Speed up my phone - what can I do to make that happen?

Android devices have a tendency of getting old. And not only in the physical way, prolonged usage can also take a toll on performance, making it seem like you need to upgrade your phone sooner than you thought. What gives? Well, if you have been wondering “what can I do to speed up my phone”, you are in luck! You may be able to save your smartphone by performing a few tricks that can push your handset forward, possibly making it as snappy as the first day you turned it on.

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Looking for some other great tips for not only speeding up your old device, but optimizing your new ones too? Check out “How to optimize your Android smartphone and get the best performance”.

Speed up my phone – Delete and disable unnecessary apps

Like me, you probably have way too many apps on your smartphone. We all download applications without even thinking about it. After some testing we realize they are no good, and it’s normal to simply forget about these applications and leave them roaming around the app drawer.

This is fine when you have a lot of storage, but some may need to save that precious space. Not to mention, this software may be running in the background at times. Unused apps are definitely resource hogs, so just get rid of them! You can do this by using the app manager in your settings, or by long-pressing apps in your drawer and dragging them to the “Uninstall” section.

Speed up my phone – Clear the cache data

Don’t know what cached data is? Well, it’s a good thing to have it, as it actually speeds up your device. By saving some data locally, the system can reduce loading times and avoid the need to grab the same bits from the Internet every single time you enter a website or app.

The issue is that cache can build up and become pretty heavy on your smartphone’s internal storage. Try to clear it from time to time, as it can also get old. The option is available for individual apps through the app manager, or you can look for a cache cleaning application in the Google Play Store.

Speed up my phone – Clean your device storage

Got too much music, videos and other files around? Filling up your internal storage can affect performance, so try to keep your phone memory as tidy as possible. Go through all your files and decide what you will actually use and what is just taking up space for no good reason.

Speed up my phone – Get rid of widgets!

Widgets are very cool, but they can be huge resource hogs and slow down your device. These windows of information are constantly fetching data and looking for updates. Try to limit your widget usage as much as possible. Of course, don’t sacrifice your whole experience either; after all, widgets are among of the coolest things the Android OS offers. Just keep it limited to what you will actually take advantage of.

Speed up my phone – Dump the live wallpaper

And here’s another awesome Android feature that is not exactly the best at keeping your smartphone clean and smooth. Live wallpapers sure are fun, but they affect performance and battery life. Unless you are willing to sacrifice a bit for those fancy animations, just go grab a regular image.

Speed up my phone – Keep your phone’s software up to date

Have you been putting off installing that update that keeps nagging you in the notification area? Remember software updates are not always about new features. In fact, most times the main purpose of these OTA upgrades is to squash bugs and introduce performance enhancements. Make sure your phone’s software is always on the latest version available.

Speed up my phone – Rooting?

If you really want to go nuts and unlock the door to a whole other series of possibilities, you can root your phone. Once you get total access to your device you can install cleaner ROMs that will keep your phone running smoother. It’s even possible to overclock the processor and make it work extra hard for you, hence making the phone faster.

Just keep in mind these methods are not for the faint of heart. Rooting your phone can be a complicated process, and it can void your warranty. Not to mention the fact that you can often deem your device unusable if you fail to do things right. Want to follow this path? Be very careful, follow instructions, and do your homework first.

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Speed up my phone – Perform a factory data reset!

Phones get old, but that isn’t exactly why they get slower with time. A lot goes on within your handset’s software, so giving it a clean start from time to time is never a bad idea. Sometimes even trying all the previous tips will get you nowhere. In which case the best bet would be to just go ahead and do a factory data reset.

What is a factory data reset? It’s pretty much a method in which you wipe your phone clean and leave the software just the way it was the first time you turned the phone on. Keep in mind this will delete everything in your phone, so back up any important files first!

The option is in your phone’s settings under “Backup and reset”. There’s also ways to do a factory reset using the recovery menu, but the steps are different for every phone. Google is your friend!

Wrapping up

Now, if none of this works, it might be time to get yourself a new device! Let us refer you to our “Best Android phones” article, where we tell you which are the most awesome handsets around. These are all super high-end, so you know you won’t be getting any slowdowns.

Hit the comments and let us know which of these are the most effective tricks for you. Do you know of any other ways to make your phone faster?

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