Free up app storage

Free up Google Messages storage

Google Messages keeps RCS photos, videos, MMS attachments, and spam media on this Android phone so threads open fast. SMS text is small. The heavy part is media you already downloaded, plus leftover cache from spam and group chats.

Google Messages is Android-first. On iPhone, texts and iMessage live in Apple Messages, not this app.

See how much space Google Messages is using

Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps (or Apps and notifications).
2. Tap Messages (some phones say Google Messages).
3. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.

Google Messages does not have a WhatsApp-style Free up Storage screen. Use the system storage page for the total, then delete media in chats and turn off auto-download so it does not grow back.

Delete large photos and videos from a chat

1. Open the conversation.
2. Tap and hold a photo, video, or file.
3. Tap Delete (or More > Delete).
4. Confirm.

Start with group chats and long RCS threads. This removes the item from this phone. Other people keep their own copies.

Delete old conversations

1. On the conversation list, tap and hold a thread.
2. Select any others you want to remove.
3. Tap Delete, then confirm.

That also removes the media stored for those threads. Save anything you still need to Photos or Files first.

Clear spam and blocked media

1. Open Google Messages and tap your profile photo.
2. Tap Spam & blocked (some versions say Spam and blocked).
3. Open a spam thread, or tap and hold several.
4. Tap Delete.

Spam often downloads images and files you never asked for. Empty this list if the app still looks large after you clean real chats.

Turn off automatic MMS download

1. Open Google Messages and tap your profile photo.
2. Tap Messages settings > Advanced.
3. Turn off Auto-download MMS.
4. Turn off Auto-download MMS when roaming if you see it.

After this, pictures, videos, and files download when you tap them. That is the strongest way to stop RCS and MMS from filling the phone again.

Stop copies from landing in Photos or Gallery

1. Open a photo or video in a chat.
2. Use Save only when you want a copy in Photos or Gallery.
3. Delete leftover copies in Photos or Gallery, including Recently Deleted / Trash.

Clearing Messages cache does not remove files you already saved outside the app.

Clear Google Messages cache on Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps > Messages.
2. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.
3. Tap Clear cache.

Do not tap Clear storage / Clear data unless you mean to reset Messages on this phone. That can wipe local SMS, RCS, and settings. Cloud RCS chats may come back after you sign in again, but SMS stored only on the device can be lost.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

If you already cleaned media and Google Messages still looks huge, a fresh install can clear leftover cache and temp files that are hard to reach by hand.

1. SMS lives on this phone unless your carrier or a backup app already saved it. RCS chats tied to your Google account can return after sign-in. Save important media first.
2. Delete the app from your phone.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Install Google Messages again from the App Store or Google Play.
5. Sign in and restore from backup if the app offers it.

This often frees a lot of space. You may need to download some media again after restore.

What to do next

After Google Messages is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.