As fun as it is to take more than five pictures of every cute animal, life event or meal, your phone has a limit. For every beautiful shot, you’re probably saving a bunch of junk. 

Are you getting that "storage full" message? It’s a pain.

On an iPhone, do this one thing to get storage space back in an instant.

A complete overhaul of your photo collection is a big project, but it doesn’t have to be. I clean my photo library up in a flash! Tap or click for the steps I use to clean my digital photo library. 

A woman holds an iPhone

An attendee holds a new Apple iPhone 14 Pro during an Apple special event Sept. 7, 2022, in Cupertino, Calif. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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HOW SCAMMERS ARE POSING AS YOUR CABLE AND INTERNET PROVIDERS

Easily remove duplicates on your iPhone

Apple added a valuable tool for iOS 16. Your iPhone now has a "duplicate photos" folder where you can merge anything duplicated. It’s so easy to use. Here’s how:

  • Open the Photos app and select Albums.
  • Scroll down and select Duplicates. It’s under Utilities.
  • You can either select all of them by hitting Select > Select all > Merge or select individual photos and tap Merge.
  • Confirm your choice and take back some storage space.

Tip within a tip: Storage still low? Here’s how to see what’s eating up space on your phone. Delete any apps you’re not using. They take up more space than you realize.

Clean up your photo folder on Android

Android phones have a trick to clear up space you might not know. It takes just a few taps.

Rather than manually locating and deleting everything you don’t need, open the Files by Google app, then select Clean. If you don’t have it, head to the Google Play Store and download it for free.

An Android logo on a phone

In this photo illustration, an Android logo is displayed on a smartphone screen in Athens, Greece, April 16, 2022.  (Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Tap Confirm and free up > See junk files and select what you want to clear. When you’re ready, tap Clear > Clear.

That's all it takes to remove screenshots, memes, duplicates and other junk hiding among the important photos.

Tip within a tip: Stop scrolling forever to find the picture you want. You can search your photo gallery. Here’s how — and some tricks to find what you want.

Speed up your smartphone

Clearing out files, images and apps from your smartphone helps it run faster and smoother. It improves your battery’s performance and extends its life. Tap or click here for seven simple ways to speed up your phone.

While you’re cleaning out your phone, clean the cookies. These tiny files slow down your phone and help companies track your online activity. It’s worth doing this now and then. Tap or click here for complete steps to get the job done.

Keep your tech-know going 

10 BEST POWER STRIPS AND SURGE PROTECTORS TO KEEP YOU AT 100%

My popular podcast is called "Kim Komando Today." It’s a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips and callers with tech questions like you from all over the country. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your convenience, hit the link below for a recent episode.

PODCAST PICK: Porn scams, new humanoid robot, grow taller with $150k legs

Plus, fast charger secrets, the feds crack down on social media censorship, how to find the best router and the best way to keep your cell phone number private. 

Check out my podcast "Kim Komando Today" on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast player.

Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, "Komando."

The Apple Store in New York City

The newly renovated Apple Store at Fifth Avenue is pictured Sept. 19, 2019, in New York City.  (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images))

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