How to make my Android phone run faster: A Comprehensive Guide

Don’t let a slow phone ruin your day. Learn How to make my Android phone run faster with these easy-to-follow steps.

If you’re tired of dealing with a sluggish Android phone, don’t let it ruin your day! You may not need to buy a new device just yet. In fact, factors like limited storage space and slow internet can often be the root cause of your phone’s slow performance, according to Thomas Reed, director of Mac and mobile at Malwarebytes.

Thankfully, there are plenty of easy fixes you can try to speed up your phone once you’ve identified the issue. To start, let’s explore some of the common culprits that could be dragging down your Android device. And if you’re an iPhone user, we’ve got you covered with some helpful hacks to speed up your device too. Plus, check out our guide on how to restart a frozen iPhone, which could also help improve its performance.

Why is my phone so slow?

To troubleshoot a slow phone, it’s crucial to identify the root cause of the problem. There are several factors that could potentially contribute to the sluggish performance of your device. Consider the following common culprits that might be responsible for the slow-down:

Storage space

Storing a large number of photos, videos, podcasts, and games on your smartphone can consume its memory and burden the computer processing unit (CPU), causing your device to slow down. When your phone’s storage space is running low, it’s time to consider freeing up some space. To help you reclaim some storage space on your iPhone

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Wi-Fi connection

If your smartphone seems to be running slower than usual while connected to a public or free Wi-Fi network, it’s worth checking the signal strength of the network. A weak Wi-Fi connection can cause your phone to lag as it struggles to load apps and web pages. According to Reed, it’s not the phone that’s actually slow in this situation, but rather the slow connection causing apps to load data slowly.

Moreover, it is essential to understand the reasons behind your phone’s slow charging.

The operating system is outdated

Have you recently updated your phone’s operating system? If not, it is highly recommended that you do so as soon as possible. Updating the operating system can fix any existing issues or bugs that may be causing your phone to slow down, and can also enhance the phone’s processing functions, making it work faster. It’s important to note that delaying device updates can have a negative impact on your phone’s lifespan. Therefore, it’s best to keep your phone’s operating system up-to-date to ensure that it runs smoothly and efficiently.

Cache or RAM is full

As you continue to use your device, various apps, and web browsing sessions contribute to the accumulation of data stored in your phone’s cache and RAM. Over time, these bits of information can grow in size and occupy a significant amount of memory space, leading to increased strain on the processor. As a result, your phone’s performance may start to suffer, ultimately causing it to slow down. According to Reed, this process is influenced by several factors.

Apps

Keeping unused or unnecessary apps on your phone can occupy a significant amount of storage space and cause your device to perform sluggishly. Simply deleting them may not be enough, as residual data from these apps may still reside on your phone if you fail to follow the necessary measures to completely remove them.

Pro tip: Close any apps that are running in the background to save battery life and use less data.

Battery Age

As smartphones, including iPhones, age, their battery performance may decline, resulting in a slower device. This is due to the operating system compensating for the reduced battery capacity, leading to slower processing speeds. However, contrary to popular belief, this is not a ploy by smartphone manufacturers to encourage customers to purchase new devices. In fact, this mechanism is designed to protect the battery and optimize power consumption, ultimately extending the life of the phone. This information has been confirmed by Reed, a reputable source in the smartphone industry.

How can I speed up my slow phone?

Optimizing the performance of a smartphone is not a straightforward task as there is no universal solution that works for all devices. The solution to improve your phone’s speed will depend on the specific cause of its sluggishness. After identifying the underlying issue by following the guidelines provided above and answering the question “What is causing my phone to slow down?”, you will be able to determine the most efficient method to enhance its speed once again.

Follow this list of steps you can take to fix your slow phone, based on what’s causing it to drag in the first place.

Free Up Storage Space

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If you want to enhance the performance of your smartphone, a practical approach is to expand your storage capacity. You can accomplish this by deleting storage-intensive apps and files, thereby easing the load on your phone’s CPU and freeing up its processing power for other tasks. Although it may require a little more effort than just clicking a button, both iOS and Android devices include a Storage feature that can help you pinpoint what items to remove in order to create more space. Leveraging this feature can optimize your device’s performance and boost its overall speed.

On iPhones

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Tap on “iPhone Storage” to view a graph that shows which files are taking up the most space on your phone. It will also provide suggestions so you can get more storage, such as offloading unused apps, enabling iCloud Photos Library, and deleting iPhone photos.

On Androids

1. Go to Settings > Storage.
2. Tap on the “Free up space” button to see the top apps and other files you can remove to make space on your device.
3. Select what you want to delete, or consider cloud storage for Android to offload files from your phone.

Clearing Phone Cache

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As you use your smartphone, it accumulates small bits of data from various apps and web browsing, which get stored in the cache. Over time, this cache can grow in size and occupy valuable storage space on your device. This accumulation of data can also slow down your phone’s processing speed. However, you can reclaim storage space and boost your phone’s performance by clearing the cache regularly. By doing so, you’ll free up memory on your device and improve its overall processing speed.

