Although most smartphones we use today have plenty of storage capacity , there are times when we may need to free up space on our phone. To do this, many choose to use mobile cleaners , but the reality is that the most effective way is to delete files like when we free up space in Google Photos or directly uninstall applications . But what if we could uninstall an application “halfway” so that it frees up space but continues to save your data? This is what you can do thanks to the application archiving function .
The function of archiving applications on Android is performed automatically by the Google Play Store , although to do so we will have to activate this function manually. Below we tell you everything you need to know.
- What does it mean to archive apps on Android
- How to enable app archiving on Android
- Can I choose which apps are archived?
- How to know which apps are archived
What does it mean to archive apps on Android
The option to archive applications is a function that the Google Play Store performs automatically when we have it activated manually. It basically consists of deactivating the applications that it detects have not been used in a significant period of time but without uninstalling them completely , so that we can continue to save the data related to them.
Archived apps will still appear on your phone’s icons , but when you go to open them you’ll notice that it takes a while, because the Play Store will be reinstalling them again. But in exchange for this small inconvenience, you can save up to 60% of the space that those archived apps take up on your phone. This is especially convenient if you have little space available but don’t want to delete any of the files you have on your phone.
How to enable app archiving on Android
As we have explained, the application archiving is done automatically by the Google Play Store. But for this to happen, we need to have this option activated . If you don’t know if you have it or not or if you want to activate it, you have to follow these steps:
- Open the Google Play Store on your smartphone.
- Click on the icon with your profile picture.
- Scroll down the menu and tap on the Settings option.
- In the options that appear, go to General.
- Check the Automatically archive apps box.
Once we have activated this option, when our mobile detects that we have little storage space left , those applications that we have not used for a long time will be automatically archived. They will be installed again when we want to use them, but until we do so, they will simply remain “half-installed” .
As we have mentioned, having the applications archived will save a large part of the storage that they used. Therefore, we can use that space to download other apps or to save images, videos or files without having to delete anything. This is especially useful if you have an old or low-end mobile phone, which usually have a more limited internal storage space. With an action that will hardly bother you (remember that only the apps that we use infrequently are archived ) we can have more space available for what we are really interested in.
Can I choose which apps are archived?
If you’ve found the possibility of archiving applications interesting, you’ve probably thought that you could use it directly to select those applications that you rarely use and archive them manually . But unfortunately this is not something that can be done . It’s the Google Play Store itself that detects which are those applications that we don’t usually use on a regular basis in order to archive them and stop them from taking up storage space.
You also won’t be able to choose when to archive apps. The Play Store will start detecting which apps you haven’t used for a while the moment it detects that you don’t have much storage space left. There’s no way you can do it beforehand to prevent and ensure that you’ll have space.
What the Play Store will do is send you a notification notifying you of the apps that are going to be automatically archived. And if you think you’ll be using them again soon, you always have the option to ask it not to archive them.
How to know which apps are archived
Although you can’t choose which apps are archived and when, you do have the option to view a list of all the apps that have been archived by the Google Play Store and manage them so that they are active again. To do this, you simply have to go to the Play Store app and click on your profile picture. Then you will have to go to the Manage apps and devices section , and in that section access the Manage tab .
There you will find a list of all the apps you have installed on your smartphone, and you will also be able to see which of them are currently archived. If you find that you would not like any of the apps you have archived to be archived, you will only have to click on it and ask the app store to delete the archive .