This application sets forth techniques for managing the allocation of memory storage space in a non-volatile memory to improve the operation of a camera application. A camera application monitors an amount of available memory storage space in the non-volatile memory. Responsive to various triggering events, the camera application compares the amount of available memory storage space to a threshold value. When the amount of available memory storage space is less than the threshold value, the camera application transmits a request to a background service to free additional memory storage space within a temporary data store associated with one or more applications installed on the computing device. The temporary data store provides a location for local data to improve the efficiency of the applications, which can be exploited by the camera application to free up memory to avoid a low-memory condition that could prevent the camera application from performing certain operations.