Running out of storage on your Nothing Phone 2a can really slow things down, stopping you from taking new photos or updating apps. The good news is that Android and Nothing OS give you a lot of control to clean things up. You can usually free up several gigabytes by targeting the right areas.
See Exactly What's Filling Your Storage
Start by going to Settings > Storage. On the Phone 2a, this screen gives you a clear breakdown of what's using space, like apps, photos, and system files. Wait a moment for it to calculate. You'll see the biggest space-hogs right at the top, which are often Photos, social media apps, or downloaded files.
Clear App Caches and Data
In that same Storage menu, tap on Apps to see a list sorted by size. Tap on any large app, like Instagram, TikTok, or Chrome. You'll see two numbers: the app size and the data/cache it has stored. Tap Clear cache first, this is safe and removes temporary files. If the app is still huge, you can tap Clear storage or Clear data, but know this will reset the app as if you just installed it, so you'll need to log in again.
Manage Your Photos and Videos
Photos are almost always the main culprit. Open the Google Photos app that comes on your Phone 2a. Tap your profile picture and go to Photos settings > Manage storage. You can turn on Storage saver backup, which uploads high-quality versions to the cloud while keeping smaller files on your device. Also, take a few minutes to delete blurry shots, old screenshots, and duplicate photos. Don't forget to empty the Trash in the Photos app afterward.
Delete Downloaded Media from Streaming Apps
Music, podcasts, and shows you download for offline use take up a lot of space. Open apps like Spotify, Netflix, or YouTube Music. In Spotify, go to Settings > Storage and tap Delete all downloads. For Netflix, tap your profile icon, go to Downloads, and remove shows you've watched. I'd check these apps every couple of months.
Use the Files by Google App
Your Phone 2a comes with the Files by Google app, which is a powerful tool for this job. Open it and tap Clean on the bottom left. It will scan for junk files, duplicate photos, large files, and unused apps. You can review its suggestions and delete items with a single tap. It's one of the quickest ways to find and remove clutter you might not know exists.
Review and Clear Message Attachments
Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram store every photo and video sent to you. In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage. You can see chats sorted by size and bulk-delete media from specific groups or contacts. For standard SMS/MMS, the Google Messages app may store files, which you can find and delete through the Files app.
Uninstall or Disable Apps You Don't Use
Go back to Settings > Apps and scroll through your full list. For apps you never open, tap on them and select Uninstall. For pre-installed system apps that can't be uninstalled, you can often tap Disable instead. This stops them from updating or running in the background, freeing up a bit of space.
Check for Large Downloads and Documents
Open the Files by Google app and tap Browse at the bottom. Look through folders like Downloads and Documents. You might find old PDFs, APK files from past app installs, or large work files you no longer need. You can sort files by size to quickly spot the big ones.
Move Files to a Computer or Cloud Service
If you have very large video files or a lot of RAW photos, consider moving them off the device entirely. Connect your Phone 2a to a computer with its USB-C cable, select File Transfer on the phone's prompt, and drag files to your computer. For cloud storage, you can use Google Drive, OneDrive, or Nothing's own Nothing Cloud service to back up important files and then remove the local copies from your phone.
