This Simple Trick Can Free Up More Storage Space On Your Google Pixel 10

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The Google Pixel 10‘s 128 GB of storage might be enough for most users, and those in need of more can opt for the 256 GB version. However, users who capture a lot of photos and videos or have a habit of hoarding apps will inevitably run into storage issues down the line. One trick to quickly clear up a chunk of storage on your Google Pixel phone without deleting large video files or hundreds of photos is by disabling AICore in the Settings app. 

AICore exists to manage the Gemini Nano AI agent, which handles certain AI features locally using the device’s processor. This makes for incredibly fast responses and the ability to run these features locally for privacy’s sake, but it also takes up storage space, increases RAM consumption, and may negatively affect battery life. The actual amount of storage consumed differs by device, but users have reported gaining back anywhere from 6 to 8 GB of storage by disabling AICore.

You cannot delete AICore, but you can disable it and uninstall updates to clear up storage. Do this by going to Settings > Apps > Show all apps. In the app list, locate and tap AICore. This should be near the top, but if it isn’t, you can search for it using the magnifying glass icon in the top-right corner of the “All apps” screen. Select Disable in the app settings and then tap the three dots in the top-right corner of your screen to select Uninstall updates before confirming your choice on the popup. This will disable AICore and delete all its updates and app data, instantly clearing up all the storage the service was taking up.

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Before you disable it, it’s important to know what exactly AICore does as a service. As we mentioned earlier, it’s primarily responsible for light AI tasks that are managed locally using your phone’s processor. These include general Android features like advanced proofreading, smart replies, scam detection, text summaries, and more. It also manages several Pixel-exclusive features, such as Pixel Screenshots, Magic Compose, audio summaries in the Recording app, and image generation in Pixel Studio. AICore is also responsible for finding and downloading updates for the aforementioned tools automatically in the background.

Since the service only affects AI-centric features, disabling AICore won’t change anything for you if you don’t use Google’s on-device AI tools. However, disabling it does make the aforementioned features unusable: You cannot use Pixel Screenshots, Magic Compose, and other utilities. You can still use certain apps that require on-device AI with AICore disabled, but you lose access to the specific features that depend entirely on AICore. For instance, the Recorder and Journal apps still function with AICore turned off, but you can no longer use advanced summarization and analysis tools.

For those wondering if you can still use features like Pixel Screenshots with AICore disabled if you’re connected to the internet, the answer is no. The service isn’t only responsible for keeping these AI tools available offline; instead, it’s necessary for them to function. As this only affects on-device AI models, you can still use Gemini, ChatGPT, or other AI agents on the web or via dedicated apps while connected to the internet even if AICore is disabled.

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If you’re having issues with insufficient storage on your Google Pixel 10, disabling AICore is a good first step. However, if the 6-8 GB it clears isn’t enough, there are several other things you can do to clear up storage on an Android phone, whether it’s a Pixel or not. 

First, if you’re wondering why you’re running out of space on your Pixel 10, it might be due to unused apps filling up your storage. If you haven’t opened an app in months, it’s best to uninstall it for the time being. If you ever need it, you can simply redownload it — you don’t need to keep it on the off chance that you’ll suddenly find a use for it. It’s also a good idea to clear cached data, especially for apps that load a lot of media. For instance, clearing Google Chrome’s cache is an easy way to get a few GBs back without worrying about accidentally deleting important files. If you still need more storage space, it’s worth looking into cloud storage options and deleting backed-up data from your device.