It is the reason why your android phone slows down with time
Have you ever realized that your android phone gets slower every month? Applications are unbelievably slow to open, screens slow down and even basic operations seem like a hassle.
This is experienced by nearly all people. And it is not that your phone is broken, it is only congested.
Imagine that your Android is a backpack. The backpack was light and easily carried when you were first possessed of it. You crammed more stuff in it, though, as time went on. Faded receipts, missing pens, and things you had forgotten. Now it is heavy and can hardly be moved around.
Your phone works the same way. Each application that you download, each picture that you capture and each file that you store weighs. The good news? You will be able to remove the load and make your phone seem like it is new.
Now let us look at some of the tips that work in real life.
Clean Out the Digital Junk
Unnecessary files are downloaded into your phone daily. These files occupy spaces in places where you never visit, and these files slow down everything.
Remove Apps You Don’t Use
Examine your application list at this moment. What number of applications have you not used in months?
When idle, each application occupies storage space. There are apps as well that are background processes that consume your battery and slow down your phone.
Here’s what to do:
- Go to Settings
- Touch Apps or Application Manager
- Filter by “Last Used” or “Rarely used”
- Anything that has not been used in 2-3 months should be uninstalled
You will be shocked to find the number of applications you forgot. Games you used to play, applications you have never had to use to shop, or applications that you downloaded, just in case.
Delete them. It is always possible to reinstall, when necessary.
Clear Cache Data Regularly
Apps read and write cache files that are temporary and enable the apps to load faster. Sounds helpful, right? However, these files accumulate over time and become an e-waste.
Deleting history is similar to clearing the garbage bin in your house. It needs to happen regularly.
How to clear cache:
- Open Settings
- Go to Storage
- Tap on Cached Data
- Clear to ensure all data is cleared
It is also possible to clear cache on a single app in case you observe a certain app to be particularly slow.
Click on Settings > Apps > Select the app > Clear Cache.
This will not delete your personal data or log-in information. It simply erases temporary files.
Prevent Background Apps From Going Wild
Apps enjoy to run behind your back, even when you are not using it. They update, synchronize data and do something that you have never even asked them to do.
This continuous movement has the ability to drain your battery and reduce your processor speed.
Limit Background Processes
Android also has a developer menu which allows you to set the number of applications you can allow running in the background.
Activate Developer Options:
- Go to Settings
- Scroll to About Phone
- Repeatedly tap Build Number seven times
- You will find a message that you have become a developer
Limit background processes:
- Go back to Settings
- Find Developer Options
- Go down to Background Process Limit
- Choose the number of processes at most 2 or at most 3
This instructs your phone not to permit a lot of apps to run in the background. Your phone is going to concentrate on what you are actually doing.
Disable App Auto-Sync
Numerous applications will sync information on a daily basis automatically. Email applications scan new messages, social media applications update feeds, and cloud storage applications upload files.
This syncing is all done though without your knowledge and consumes processing power.
Switch off auto-syncing of the applications that you do not need to be updated on all the time:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Accounts
- Select the account type
- Toggle off Auto-sync data
You are still able to manually refresh apps in case you wish to update.
Enhance the Graphical Performance of Your Cellphone
Your phone struggles to give you pleasant effects and cool transitions. These visual effects are pleasant to the eye but need to be processed.
These effects can be reduced or eliminated to ensure that your phone is significantly faster.
Turn Animation off or down
Android is animated when you open a program, switch a screen or a menu. These animations are costly both in time and resources.
Making them down makes it even faster.
Adjust animation settings:
- Go to Settings
- Open Developer Options
- Find these three settings:
- Window Animation Scale
- Transition Animation Scale
- Animator Duration Scale
- Set each of them to 0.5x (or OFF)
The difference is immediate. Your phone will be twice as fast since screens pop up rather than slide or fade they come up.
Use a Lighter Launcher
The interface that you look at on a daily basis is your launcher. Stock Android launchers are okay, although, particular phone makers also include cumbersome and bloated launchers, which clog things up.
