Smartphones have become an integral part of our life, helping us to perform a variety of tasks ranging from communicating with others to shopping online among other things. However, many issues can cause the device to slow down including storage issues, outdated firmware and many other reasons. It can be both annoying and inconvenient when your smartphone lags or takes too long to respond. If you are experiencing such an issue, this guide explores the various ways to fix slow Android phone. If you are using iPhone, check our article on how to fix slow iPhone.
1. Restart Your Android Phone
Your phone may be slow because some apps or processes could be running quietly in the background. Restarting your device is often an effective way to improve its performance.
- To restart your device, long press the power button and select “Restart” option.
- Alternatively, you can press the power button for about 20 to 30 seconds or until it shuts down and then press the button again to turn on.
If it is only a temporary issue, the device should now respond without any lags or freeze. If the phone is still slow after a restart, you can proceed with other troubleshooting options.
2. Check and Free Up Internal Storage Space
Limited internal memory (ROM) is one of the common reasons for Android devices to slowdown. To address this, check if your device’s storage is full or nearly full, and free up some space to improve performance.
Checking Your Device Internal Storage
- Tap on the “Settings” app (a gear icon) and open it.
- Scroll down on the settings page and tap “Storage” option from the list.
- This will show your device’s storage, including the amount of used and available space. Depending on your Android model, you might also see a detailed breakdown of memory usage.
How to Free Up Space?
You can free up space by clearing the device cache or removing some of the bulk yet unnecessary files.
- Scroll down on the Storage section, tap on the “Cache” option and confirm your action to delete the cached data.
- Review and uninstall unused apps or delete unnecessary files like images and videos to free up space.
- If you prefer not to delete files permanently, transfer them to another device, such as your PC, to create more storage on your Android device.
- Alternatively, consider investing in a larger SD card for additional storage. This lets you store large files or even install apps on external storage, reducing the load on your device’s internal memory (ROM).
3. Update Your Android and Firmware
- To check for and install system updates, navigate to your phone’s settings and select the last menu option, “About phone.”
- This will open the “Updater” window, showing the current version and update status.
- Tap “Check for Updates” and install any available updates.
Related: How to fix slow Wi-Fi issues in Android phones?
4. Closing Apps to Boost Performance
You might have many apps installed on your phone, but sometimes they can slow down the device or cause it to become unresponsive. Opening multiple apps at once can be convenient, especially when you want to multi-task or switch across various tools. However, too many running apps take up much of your phone internal storage spacing slowing down the device.
- Tap on the “App Switcher” icon (mostly a square icon next to the device home button) to view a list of all running apps.
- You can selectively close apps that you do not need by swiping them away one at a time. Alternatively, tap the “Clear All” option to close all the current active apps.
5. Disable or Uninstall Bloatware Apps
In most cases, Android devices are shipped with pre-installed commercial apps, installed either by carrier or manufacturer. These apps consume resources, causing unnecessary lags.
- To disable an app, go to “Settings” and then select “Apps” from the menu.
- Find an app and tap on it to open the “App Info” page.
- Tap on “Disable” button and confirm the action when prompted.
Disabling pre-installed apps prevents them from using memory by running in the background. It is also possible to “Force Stop” an app from the same settings screen.
6. Remove Pre-Installed Apps
Another way to handle bloatware is by completely removing the apps from your device. While there’s no option to uninstall them through regular settings, advanced users can still remove these apps manually.
- First, you need to root your Android phone to allow you to remove bloatware apps.
- Once rooted, go to the apps settings and tap the “uninstall” button.
7. Check for and Install Apps Updates
Outdated apps can consume more resources than necessary, resulting in a slow Android device.
- Launch the “Play Store” app and go to “My Apps & games” section. Under the “Updates” tab, you will see a list of apps with available updates.
- You may touch the “Update All” button to download and install updates for all apps or tap the “Update” button beside the apps to update one at a time.
Summary
There are various factors that can slow down your Android phone, making it challenging to pinpoint and resolve the issue. To improve your phone’s performance, you may need to try multiple solutions, such as restarting the device or uninstalling pre-installed apps. In some cases, resetting your phone to its factory settings can help to fix slow performance. Additionally, it is recommended to install lightweight apps and keep them updated to ensure optimal performance.
