Android gadgets can fill up rapidly as you download and install applications, load them with various media files, and cache data when used offline. Low-end Android devices are generally low in storage, too. The less space on your phone or tablet, the more time you need to spend to micromanage the gadget’s internal storage.

If you regularly get the “out of space storage” notice from your OS, here are tips and tricks to stretch the storage of your phone or tablet.

• Take advantage of the built-in storage tool on your OS.

Recent versions of Android include a “Storage Pane” that shows you precisely what is consuming the storage space on your device. To get this info simply go the “Settings” screen and hit the “Storage” button. From there, you’ll be able to see the space used by the installed programs and their data, as well as your media files, audio files, cached data, and miscellaneous files. Explore this tool to check which app takes a huge chunk of your storage space and see if you’re able to delete it. The same goes with your media and audio files. If you don’t need a space-consuming app, just delete it to free up some space.

• Check your files and folders.

Although the built-in Storage Space tool on your Android is useful as a visual aid to verify which apps consume too much space, it doesn’t exactly show the volume spent on your personal files and folders. To check your individual documents, you need to download a third-party app like the DiskUsage app. Download the application from Google Play. Save and launch it to scan your unit’s file system. Make use of the visual interface of the app to see which folders and files take up most of your storage space. You may remove these files straight from the app. Alternatively, you may also note the space-consuming files, check their importance, and do a manual removal.

• Insert an SD Card into your Android device.

A lot of Android gadgets are still equipped with microSD card slots, though this feature is fast becoming less common on higher-end units. If your gadget comes with an SD slot, simply buy a card and insert it into your phone or tablet to acquire additional storage space. The downside to this option is that not all apps can be moved to the SD storage space. Its upside is that you can move audio, photo, and video files in it. Some Android apps even allow users to transfer their cache data to the micro SD. Storage cards applicable for Android devices are relatively inexpensive, so it’s possible for you to upgrade your storage space without breaking the bank.

• Use the cloud.

Media files, particularly photos, consume a huge volume of your storage space. Instead of storing all these pictures on your Android smartphone or tablet, use the cloud system to automatically save your photos and videos online. There are tons of cloud storage providers that can efficiently do this for you. The good thing is that as long as you can connect to the internet, you’re able to access your files wherever you are. When all of these tips and tricks fail, experts who sell electronics recommend reverting to the old-fashioned way of saving your files to free up space. Simply copy your media files and other miscellaneous documents from your Android gadget to your computer.