On iPhones

1. Go to Settings > Safari.
2. Scroll down, and select “Clear History and Website Data.”
3. Follow the same steps for any other apps whose cache you want to clear.

On Androids

1. Go to Settings > Storage.
2. Tap “Apps.”
3. Choose the app whose cache you want to clear. You can see which apps are taking up the most space by tapping the three-dot icon in the top right-hand corner and selecting “Sort by size.”
4. In the app’s menu, tap “Clear Cache.”

Perform a soft reset

Like clearing your phone’s cache, performing a soft reset on your phone can clean out the RAM and get it back to running faster and more efficiently. You can also try to factory reset your iPhone to speed it up, but keep in mind that doing so will erase all the data on your phone, including apps and settings.

For iPhones

1. Press and hold the Home and Power buttons at the same time until the iPhone turns off.
2. Continue holding the buttons until the Apple logo appears.
3. Release the buttons, and the phone should reboot to your home screen.

For Androids

1. For Android phones with a removable battery, remove the battery from the back of the phone and then replace it.
2. For Android phones with a non-removable battery, hold down the power and volume buttons at the same time.
3. Release once the boot-up animation appears on the screen.

Update the operating system

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Keeping your smartphone’s operating system up-to-date is essential for ensuring that it remains secure and performs optimally. This holds true for both iPhone and Android users. Contrary to popular belief, iPhones are also vulnerable to viruses, and updating their operating system is crucial to safeguard them against such threats. In addition to protecting your phone from malware, software updates can also introduce new features, enhance performance, and fix bugs that could cause your device to malfunction.

For iPhones

1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
2. Tap “Automatic Updates.”
3. Flip the switches next to “Download iOS Updates” and “Install iOS Updates” to the “on” position.

For Androids

1. Go to Settings > About Phone.
2. Tap “Check for Updates.”
3. If your phone’s operating system needs to be updated, an “Update” button will appear.
4. Tap on the “Update” button, then tap “Install Now,” “Reboot and Install,” or Install System Software,” depending on your phone’s OS.

Delete unused apps

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First, identify any unused apps that are eating up memory and causing your smartphone to lag. Permanently delete them to get more storage space and improve your phone’s processing speed.

For iPhones

1. Press and hold the app you want to delete.
2. Tap “Remove App” in the pop-up menu.
3. Select “Delete App.”
4. Tap “Delete” to erase the app from your phone.

For Androids

1. Press and hold the app you want to delete.
2. If you have a Samsung or OnePlus phone, tap the “Uninstall” or “Disable” button. Other Android users must drag the app to the upper-right corner of the screen and release it over the “Uninstall” option.
3. Tap “OK.”

Battery’s Health

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Your smartphone’s processing speed can be significantly affected by the age and overall health of its battery. If you suspect that your phone is running slow due to the battery, you can check the battery’s health directly on the device. This will help you determine if the battery is the cause of your phone’s sluggish performance.

iPhones

1. Go to Settings > Battery.
2. Under “Battery Health,” you will see your battery’s maximum capacity. The older your battery, the lower the percentage will be.
3. Tap on “Peak Performance Capacity” to learn more about your smartphone’s battery, including whether it has degraded or is not functioning properly.

Androids

1. Download the AccuBattery app from the Google Play Store.
2. In the app, you can learn your phone’s current battery capacity, as well as the battery’s consumption and estimates for how long the phone can go between charges.

Are you experiencing a decrease in your phone’s performance due to an aging battery? According to Reed, instead of investing in a brand-new phone, replacing the battery may be a more viable solution. However, it is important to note that older phones may still experience a reduction in speed when attempting to operate a newer operating system. Therefore, there may come a point where it is necessary to replace the phone altogether.

Frequently Ask Question

Q: Why is my Android phone running slow?

A: There could be a variety of reasons for a slow Android phone, such as low storage space, outdated software, too many background processes, or a lot of cached data.

Q: What can I do to make my Android phone run faster?

A: You can try clearing the cache and data of apps, uninstalling unused apps, disabling or uninstalling bloatware, updating the software, restarting the device, or even doing a factory reset.

Q: How do I clear the cache and data of apps?

A: Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps, then select the app you want to clear the cache or data for. Click on “Storage & cache” and choose “Clear cache” or “Clear storage” as needed.

Q: What is bloatware, and how do I disable or uninstall it?

A: Bloatware is pre-installed software on your Android device that you don’t need or use. You can disable it by going to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps and select the app you want to disable. Click on “Disable” if available. If not, you may need to use a third-party app or root your device to uninstall bloatware.

Q: How do I update the software on my Android phone?

A: Go to Settings > System > Software update, then click on “Download and install” if an update is available.

Q: Will doing a factory reset erase all my data?

A: Yes, doing a factory reset will erase all data on your Android phone. Make sure to back up important data before performing a factory reset.

Q: Can installing too many apps slow down my Android phone?

A: Yes, having too many apps can consume a lot of storage space and resources, which can slow down your device. Try to uninstall apps that you don’t use regularly.

Q: How often should I restart my Android phone?

A: Restarting your Android phone once a week can help clear out any accumulated background processes and make your phone run smoother.