Our recommendation is to switch to a lightweight launcher such as:
- Nova Launcher
- Microsoft Launcher
- Lawnchair Launcher
These options utilize less and they have customization options that may enhance performance even more.
Manage Your Space
Everything becomes slow when your phone memory is full. Your phone should have free space to run without problems.
| Storage Level | Performance Impact |
|---|---|
| 90-100% Full | Slows to crawl, crashes of applications |
| 80-90% Full | Visible lag, decreased responsiveness |
| 60-80% Full | Moderate delays during heavy usage |
| Below 60% | Optimal performance |
It is always good to have some 20-30 percent of your storage space left.
Moving Photos and Videos to Cloud Storage
Images and videos are storage sinks. One 4K video may occupy a few gigabytes.
Free space with cloud storage:
- Google Photos (free and compressed)
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
- Amazon Photos
After making certain your files have been backed up, get rid of them in your phone.
Delete Old Downloads and Files
The PDFs, pictures, APK files, and documents that you barely remember ever having come into your life flood your Downloads folder.
Scan your Downloads Folder:
- Open the Files app or My Files
- Navigate to Downloads
- Sort by date or size
- Erase what you do not need anymore
Check also your messaging apps. WhatsApp, Telegram, and other messaging applications store all the images and videos they can send to you. These files are rapidly growing.
Keep Your Software Updated
The software updates are not only about the new features. They always incorporate performance enhancements and bug fixes that optimize your phone.
Update Your Android Operating System
Install system updates released by your phone manufacturer.
Check for updates:
- Go to Settings
- Move to System or Software Update
- Tap Check for Updates
- Install any possible updates
Such updates make the best use of the hardware on your phone and in many cases can also increase the battery life.
Update Your Apps
Old applications may lead to crashes, freezing and slowdowns. Programmers are continually working on how to make their applications run better.
Allow automatic updates to applications:
- Open Google Play Store
- Tap your profile icon
- Go to Settings
- Tap Network Preferences
- Select Auto-update Apps
- Select either “Over any network” or “Over Wi-Fi only”
Reboot Your Phone on a Regular Basis
This is too simple of a tip that it works, yet it is rather effective.
Rebooting your phone will free memory of temporary files, end errant applications and provide your system with a clean start.
Consider it as having a good night sleep. Your phone needs rest too.
Reboot your phone at least once in a week. When you find that it becomes slow, restart it.
A large number of Android devices allow automatic restarts to be scheduled:
- Go to Settings
- Find Battery or Device Care
- Search Auto Restart or Scheduled Restart
- Program it to restart after one night
Disable or Remove Bloatware
Bloatware means that it is the applications included on your phone. These apps are added by phone manufacturers, and a large number of them are worthless.
In most cases, you cannot entirely get rid of bloatware but you can switch it off.
Disable bloatware:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Apps
- Find the bloatware app
- Tap Disable
The disable button simply stops the running of an app and removes it out of your app drawer. It will not update or consume resources any more.
In case you have a rooted phone, or are not afraid of ADB commands, it is possible to completely uninstall bloatware. This, though, needs technical expertise, and may also pose problems when you delete vital system applications.
Optimize Your Battery Settings
Battery performance and optimization can be seen as synonymous. Lack of battery management in your phone impacts on overall speed.
Enable Battery Saver Mode Selectively
Android phones have a battery saver mode that restricts the background activity and slows down the performance to increase battery life.
Though you cannot leave it on the entire time, when your battery is running low, you can still enable it to save on the resources wasted in your phone.
Find Battery-Draining Applications
There are apps that consume significantly more power than they need to and, as such, are usually slowing down your phone as well.
Check battery usage:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Battery
- Choose Battery Usage or Battery Consumption
- Check which applications consume the most battery
In the background, in case you find an application that uses too much battery, reduce its background performance or remove it.
