HOW TO MAKE YOUR PHONE RUN FASTER: TIPS

We all have a desire for our phones to be faster, even if we’re using an Android device that’s a few years old or one of the latest and greatest phones. The truth is, faster speed is always preferred.

There are plenty of suggestions out there on how to make your phone run faster, but not all of them are effective! Luckily, we’ve taken the time to test them all on your behalf. Keep reading to discover reliable methods to speed up your phone —and also learn what actions you should avoid 😉

How to Speed Up Android: Best Tips

To speed up your device, there are several basic tips you can follow. By making a few changes and ensuring your phone is free from unnecessary clutter, you can enhance its performance.

Clean up your home screen

If your phone has limited RAM or a slower processor, maintaining a minimalistic home screen can contribute to faster speeds. Live wallpapers and widgets utilize system resources, and widgets can even continue updating and running in the background.

One noticeable impact is the “home screen redraw” phenomenon. When you switch from a RAM-intensive app like Chrome, you may experience a momentary blank home screen while your icons, widgets, and wallpaper reload. Keeping your home screens tidy can help avoid this delay!

Try using a different launcher

The default launcher that comes with your Android device is typically designed to highlight its features, and may not always be the fastest or most efficient option. It often includes numerous features that you may not need or use regularly.

Fortunately, there are many excellent third-party launchers available on the Play Store that are optimized for speed and performance. Nova Launcher is a popular choice, but you can explore different options to find the launcher that suits your preferences and needs. Experimenting with different launchers can significantly enhance the speed and customization options of your device.

Consider changing browsers

The default web browser on Android devices is Chrome, which can be resource-intensive. While there are ways to optimize Chrome, another option is to switch to a different browser altogether.

According to benchmark tests, Puffin is one of the fastest Android browsers available. If you prefer a browser that is more similar to Chrome, you can explore alternatives like Brave or DuckDuckGo. These browsers are based on the Chromium engine but remove unnecessary elements found on many websites, resulting in a faster browsing experience.

Remove problematic apps

Certain apps can significantly impact the performance of your phone. It’s not limited to obscure apps, either, as even well-known apps can be culprits.

Snapchat, for example, is known for its legginess on Android devices. Uninstalling resource-heavy apps like Facebook has been reported to improve phone speed by up to 15%. Consider using third-party alternatives for Facebook that provide similar functionality but with better performance. 

Additionally, there are lightweight versions (lite versions) of popular Google apps available that consume less memory and run faster on your device. Removing or replacing these problematic apps can help optimize your phone’s speed.

Consider removing antivirus software

While antivirus software may provide a sense of security, it’s often unnecessary for Android devices. It can slow down your phone’s performance and drain battery life. As long as you stick to downloading apps from trusted sources like the Play Store or Amazon Appstore, the risk of encountering malware is extremely low. Therefore, having an antivirus app installed is generally unnecessary, and removing it can help improve the speed and efficiency of your Android device.

Disable automatic app syncing

Many apps, such as social media, news, and weather apps, are set to automatically sync to stay updated. By default, they may sync as frequently as every 15 minutes, which can put a strain on your phone’s resources.

To alleviate this burden, review the sync schedules for all your apps and adjust them to longer intervals, such as every few hours or once a day. Alternatively, you can disable automatic syncing altogether and manually update the apps when needed. This will reduce the constant background activity and help improve the overall speed and performance of your Android device.

Update your device

Updating both your Android operating system and your apps is crucial for maintaining optimal performance. Each new version of Android typically includes performance enhancements, so it’s important to install updates whenever they become available.

Check for updates on your device by going to Settings > System > System updates. If an update is available, install it. Remember that updates often include bug fixes that may help you!

App Updates

Similarly, keeping your apps up to date is important. Updated apps often include performance improvements, bug fixes, and security enhancements. To ensure that you receive the latest updates promptly, enable automatic updates in the Google Play Store. Go to Settings > Auto-update apps and select the appropriate option to enable automatic updates.

By regularly updating both your device’s operating system and your apps, you can ensure that you have the latest improvements and fixes, leading to a smoother and faster Android experience.

Reboot your device regularly

One of the simplest and most effective ways to optimize the performance of your Android device is to reboot it regularly. Rebooting helps to refresh the operating system and clear any temporary files or processes that may be slowing down your phone. While it’s not necessary to reboot every day, doing it occasionally can work wonders, especially if you notice your phone becoming sluggish or running hotter than usual.

If you have tried all the previous tips and still experience performance issues, a factory reset might be necessary. However, before performing a factory reset, ensure that you back up your important Android data to avoid losing any valuable information.

Avoid manually closing apps

Contrary to popular belief, manually closing apps on Android does not necessarily improve performance or battery life. Android’s built-in system manages app processes and memory automatically. When resources are needed, Android will intelligently close background apps that haven’t been used in a while.

Keeping apps in memory can have benefits. It allows for faster loading times when you revisit the app since it doesn’t need to start from scratch. Closing and reopening apps frequently can consume more battery power and slow down your device, as apps need to go through the entire startup process repeatedly.

Instead of manually closing apps, trust Android’s system to handle app management efficiently. Focus on optimizing other aspects of your device’s performance, such as those mentioned earlier, to ensure a smooth and responsive experience.