13

Every time I go to install a new app, I get the message "Insufficient storage", and an unable to install anything!

I am using Samsung GT19060 my internal memory is 8GB. I have not downloaded anything but anytime I try to download something it will tell me low memory space.

Improve this question
5
  • Clearing the data of Google Play or the Android Market may free up some space. You could also check with the DiskUsage app to find out how data is structured on the internal memory and then delete any unused data.
    – webyz
    Commented May 14, 2012 at 19:48
  • how do I clear the data on the android market?
    – Ephraim
    Commented May 14, 2012 at 19:53
  • Should be something like Settings | Applications | Play Store | Clear data. Might help to "Force Stop" the app first.
    – ale
    Commented May 14, 2012 at 20:15
  • This problem is related or even identical to the one described here: Something is secretly eating up my tablet memory and I need help finding it, so the list of possible steps to take described there might help you as well.
    – Izzy
    Commented Aug 8, 2012 at 22:26
  • Possible duplicate of Google Play: Error downloading app - insufficient space
    – dcorking
    Commented Jan 24, 2017 at 9:19

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
5

In short: 25 MB free internal storage is minimum requirement (source: TechniPages, AndroidCentral). If free space falls below that, the "insufficient storage" error is triggered.

For details, see:

And many more -- this is a quite "frequent question". For more results, simply follow the tag.

Improve this answer
4
  • 4
    On a lot of devices it's set to 10% of the partition size rather than 25 MB, which is pretty absurd on devices with lots of storage.
    – Matthew Read
    Commented May 14, 2015 at 3:58
  • 3
    Full ack to both: Yes, some have the 10% rule (which was not clear to me at the time I wrote the answer) – and yes, with today's devices mostly having at least 4, 8 or even 16 GB internal storage, that's an absurd rule at least for the latter two. But nothing we can do about that, unfortunately (except for installing a custom ROM maybe) …
    – Izzy
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 9:32
  • 1
    Neither of your source links contains the info about 25MB
    – Maksim Dmitriev
    Commented Sep 3, 2015 at 11:41
  • 1
    @MaksimDmitriev content of the linked pages changed meanwhile. My answer is from 1/2013, TechniPage has renewed its contents in 7/2015. I wouldn't have mentioned sources not backing my claim :) As for the 10% rule, see here, and also see our insufficient-memory tag-wiki.
    – Izzy
    Commented Sep 3, 2015 at 13:21
3

The other 200 MB is reserved for future purposes e.g.

1.Saving cache onto disk to free up RAM

2.File System

3.Moving some processes data to SD/ Flash Memory

It is recommended that you have at least 300 MB free space in case you want to install apps. And I'd recommend using a cleaning tool such as ccleaner because android is not good at memory management.

Improve this answer
1

I had this problem with my galaxy tablet and what I did was basically go to app info on all of my apps and tap move to sd card if it let me. It seems to do it automatically on its own now.

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    It seems the OP already has done that: I have spent quite a long time moving every possible app to the SD card
    – Izzy
    Commented Dec 29, 2014 at 15:05
0

Not all internal memory can be used for installing apps. I think android allot a part of your internal memory for installation of apps. When that allotted space is over, you start receiving that error message. You can try following:

  1. Uninstall Apps
  2. Move apps to external storage or money card. You can do that by going to app settings. You may be able to move some apps by app settings option.
  3. If you're still getting low memory issue, then you use This app. This is only app I found on play store which can move those apps to SD card which android app settings couldn't. But to use this, you need to be rooted.
Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .