Smartphones perform like a computer and also behave like a computer. When it is new, it’s fast, but time will come the performance will get weaker and you will notice it, particularly the speed.
It will become sluggish, which takes time to load and open, this is normal for all computing devices like your smartphone. There are some factors that make your Android phone slow down, luckily they’re also some ways you can perform to regain the speed again.
You can follow these tips to bring back the performance of your Android smartphone.
Go to Settings > Storage > Cached Data. Select the option to clear cached data for all apps, or go to Settings > Apps and individually clear cache for specific apps by tapping on Storage & Cache and selecting Clear Cache.
Go to Settings > Storage > Free Up Space and delete any redundant files. You can also move photos and videos to cloud storage or an external SD card.
Uninstall Unused or Rarely Used Apps : Excess apps not only take up space but may run background processes that slow down your phone.
Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All Apps. For each unused app, select Uninstall. For pre-installed apps that you don’t use, tap on Disable to prevent them from running.
2. Update Android Software and Apps Update System Software : System updates often include performance optimizations, bug fixes, and sometimes even interface enhancements.
Go to Settings > System > System Update and check for updates. If there’s an update available, ensure your device is charged or connected to a charger, and then download and install it.
Keep Apps Updated : App updates can include performance tweaks and bug fixes that improve functionality.
Open the Google Play Store, tap on your profile icon, go to My Apps & Games, and select Update All to keep all apps up to date.
3. Adjust Animation Scales in Developer Options Reducing or disabling animations can make your phone feel more responsive.
Go to Settings > About Phone and tap Build Number seven times to enable Developer Options. Go back to Settings and open Developer Options. Scroll down to Window Animation Scale, Transition Animation Scale, and Animator Duration Scale. Set each to 0.5x or Off. 4. Switch to Lite Apps and Lightweight Launchers Use Lite Versions of Popular Apps : Regular versions of some apps, like Facebook or Messenger, can consume lots of processing power. Lite apps use fewer resources and take up less space.
Examples: Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, Google Go, and YouTube Go.
Use a Lightweight Launcher : Some third-party launchers are optimized for speed and can even offer customization for better performance.
Recommended Launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, or Microsoft Launcher. These offer customizable settings to reduce animations and memory usage.
5. Limit Background Processes and Services Limiting background processes can prevent too many apps from running at once, freeing up RAM for your current tasks.
Go to Developer Options and locate Background Process Limit. Choose an option like At most 4 processes or No background processes (though no background processes may reduce multitasking capabilities). 6. Reduce Widgets and Avoid Live Wallpapers Minimize Widgets : Widgets, especially those that refresh frequently (e.g., weather, social media updates), use memory and battery.
Press and hold any widget on your home screen, then drag it to the Remove or Trash icon.
Replace Live Wallpapers with Static Ones : Live wallpapers look nice but consume considerable CPU and GPU power.
Go to Settings > Wallpaper and select a simple, static wallpaper.
7. Enable Data Saver Mode Limiting data usage by background apps can conserve resources, saving both data and battery life.
Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Data Saver and turn it on. You can also specify which apps can bypass Data Saver.
8. Use Battery Optimization Settings Android has built-in battery optimization to reduce unnecessary background activity. Enabling it can lead to better performance.
Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization. Select apps you rarely use and set them to Optimized or Restricted to save resources.
9. Restart Regularly Restarting the phone every few days or so can help free up memory by clearing temporary files and resetting processes.
Simply press and hold the power button and select Restart. This can improve responsiveness, especially if your phone has been slowing down.
10. Use Device Maintenance/Optimization Apps Cautiously Many Android phones have a built-in Device Care or Device Maintenance feature (Samsung phones, for instance), which can help clean memory and close background apps.
Go to Settings > Device Maintenance/Device Care and select Optimize Now to close unnecessary background tasks and clear memory.
Read: 6 Helpful Utility Apps to have your Android Smartphone
11. Perform a Factory Reset (Last Resort) A factory reset should only be done if your phone’s performance is severely affected, and other measures haven’t helped. This will delete all data on your device, so ensure you back up your files first.
Go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase All Data (Factory Reset) and confirm. After restarting, reinstall only essential apps and avoid restoring unnecessary old data.
Following these steps will provide a noticeable improvement in your Android phone’s speed and responsiveness, helping it run closer to its peak performance.
Read Also: Is Your Android Smartphone Getting Too Slow? Here’s What You Need To Do
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