Android Auto-Archive is an easy way for users to manage their device storage, and a great way for developers to lower the likelihood of their apps being uninstalled.
As an Android user, it’s highly likely that you’ve encountered storage issues at some point, resulting in running out of storage. But this issue might be a thing of the past thanks to a new feature launched on Monday by Google.
Google has just launched a new auto-archiving feature that removes over 60% of unused apps’ data from your device, saving you sweet precious storage space in the process.
With the ability to remove over 60% of unused app data, Android auto-archive is expected to free up space for users to store more critical data on their device.
According to a post on the Android Developers Blog, this feature won’t remove any user data and will mark the presence of the app with a cloud icon on your device.
Archived apps will have this recognizable symbol, making it easy for users to distinguish them from active apps.
When Android users run low on storage while trying to install a new app, they will see a prompt to use the auto-archiving feature.
“Your device is out of storage, and you won’t be able to install this app. With app archiving turned on, your device will detect when you don’t have enough storage and automatically archive apps that you don’t use often. Your personal data will be saved in case you download the app again.”
So, if activated, the feature will automatically archive unused apps while removing permissions and temporary files and disabling notifications.
How to enable Auto-Archive
When trying to install a new app on your device but are out of storage, a pop-up window asks if you want to enable the auto-archive feature.
If you opt-in, the feature will automatically archive unused apps on your device, freeing up enough space to install your new app.
Checking for apps that haven’t been used in a while manually is also possible. To do this, follow the following steps:
- Go to Settings
- Selects Apps
- Then click on Unused apps
- You’ll see the last time an app was opened. From here, you’ll have to decide which apps to remove to free up storage.
With Auto-Archive, Android users can now say goodbye to the hassle of constantly running out of storage space and make room for more apps and memories on their devices.
