Android smartphones have a reputation of gradually slowing down after at least a few months of use. While the more tech savvy users will anticipate this slump, it typically comes as an unprecedented disappointment for the many who buy these devices thinking they'll stay snappy forever. In truth, it's not just a phone's physical form that is adversely affected by prolonged use. Its performance also starts to dwindle with time, and after a while, apps that took a fraction of a second to launch will take annoyingly longer, and the buggy transitions between screens will get you wanting to upgrade your phone much sooner than you thought.
That said, there are a few things you can do to salvage your aging smartphone, and perhaps even get it back to near-peak condition. The tricks below will help you speed up any slow Android phone.
1. Clean The Storage
Contrary to popular belief, a smartphone's RAM isn't the only memory module that directly influences performance. All your apps store their data on the internal storage, which means that filling up your phone will likely lead to your favorite applications taking more time to fetch what they need amidst the horde of data in the secondary memory.
If your phone is getting slow, therefore, the chances are high that the storage could be running low. Go through all your files to see what you can delete to free up some space.
2. Get Rid Of Unnecessary Apps
Smartphones are little computers that bring limitless functionality and convenience right to our fingertips. However, unless you can afford a high-end handset, having many apps can take a serious toll on the performance of your smartphone. Many budget Android phones ship with 8GB of internal storage or less which in many cases is barely enough for a handful of apps when taking into account the space taken by Android updates. That said, choose your apps wisely. Not only does lack of storage space slow down your phone but many unnecessary apps run in the background, reducing the RAM available for more important functions.
Because it's easy to install an application and forget about it, the good idea is to go through your app drawer once in awhile and uninstall the ones you'll find unnecessary. The space you save or the RAM you free up could earn your phone a significant performance boost.
3. Minimize Widgets, Animations And Other Extras
Android manufacturers often accompany the stock operating system with a UI overlay that gives their phones a certain degree of uniqueness. While some try to keep things clean, most introduce a variety of animations, special effects, widgets, live wallpapers, and other pleasantries. They may look great, but if your phone is not as responsive as you'd like, they should be the first to go.
Check your launcher settings to see if there are some extras you can disable, and if you have any widgets that you don't need, consider removing them. Not only will your phone get faster, but you'll also experience a notable improvement in its battery life.
4. Update Your Software
If you've been ignoring the update alert that's been nagging you on the status bar, it's perhaps time to oblige. Software updates aren't just meant to bring new features. In fact, developers spend more time polishing up what they have than coming up with additional functions.
Most OTA upgrades, therefore, often introduce bug fixes and performance enhancements, which handle a variety of issues. Updating the software or an application could be just what your slow smartphone needs to regain its lost glory.
5. Backup And Reset
Sometimes, even the pointers above will get you nowhere close to the performance you want from your Android phone. In that case, a factory reset will almost certainly do the trick. As phones get old, the processes that go on within them get more intricate. Occasionally giving them a clean start is therefore not a bad idea.
A factory reset will wipe the phone clean, leaving the software just the way it was when you bought it. Be sure to back up any important files first, however, as the process will delete everything on your phone.
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