Last year, Google improved the way the Google Play Store manages the apps installed on our Android phones and tablets, including a system that automatically archives the apps we use the least. This, with the intention of free up storage space on our devices and, therefore, in many cases, improve its performance.
However, this function is integrated directly into the Google App Store, the Play Store. But archiving applications soon It will be integrated directly into Androidaccording to a recent discovery in the latest developer version of the operating system.
Archive the apps we use the least frees up storage space without having to uninstall the app
The purpose of archiving an application is to ensure that the application in question takes up much less storage space from the mobile, without uninstalling it completely, the user will therefore be able to regain access to the application much more quickly than if they had to install it again. Additionally, this avoids losing application data and, in many cases, login information, if they are part of the application.
So far, app archiving is only available on the Google Play Store. Once activated, the system automatically archives applications, choosing which ones will be archived based on usage time. However, in the middle of Android Authority they discovered that Android 15 will bring application archiving directly to the operating system.
This was discovered after analyzing the latest development version of the operating system, specifically Android 14 QPR2 Beta 3, and enabling the ability to archive apps. The images below show application archiving in action.
Left: the new option to archive applications – Right: the application icon when it is archived. (Image: Android Authority)
To archive an application, according to this Beta version of Android, you must access the settings menu then the Applications section. Next we need to choose the application we want to archive (for example, a game that takes up a lot of space storage but we don’t want to uninstall completely). Once in the “Application Information” section, a new option appears: Archive.
By clicking on archive, the size of the application is significantly reduced. On the app icon we can see that a cloud symbol will appear with an arrow inside, indicating that the app has been archived.
From the application information menu it will be possible restore application, although rollback is not yet available in Android 14 QPR2, according to Android Authority. Please remember that this is a development version of the operating system.
This feature is expected to be available in the next major update to Google’s mobile operating system, Android 15, which is expected to be available in September or October.
Cover photo | Ricardo Aguilar for Xataka
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