optimization tips for Android devices
1. Update the Android Operating System
To update your Android phone, follow these simple steps:
- Open the Settings app and select the “Android” tab.
- Scroll down to the bottom and select “Update my Android phone”.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to update your Android phone.
To check which version of Android you’re currently running, open your phone’s Settings and scroll down until you see the System Settings block. Select About device or About phone. In this section, you’ll find your Android version information.
If you haven’t updated your Android phone in a while, it might be a good idea to check for updates. You can do this by opening the Settings app on your phone and looking for an option to Check for updates. If your phone is up-to-date, it will say so at the top of the screen. ..
2. Restart Your Phone
Restarting your device can improve your phone’s performance, eliminate a bug causing your phone’s lagging, and clear some of your RAM if the issue is in the memory management system.
If you own a midrange or low-range smartphone, it’s a good idea to reboot it periodically before you notice a dip in performance. This tip can work wonders if you own a midrange or low-range smartphone. However, if you own a flagship-level smartphone, don’t expect drastic results from rebooting.
3. Clear Up Storage Space
If you’re running low on storage, take steps to free up space. Clearing your phone’s memory can reduce the CPU load and improve performance. According to Google, performance problems start when you have less than 10% of the available storage free. ..
If you’re noticing that your Android phone is starting to feel full, there’s a way to free up some space. In your phone’s Settings, look for the Storage section. You’ll find an option to Clean or Free Up space. This will remove old files and app data, and offer to delete big files like videos that take up a lot of space. ..
To delete caches, duplicate files, and any unwanted media files and apps from your phone, use the Google app Files.
4. Get Rid of the Bloatware
Some people find that bloatware is a nuisance, while others find it helpful. If you’re concerned about the amount of software installed on your smartphone, it’s important to know which apps are pre-installed and which ones you can uninstall.
Manually deleting apps can be the most effective way to remove them from your device. Be careful not to delete any important programs, like the default apps, and make sure to go through each app one by one. ..
If you want to save space on your Android phone and disable automatic updates for some of your apps, you can do that. Another way to remove bloatware from your Android is by rooting it. We’ll come back to this in a bit. ..
Pure Android OS devices are the best way to go if you don’t want any bloatware on your phone.
5. Clean Up Your Home Screen
If you have widgets that refresh data from time to time (like the weather widget), be sure to check their settings to see if they’re using too much battery life. ..
Remove widgets from your phone’s home screen to fix the issue. You can use your launcher’s settings menu to access your widgets, remove them, and choose lighter ones to keep on your home screen.
If you’re having trouble with the short battery life, try using power saving or battery saving mode to prolong your phone’s runtime. Other things that can help extend battery life include turning off WiFi and Bluetooth when you’re not using them, closing apps running in the background, or carrying a portable power bank.
6. Use an Android Launcher
Android smartphones that don’t run the stock Android OS, like the Google Pixel, typically have a modified version of Android. This means that your user interface may be cluttered with widgets, apps, and visual elements that take up space on your Android. ..
If you’re looking for an alternative launcher to save space, there are a number of options available on Google Play. Some of the more popular launchers include Nova, Apex, and ADW. You can customize your home screen to have the apps and widgets you want on-screen, as well as change almost everything about them from color schemes to size and shape. ..
7. Use Lite Edition Apps
Some developers offer Lite or Go editions of their apps for Android smartphones with limited RAM and storage space. These apps are great for old and low-end Android devices. However, even if you own a flagship-grade device, you should consider using them.
Apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all require a lot of your smartphone’s resources and memory to run. By using Lite edition apps, you can conserve your phone’s resources while still using the services you’re used to. Lite edition apps like Facebook don’t require as many app permissions as regular apps, and Twitter’s auto-playing videos can be disabled in the settings. ..
If you want to use smaller alternatives to full-blown apps, uninstall the original apps and download their Lite versions. Some popular Lite edition apps on Google Play are Google Go, Google Assistant Go, Google Maps Go, Facebook Lite, and Twitter Lite.
8. Speed Up Android Animations
Android animations can make your smartphone seem faster, but changing the animation speed won’t actually speed up your device. ..
To speed up your Android animations, you first need to enter the Developer mode. To do that, open the Settings app on your smartphone and follow the path About Device / About Phone > Version > Build number. Tap the Build number several times until the You are now in Developer mode message appears. Now return to your system settings and select the Developer options. Once in Developer mode, you can speed up animations by turning on “Animation Speed.” ..
To change the animation settings for your window:
- Open the Window Animation Settings dialog box by clicking on the Window Animation button in the Animator toolbar.
- Change the animation scale setting to what you want it to be (1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x).
- Change the Transition Animation Scale setting to what you want it to be (1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x).
- Change the Animator Duration Scale setting to what you want it to be (1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x). ..
Disable system animations to improve performance. However, you’ll have to sacrifice the transition effects you’re used to. ..
Disable Developer options in the Windows 10 operating system.
9. Take Security Measures
Your desktop operating system likely includes a virus scanner that you can use to protect your Android device from malware. However, you might end up doing more harm than good by installing an antivirus app on your Android device. This app can potentially contain malicious code and could damage your device in ways you cannot predict.
Android isolates apps from each other to prevent them from causing errors and interfering with the system’s work. That’s why the antivirus app won’t be able to scan your Android system as effectively as it would on a desktop computer.
Google Play Services helps keep your Android device safe by detecting and removing malicious apps. If you want to be extra safe, you can install a third-party antivirus app on your Android device. ..
Some people choose to avoid clicking anonymous links and opening attachments from unknown senders because they want to improve their phone’s security. You can also install a VPN service to help you do this. ..
10. Root Your Smartphone
If you want to take advantage of the full potential of your Android device, rooting it is a must. Rooting gives you access to features that are not available by default on your smartphone, such as custom recoveries to flash various files, root-only apps, removing bloatware, an ability to remove built-in apps, and more. ..
If you own an older smartphone model, rooting your device lets you update the operating system (OS) and access new features and security patches without waiting for your carrier to provide an update. Rooting also allows you to take full control of your device, including the ability to install custom applications and change system settings. ..
To gain root access on an Android device, you will need to follow a specific set of steps depending on the phone manufacturer. For example, Samsung Galaxy devices will require different instructions than Google Pixel devices. Additionally, you should make a complete backup of all your important files before beginning the rooting process since rooting will erase all data on your device. ..
Take Good Care of Your Android Device
To keep your Android device running longer, be sure to take care of it. Make sure you only install new software from known and trusted sources, back up your data, reboot your phone from time to time, remove large files and unused apps, keep the rest of your data organized, and ensure your device is always up to date.
If your Android device is struggling, you can try reducing data consumption or blocking all notifications to improve its performance.
