Android · Apps
Auto-manage apps you rarely open
Android automatically detects apps you haven't opened in months and can revoke their runtime permissions or archive them — removing most of the app's files while keeping its icon and data so it can be quickly restored.
How to open Unused Apps
- Open Settings > Apps, then tap 'Unused apps' or check the option under an app's App info.
- Review which apps are eligible for archiving or have had permissions removed.
- Manually archive a specific app if you'd like to save space right away.
- Tap an archived app's icon anytime to restore it automatically.
What you should know
- Permissions for unused apps (like location or camera) are auto-revoked after a period of inactivity as a privacy safeguard.
- Archiving replaces the app's installable files with a lightweight placeholder, freeing storage while preserving login data and settings.
- Tapping an archived app's icon automatically re-downloads and restores it from the Play Store.
- You can turn off auto-archiving per app, or manually archive an app yourself from its Play Store listing.
Archiving requires a working internet connection to restore the app later — it isn't a full local backup.
Why it matters
This feature quietly reclaims storage and shrinks your attack surface (fewer apps holding live permissions) without you having to manually audit every rarely used app.
Best practices
- Let auto-archiving run for apps you genuinely use rarely, like a rideshare or airline app you open a few times a year.
- Manually archive large, seldom-used apps yourself instead of waiting for the automatic timer.
- Re-grant permissions immediately after restoring an archived app if it needs them to function.
Common problems and fixes
- An app's login or saved data disappeared after months of not opening it.
- Check if it was archived rather than uninstalled — tapping its icon restores the app and its data from the Play Store.
- A frequently used app keeps losing permissions unexpectedly.
- Open that app at least occasionally, or manually re-enable its permissions in App info if it's incorrectly flagged as unused.
Tips and tricks
- Check Settings > Apps > Unused apps periodically to manually archive large apps yourself and free storage before Android does it automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Is archiving the same as uninstalling?
No, archiving keeps the app's data and icon in place and only removes the larger installable files, making it much faster to restore than a full reinstall.
Can I stop a specific app from ever being archived?
Yes, you can exclude individual apps from auto-archiving in Unused apps settings or the app's Play Store page.
Related settings
- App PermissionsApp permissions control what each app is allowed to access — camera, microphone, location, contacts, and more. You can review and change these at any time, per app or per permission type.
- Storage & CleanupStorage settings show a breakdown of what's using space on your device — apps, photos, videos, and cached data — and offer one-tap tools to clear space safely.
- App InfoApp info is the dedicated settings page for a single installed app, showing its permissions, storage and cache usage, notification controls, battery behavior, and options to force stop, uninstall, or disable it.
More Apps guides for Android
- Apps & Default AppsThe Apps settings page lists every installed app along with its permissions, storage use, and battery impact, and lets you set which app opens automatically for tasks like browsing, messaging, or phone calls when more than one option is installed. This is also where you uninstall, disable, or force-stop an app directly.
- Special App AccessSpecial app access holds a set of sensitive, less-common permissions — like displaying over other apps, device admin access, or usage access — that aren't part of the normal runtime permission prompts.
- Dual AppsDual apps (branded Dual Messenger on Samsung, App Cloner or Parallel Space on others) creates a second, independent instance of a supported app so you can stay signed into two accounts — like two WhatsApp numbers — on one phone at once.
- Notifications Per AppThis app-level screen lets you fine-tune notifications for one specific app, toggling individual notification channels such as promotions, messages, or reminders, and setting importance levels without affecting notifications from any other app.
- Permission ManagerPermission Manager organizes app permissions by category, such as Camera, Location, Microphone, and Contacts, so you can see and revoke access across all apps at once instead of checking each app individually.
- Adaptive Battery / App Battery UsageAdaptive Battery uses on-device machine learning to predict which apps you'll use next and restricts battery and background activity for apps you rarely open, while App Battery Usage shows a breakdown of exactly which apps are consuming the most power.