Until recently, Google was still selling base Pixel models with a measly 128GB of storage space. With how large applications and files are in 2026, 128GB is hardly enough to get by — especially if you plan on doing any sort of photography or videography.
On my personal Pixel 10, it didn’t take long at all for me to hit that all-too-familiar storage capacity ceiling. And, with no microSD card slot in sight on the handset, I had to get creative with my storage management.
With a bit of time and research, I was able to identify three broad solutions to my Pixel storage woes. These three measures each helped me reclaim some much-needed space, allowing my phone to run smoother in the process. Here are the three changes I made to wrestle back gigabytes of total storage.
- Brand
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Google
- SoC
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Google Tensor G6
- Display
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6.3-inch Actua display
- RAM
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12GB
- Storage
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256 or 512GB
- Battery
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4985 mAh
The Pixel 11 is a flagship Android smartphone from Google that features a 6.3-inch OLED display, a triple rear camera array, the Tensor G6 processor, and a 4,985mAh battery capacity.
Delete unnecessary applications
Several in-box apps are superfluous
First and foremost, I saved a ton of storage space by simply deleting unnecessary applications from my Pixel phone. Out of the box, Google does a pretty good job of avoiding the pitfall of bloatware, but that’s not to say that every default app is worth its keep.
Now, which native Pixel apps you choose to uninstall is a matter of personal preference, but I settled on YouTube Music, Google One, Google TV, and several others. Note that certain in-box apps can only be disabled as opposed to uninstalled, which, while not a perfect solution, can at least declutter your app drawer.
Quiz
Google Pixel & Android 16
Trivia Challenge
From Pixel’s humble beginnings to Android 16’s boldest features — how well do you really know Google’s smartphone story?
Pixel HistoryAndroid 16FeaturesHardwareRivals
What year did Google launch the very first Pixel smartphone?
Correct! The original Google Pixel and Pixel XL launched on October 4, 2016, marking Google’s shift from the Nexus line to a fully Google-branded device. It was the first phone to ship with Google Assistant built in.
Not quite — the first Google Pixel arrived in October 2016. Before that, Google used the Nexus branding for its flagship Android devices, with partners like LG and Huawei manufacturing them.
What other iPhone-inspired feature did Android 16 finally bring to Google Pixel devices, long available on iOS?
Correct! Android 16 introduced Live Updates — Google’s equivalent of Apple’s Live Activities — bringing real-time dynamic information like delivery tracking and ride-sharing status directly to the Pixel lock screen and notification area. iPhone users have enjoyed Live Activities since iOS 16 in 2022.
Not quite. The feature in question is Live Updates, Android 16’s answer to Apple’s Live Activities introduced in iOS 16. It lets apps push real-time status updates — like food delivery progress — directly to the lock screen, something Pixel users had been waiting years for.
Android 16 broke with recent tradition by targeting an unusually early release window. When was it expected to officially launch?
Correct! Android 16 was scheduled for a Q2 2025 release — much earlier than the traditional autumn launch cadence Google had followed for years. This shift was designed to better align major releases with Google I/O and the broader Pixel hardware cycle.
Not quite. Android 16 targeted a Q2 2025 release, breaking away from the September/October tradition Google had maintained for several years. The earlier launch window was intended to sync more cleanly with Google I/O announcements and Pixel device releases.
Which Google-designed chip powers the Pixel 9 series, released in 2024?
Correct! The Pixel 9 lineup is powered by the Tensor G4, Google’s fourth-generation custom silicon developed in partnership with Samsung. It brought improved efficiency and enhanced on-device AI performance compared to the G3 found in the Pixel 8 series.
Not quite — the Pixel 9 uses the Tensor G4. Google has been developing its own Tensor chips since the Pixel 6 in 2021, gradually improving AI capabilities and power efficiency with each generation rather than relying on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors.
Apple’s Live Activities feature, which Android 16 is now rivalling, was first introduced in which version of iOS?
Correct! Apple introduced Live Activities with iOS 16 in September 2022, initially rolling out to developers and expanding with the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro. It gave apps a new way to surface real-time information without users having to open them.
Not quite — Live Activities debuted in iOS 16 back in 2022. The feature gained extra prominence with the Dynamic Island introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro, which turned the pill-shaped cutout into an interactive real-time information hub.
Before the Pixel line existed, what was the name of Google’s previous flagship Android smartphone series?
Correct! The Nexus line ran from 2010 to 2015 and featured devices made by various manufacturers including HTC, Samsung, LG, and Huawei. It was designed to showcase stock Android and receive the fastest OS updates, a tradition Pixel later inherited and expanded.
The correct answer is Nexus. Google’s Nexus program ran for several years with hardware partners building the devices to Google’s specifications. When the Pixel line launched in 2016, Google took full control of both hardware and software design for the first time.
Android 16 introduced a major visual overhaul to the Android design language. What is the name of this updated design system?
Correct! Material 3 Expressive is Google’s updated design philosophy accompanying Android 16, emphasising bolder colours, more dynamic animations, and stronger emotional resonance in UI elements. Google described it as the most researched design update it had ever undertaken.
Not quite — the design system is called Material 3 Expressive. Google unveiled it alongside Android 16 as a significant evolution of its Material You language, focusing on personality, motion, and more vibrant visual expression across the Android interface.
Google Pixel phones have long been celebrated for their camera software. What is the name of the AI-powered Pixel photo editing tool that can remove unwanted objects from images?
Correct! Magic Eraser launched with the Pixel 6 in 2021 and quickly became one of the most talked-about Pixel camera features. It uses AI to detect and remove distracting objects or people from photos, automatically filling in the background in a natural-looking way.
The correct answer is Magic Eraser, introduced with the Pixel 6 in 2021. It was one of Google’s first major showcases of on-device AI in photography, and competitors including Samsung and Apple have since introduced similar tools in their own camera apps.
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Disable the AICore system component
Give up AI in the name of storage space
AICore is a low-level component preinstalled on Pixel phones that helps facilitate various artificial intelligence features across the system. It can’t be deleted outright, but disabling it can net you back a significant amount of storage capacity. The reason for this is because, when disabled, various on-device AI models are effectively shut off and deleted from the handset.
To disable AICore on a Pixel phone, navigate to Settings > Apps > See all apps > AICore. From here, tap or click on the Disable button. Next, navigate to Storage & cache > Clear Storage > Delete to net yourself some storage space. Note that some — but not all — AI features will cease to function for as long as AICore remains disabled.
Turn on Storage Saver in Google Photos
Compress all your space-taking images
Storage Saver is a mode within Google Photos that can save you many gigabytes of space if you happen to have a large and unwieldy camera roll. When enabled, the feature automatically compresses saved images and videos using a Google algorithm, making each snapshot on your phone take up less space than it otherwise would.
To enable Storage Saver on your Pixel phone, launch the Photos applications and then navigate to Photos Settings > Backup > Photos & Videos Quality > Storage Saver and toggle the feature on. You can also enable Storage Saver for Google Drive-based photos and videos if you’d like to save space on the cloud.
