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Question

I do I create space to install updates to apps on smart phon

Apr 1, 2018 7:12AM PDT

Hello. I have a basic smartphone: LG 4 LTE (Tracfone).

It's saying that there isn't enough space to update apps.

I have 8 GB in total space on the phone, of which 447 MB is available. Here's the breakdown:

Apps: 2.69GB
Pictures, Videos: 532KB
Audio (music, ringtones, podcasts, etc.): 172 KB
Downloads: 44KB
Cached data: 214MB
Miscellaneous: 4.66GB

Under Miscellaneous, I have:

System data: 4GB
.dwnld: 8KB
Audible: 677MB (presumably these are my audiobooks)


Here's a list of all my downloaded apps:

Adobe Acrobart (I use)
Android System Webview (?)
Audible (use)
Chrome(use a little; use the phone's "browser" more to surf web)
Cloud Print(?)
Docs(?)
Drive (? I know this is a Google app, but I don't recall having used it)
Gmail (use a lot)
Google (? don't know if use a lot of not. IIRC, I uninstalled some Google apps when I first got this phone and that interfered with its functionality)
Google Play Movies & TV(? Might be tied to Audible)
Google Play Music (? Might be tied to listening to mp3s and other music)
Google Play Services (Might be required to use certain apps, eg, Audible)
Google Play services for Instan. . . (?)
Google Play Store (? Again, might need it for things like Audible)
Google text-to-speech engine (? Haven't used, but would like to try)
Hangouts(?)
Lyft(use a lot)
Maps(use a lot)
Messaging(use a lot)
My Account (Tracfone)--use a lot
Photos(use from what I can tell; I picture some pictures)
Sheets(?)
TalkBack(? Don't know what this is)
Uber(use)
Word(use)
Yelp(use)
Youtube(use a lot)

*********************************

I also have an SD card. Total space: 29.71GB. Available: 29.44GB(nearly all of it).

If you think most/all of these apps are essential, is there a way to transfer them to the SD card?

Finally, if we get to the point where we are able to update again, how do I know which updates are essential. The updates happen almost every day and a lot of it is prol stuff that you don't even need.

Thanks a million for the help!!!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
While you can try adding some memory card.
Apr 1, 2018 8:52AM PDT

Android from what I see today stresses uses as to how technical it is to use the other storage. I will not write how as that's on the web. It is confusing and I've yet to find one tutorial to rule them all.

This is why my advice is to stick with larger memory phones for folk that don't want to invest the time learning how to live on a small phone.

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If I understand you,
Apr 1, 2018 6:33PM PDT

you are saying that I can try to transfer this stuff to the card but it is technically challenging. Am I correct?

All the same, do you see any programs that I can readily delete? Stuff like "Cloud Print" and "Docs" doesn't seem necessary. However, I don't want to interfere w/ the functionality of the apps that I use a lot.

Also, what's your feeling regarding whether updates are even necessary. Back when I had more memory on the phone, I was constantly getting notices to update apps.

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I find either folk find it easy or hard.
Apr 1, 2018 6:54PM PDT

You can not transfer everything. This idea only makes it harder.

In fact you only know what apps will move after the card is installed. Over in Settings, Apps you go one by one and see if there is any option to move to SD card.

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Moving to the DS card . . .
Apr 7, 2018 9:55AM PDT

is as simple as pressing a couple of buttons. Thanks.

But, as to the other part of my question, are there any of these programs that stick out as clear candidates to delete? Please see the list above. Thanks again!

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That list.
Apr 7, 2018 10:20AM PDT

Is one for the user to decide if they need these.