown, yet also different in some ways.

It can also be set up to do updates.
Once again, you will need the app for that.

I use F-Droid, UpToDown, and ApkPure all the time.

These three apps together are smaller than the PlayStore app, and use less energy- and spy on users much less.

All three can be accessed via websites with a browser, but the apps help with updates and ensuring that you get proper versions of apps for your device.

One thing to watch out for is BETA versions of apps, as they may not be stable and tend to be larger than the finished product.

https://f-droid.org/
https://en.uptodown.com/
https://m.apkpure.com/

I understand you mean to get rid of Google apps in general, is it right?

But I use Gmail as my primary email account, and I need to keep it. I can use browsers other than Chrome, and I have ever deactivated Google (search), Photos and other less important apps from Google.

When I talk about "official apps" I mean those from other developers I use for productivity or fun to which I get updates from Google Play.

Can F-Droid get me updates for those apps and others like Microsoft's (I have Your Phone Companion and Authenticator installed)?

Or does it only offer its own alternatives to the apps I use?

 

[puppykickr]

F-Droid has nothing to do with Google Play, and any 'same' or similar apps will have Google fingerprints on them.

You can get 'official' apps from Uptodown, ApkPure, and ApkMirror.

If the apps you desire are not in those appstores, then you can request that they are placed there.

You can even go so far as to upload the apps to these appstores, although in my opinion it would be nice to ask the developer's permission first, or at least tell them after you do so.

G-Mail can be updated by any of the appstores that I mentioned, but I must state that I have never seen any use to update that app, as the versions that came with my devices all work just fine- all the way down to my old Android 5.1.

That is quite an elderly version of G-Mail, and yet it still works like any modern one.

As far as security worries about using an outdated version, I use Proton Mail (from F-Droid) for anything important, and keep it updated.

As far as G-Mail is concerned, it is my trash e-mail.
If I was worried about security, any app from or available through Google would be the last one on my menu.

I use G-Mail for when stores and other such things ask for an e-mail.
My G-Mail is a plague of spam, whereas my Proton Mail is clean and secure.

Keep in mind that Google only provides you with 15GB of free online storage.
This is all together, including whatever may be on your Google Drive and your G-Mail.

G-Mail can also be accessed via your browser, so the actual app is not necessary at all.

In fact, a small browser can actually easily be set up as a Google multi-app that covers Google Search, Drive, G-Mail, and many others.

For this I usually use an old version of Lightning.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1un3JyTVTiFou2PX-8TRiHR1jbu82_Qhy/view?usp=drivesdk

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/acr.browser.lightning/

 

[Waleed234432]

can anyone help me? I'm trying to upload app on uptodown platform. i tried it again and again but there is an issue.
the issue is I fill all the information but when it askes me for short and long description I add that in the box but it is not added in the form means it says that you have successfully added the description but it does not show in the form and my app is not going for review its in draft kindly tell me what to do????

 

[puppykickr]

can anyone help me? I'm trying to upload app on uptodown platform. i tried it again and again but there is an issue.
the issue is I fill all the information but when it askes me for short and long description I add that in the box but it is not added in the form means it says that you have successfully added the description but it does not show in the form and my app is not going for review its in draft kindly tell me what to do????

What is the name of the app?
Having someone else look for it may reveal that it is there as well as the description.