One UI 8.5 Removed Your Storage Number — Here's How to Actually Check It

 


Did you open Device Care after updating to One UI 8.5 and notice something's missing? You're not imagining it. Samsung quietly removed the exact available storage number from the Device Care menu. Now you only see total capacity and storage in use — meaning you have to do the math yourself to know how much space is actually free.

It sounds small, but if you're the type who checks storage before downloading a big app or backing up photos, this one hurts. Here's what changed, why it happened, and three real ways to get your storage number back.

What Changed in Device Care

Before One UI 8.5, opening Settings > Device Care showed you three clear numbers:

  • Total storage
  • Storage in use
  • Available storage (the important one)

With One UI 8.5, that third number is gone. Now you only see:

  • Total capacity
  • Amount currently in use

If you want your free space, you have to subtract it yourself — annoying if you're on a 512GB or 1TB device and don't want to do mental math every time.

3 Ways to Check Your Actual Free Storage

1. Manual Calculation

  • Open Device Care
  • Note the Total and Used numbers on the main page
  • Subtract Used from Total
  • Works, but it's the slowest option if you check storage often

2. My Files App (Most Reliable)

  • Open your My Files app
  • Tap the Internal Storage folder
  • Your available free space is listed right at the top
  • No subtraction needed — this is currently the fastest, most accurate method

3. Add Device Care to Your App Drawer

  • Go to Settings > Device Care
  • Tap the three dots in the corner
  • Choose Settings

  • Toggle Show Device Care on app screen to ON

This won't bring the missing number back, but it gives you one-tap access to Device Care without digging through Settings each time.

Why Did Samsung Remove It?

Samsung hasn't officially explained the change. A few things worth knowing:

  • It reads more like a side effect of a Device Care redesign than an intentional feature decision
  • Reddit's One UI community has been vocal about the frustration, especially users with higher-capacity devices
  • Some people suggest using the home screen storage widget as a workaround — but its data can be unreliable, since it's been reported to ignore the system partition, causing a mismatch between what it shows and what Device Care shows

Stick with the My Files method for accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. 1: Why did One UI 8.5 remove the available storage number?

Samsung hasn't given an official reason. It appears to be a side effect of a broader Device Care redesign rather than an intentional feature removal.

Q. 2: Is there a setting to bring back the old storage view?

Not currently. There's no toggle to restore the exact available storage number in Device Care — you'll need to use one of the workarounds above. 

Q. 3: Is the home screen storage widget accurate?

Not always. It has been reported to sometimes exclude the system partition, which can make its number differ from what Device Care shows.

Q. 4: Which method is fastest?

The My Files app is the quickest — it shows your exact available storage the moment you open the Internal Storage folder.

Final Thoughts

This isn't a dealbreaker, but it's the kind of small annoyance that adds up if you check your storage often. Until Samsung brings the number back (if it ever does), the My Files method is your best bet for a quick, accurate answer.

If your Galaxy has also been draining battery faster since this update, check out our full One UI 8.5 battery fix guide — it covers the settings changes worth making right away. 

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