Free up space · Nothing
How to free up space on the Nothing Phone (1)
Short answer
To free up space on the Phone (1), open Settings > Storage to see what is using it, clear duplicates with Free up space (one-tap clean), then empty Nothing Gallery's Recently Deleted. A default 12.5 MP photo is about 3.8 MB, so 5,000 photos take roughly 19 GB of the 128 GB base model.
Last updated
Where is the storage screen on the Phone (1)?
The Phone (1) launched in July 2022 with Android 12 and Nothing OS 1.0. On that software the storage screen is Settings > Storage. Nothing promises 3 years of Android updates, 4 years of security patches, so menu names can change after updates.
How much space do Phone (1) photos take?
Phone (1): 50 MP main sensor, 12.5 MP by default, plus 50 MP ultrawide. 1,000 default Phone (1) shots take about 3.8 GB.
| File | Typical size | Fits in 10 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Default photo (12.5 MP) | about 3.8 MB | about 2,632 |
| Full-resolution mode (50 MP) | about 12 MB | about 833 |
| One minute of video at 4K 30fps | about 350 MB | about 29 minutes |
Switching the Phone (1) to its 50 MP mode makes each shot about 12 MB, roughly 3 times a default photo, so 200 of them use 2.4 GB. Recording at 4K 30fps, the Phone (1) writes about 350 MB a minute, so a ten-minute clip takes 3.5 GB, the same as 921 default photos. Selfies from the 16 MP front camera are about 4.8 MB each.
What is specific to the Phone (1)?
Sold as 8+128, 8+256 and 12+256 GB with no card slot. It uses Google Photos as its gallery, so deleted photos go to Google Photos' Bin.
Where do deleted photos go on the Phone (1)?
On the Phone (1), Nothing Gallery's Recently Deleted holds them for 30 days (Gallery > Albums > Recently Deleted). It launched on Android 12, so it also has Android's system trash.
How much of each Phone (1) storage option does a big gallery use?
| Storage option | 5,000 default photos | 30 minutes of top-quality video |
|---|---|---|
| 128 GB | 19 GB (15%) | 11 GB (8%) |
| 256 GB | 19 GB (7%) | 11 GB (4%) |
On the 128 GB Phone (1), every 10 GB you free holds about 2,632 more default photos, and a gallery of 20,000 photos would fill 59% of it. On the 256 GB Phone (1), every 10 GB you free holds about 2,632 more default photos, and a gallery of 20,000 photos would fill 30% of it.
Which built-in cleaners did the Phone (1) ship with?
Out of the box on Nothing OS 1.0, the Phone (1) has Free up space (one-tap clean) (Settings > Storage > Free up space > Clean), Clean by category (Settings > Storage > Free up space > Clean > Internal), Google Photos: Free up space on this device (Google Photos > profile picture > Free up space on this device) and Files by Google cleaning suggestions (Files by Google > Clean). How each works is in the Nothing guide.
Can you add a memory card to the Phone (1)?
No, the Phone (1) has no microSD slot, so its 128 GB and 256 GB is all the space there is.
How does the Phone (1) compare with other Phone phones?
Against the Phone (2) (July 2023), the Phone (1) has the same 128 GB starting storage.
| Model | Launched | Storage options | Default photo | microSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone (1) | July 2022 | 128 GB, 256 GB | 12.5 MP (~3.8 MB) | No |
| Phone (2) | July 2023 | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 12.5 MP (~3.8 MB) | No |
What will GalleryJury do on the Phone (1)?
GalleryJury, coming soon for Android 11 and later, will pick the best shot of each burst. At about 3.8 MB a Phone (1) photo, its $5 pack of 5,000 photos covers roughly 19 GB, after 50 free.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos fit on a 256 GB Phone (1)?
In theory about 67,368 default photos if nothing else were stored; in practice apps and Android take a large share.
How much storage does the Phone (1) have?
It was sold with 128 GB and 256 GB and no microSD slot.
Sources
- Nothing: phone-1 product page (checked 31 October 2026)
- Nothing Support: How to restore deleted photos or videos? (Phone (1)) (checked 31 October 2026)
- Wikipedia: Nothing (company) (launch dates) (checked 31 October 2026)
- Nothing Support: How to clean up storage space? (Phone (1)) (checked 31 October 2026)
- Nothing Support: How to restore deleted photos or videos from Nothing Gallery (Phone (4a)) (checked 31 October 2026)
Related
More in Free up space by phone
GalleryJury is coming soon to Android
It keeps the best shot from every burst and clears the clutter around it. 50 free photos to try, then $5 for 5,000 photos or $15 for 20,000. Pay once, nothing renews. No subscription.