Reset Your Phone When All Else Fails
In some cases, you are too much stuck in your Android phone and little patching cannot rectify the situation. A factory reset in such instances will provide you with an entirely new fresh start.
Before you reset:
- Save your photographs, videos, and other valuable information
- List your applications so that you do not forget what to reinstall
- Be sure that you have a Google account password
Perform a factory reset:
- Go to Settings
- Tap System
- Select Reset Options
- Select Erase All Data (Factory Reset)
- Confirm and wait till the process is done
Your phone will be like a fresh start. It also makes you feel fresh and fast so always install what you really use.
Performance Comparison: Before and After Optimization
| Task | Before Optimization | After Optimization |
|---|---|---|
| App Launch Time | 3-5 seconds | 1-2 seconds |
| Screen Transitions | Sluggish with lag | Instant response |
| Available Storage | 85% full | 60% full |
| Background Apps Running | 15-20 apps | 3-5 apps |
| Battery Drain | 20% per hour (active use) | 10-12% per hour (active use) |
Additional Quick Wins
Some of the smaller points that can help include:
Use Lite versions of apps: There are also Lite versions of numerous popular apps that do not require as much storage and resources. Facebook Lite, Twitter Lite and YouTube Go are such examples.
Turn off live wallpapers: Live wallpapers are very nice to have, but they drain processing power anyway. Use wallpapers that are not moving.
Disable unwanted notifications: A notification requires processing power to be shown. To turn off notifications about unimportant apps, go to Settings > Notifications and switch alerts to the off position.
Free up your home screen: Widgets and live icons keep on updating in the background. Keep your home page as bare as simple.
Uninstall task killers: It is ironic that task killers will slow down your phone. Android is efficient with regards to memory management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How frequently should I delete the phone cache?
When using the device, clear your cache after every 2-3 weeks. Clear the cache at the earliest opportunity once you realize your phone has been slowing down or the apps are not behaving correctly.
Will this shutting down of animations actually make my phone faster?
Yes. Disabling/reducing animation will give an instant performance improvement. Your phone does the same, only you see the screens immediately rather than an animation which is much faster.
Is it permissible to restrict background processes?
Yes, it’s completely safe. Android will be automatic to close less important processes and prioritize important processes. No functionality will be lost.
Is it possible to make an old Android phone perform as a new one?
Hardware limitations exist, but you can make a very high level of performance. The phone of 2015 will not be a 2024 flagship, but these tricks will make it as fast as it can be with the hardware it has.
Is clearing RAM really beneficial?
Not really. Android has made good use of the RAM and applications run quicker when they are in the RAM. Clearing RAM constantly will slow things down actually since apps have to restart afresh.
Should I keep updating my phone, even when it is old?
Yes, install updates provided that your manufacturer releases them. Security patches are also provided as well as performance improvements which ensure your phone is running efficiently.
Will factory-resetting my phone destroy all of my phone data?
Yes, factory reset will destroy data, applications and settings. Always do a full copy of vital files prior to a reset.
What can I do to know what applications are slowing my phone?
Select Settings > Battery or Settings > Device Care. These tabs indicate what apps consume the highest resources. Applications that consume a lot of battery will also tend to slow down your phone.
Your Phone Should be Given a Second Life
You do not necessarily have to purchase another phone whenever the one you are using becomes slow. The following smart Android tips would help to revive your device.
Begin with the simple ones: empty cache, delete unnecessary applications, and turn off unwanted animations. These three measures alone will cause a significant difference.
Then proceed to higher levels of optimization such as restricting background services and storage space.
It is a process to remember that it is a continuous process of keeping your phone fast. You should set aside 15 minutes each month to organize files, update your applications, and clear your cache.
There are years to come when your Android phone can remain fast and responsive. Treat it in a good manner and it will pay back with a hassle-free performance.
Changing these is something you should do today and you will see the difference at once. Your applications will load more quickly, screens will be faster and you will have an improved mobile experience.
Faster phone will be less frustrating, more productive and a phone that will actually match your pace in life.
