12 Ways to Make an Android Faster

We all know the frustration of a lagging, slow Android device. The promise of Android's customization and flexibility gets bogged down by performance issues over time. Apps crash, simple tasks take forever, and even keyboard inputs lag behind your typing.

Luckily, with some tweaking and troubleshooting, you can give your Android device a major speed boost. In this article, we'll provide 12 actionable tips to accelerate performance and make your Android run like new again. From clearing app caches to enabling Developer Options, these tricks will breathe new life into your sluggish smartphone or tablet.

1. Clear All App Caches

Over time, your apps build up temporary cache files that take up storage space. For example, cached media from a social media app or browsing data from a news app.

To clear this data:

1. First Install the 1Tap Cleaner app & launch it & as it opens up tap on the "Cache Cleaner" option.

      

2. Now you'll see a list of all installed apps here, you can clear the cache for specific apps if you want but if you want to clear the cache for all apps at once then tap on the Brush icon.

3. On the next screen, you'll see the total occupied cache size. To continue again tap on the Brush icon.

4. Now it'll ask for accessibility permission to work automatically for all apps. After allowing that again tap on the Brush icon.

5. Now at the bottom of your screen, you'll see that it'll start the process of clearing the cache for each app one by one. 

Doing this for apps like Facebook, X, Chrome, etc can free up hundreds of MBs in one go!

2. Delete Downloads from Streaming Apps

Streaming apps like Netflix, Spotify, and podcast players cache downloaded content. Delete these downloads to open up space.

• Open the app and go to Settings or Downloads.

• Select the downloaded content and choose Delete.

• This will remove cached movies, songs, episodes, etc you're done with.

When you need the app again, simply reinstall it and your data is restored. Offloading unused games, tools, etc frees up space without losing their data.

This forces apps to fully reload content instead of relying on outdated caches. You'll notice maps, music apps, and games speed up.

3. Uninstall Unused Apps

Cluttering your Android with apps you rarely or never use bogs things down. Reduce bloat by uninstalling the apps:

1. Open the Play Store app & tap on the profile icon at the top right corner.

2. Go to "Manage apps & device".

3. Here tap on the Storage option.

4. Tap the app you want to remove and select Uninstall.

Fewer apps mean less strain on your processor, storage space, RAM, and battery. Be ruthless here!

4. Disable Animations

The flashy animations of stock Android seem cool at first, but they require significant processing resources. To reclaim CPU cycles:

1. Go to Settings > Developer options.

2. Find the following animation settings:

• Window animation scale

• Transition animation scale

• Animator duration scale

3. Set each of these settings to 0.5x.

Disabling animations will make your Android interface snap instantly between screens and menus.

5. Check for OS Updates

Outdated system software leads to subpar performance. Ensure your Android is running the latest OS version:

• Go to Settings > Software update.

• Follow the prompts to download and install available OS updates.

Updates often include speed improvements along with new features and security patches.

6. Use Lighter App Alternatives

Poorly optimized, bloated apps like Facebook drain resources. Seek out lighter app options:

• Instead of the official Facebook app, try Facebook Lite.

• Use a browser like Brave instead of Chrome

The less strain apps put on your CPU and battery, the better.

7. Lower Screen Brightness

Having your screen brightness set high will drain your battery faster. Under Settings - Display, turn down the brightness slider to a comfortable level of around 30-50% to conserve battery life. Adaptive brightness will adjust based on ambient light.

8. Limit Location Services

Location tracking in the background eats away at battery reserves. Minimize unneeded location tracking:

• Go to Settings > Location

• Tap App permission

• Set apps like Shopping or Weather to allow location access Only while in use

Restrict constant location access to apps that truly require it like Maps or Uber.

9. Reduce Video Resolution

Streaming or playing high-res video is taxing for any device. Ease the burden by limiting video resolution:

• Open a video app like YouTube.

• Tap the Profile icon at the top right corner & tap on Settings.

• Here go to "Data saving " & turn on "Data saving mode".

This will still allow smooth video playback while conserving data and battery life.

10. Close All Open Browser Tabs

Too many open browser tabs drag down performance, especially on low-RAM devices:

• Open your Android web browser.

• Tap the tab button in the upper right corner.

• Close all tabs you aren't actively using by swiping them away.

Keep only essential web pages open to prevent slowdowns.

11. Restart Your Device

Rebooting your Android essentially clears out the cobwebs. You should regularly restart, especially after major OS updates:

For this Hold down the power button & Tap Restart when prompted.

This refreshes the operating system, closes all apps, and clears memory, forcing full reloads.

12. Factory Reset as a Last Resort

If your Android is still inexplicably slow, a factory reset restores it to factory conditions:

• Back up your data via Google Drive or other cloud storage

• Go to Settings > General management > Reset >  Factory data reset.

• Tap Reset phone and confirm to wipe your device

After that only reinstall the essential apps you need to avoid bloat.

Here are some additional tips that you may find helpful:

• Make sure your phone's software is always up to date. Software updates often include performance improvements that can optimize your phone's speed.

• Use an app like Clean Master to free up RAM memory. Apps like this can close apps running in the background to free up RAM, which helps your phone run faster.

• If you have an SD card, move some apps to it to free up storage space on your phone itself. This can improve your phone's performance.

• Turn off features you don't need like Bluetooth, Location Services, and WiFi. These can hog resources and slow your phone down when left on.

• Try a different launcher like Nova Launcher. Launchers control your home screen and app drawer, so a different launcher can give your phone a fresh feel and actually boost speed.

• If you're still having issues, your battery may be the problem. Old or damaged batteries can really slow down a phone. Consider replacing the battery to see if that helps.

Wrap Up

With techniques like clearing app cache, limiting animations, freezing background processes, using lighter apps, reducing video resolution, and restarting your device, you can dramatically accelerate your Android. Don't tolerate a frustratingly sluggish smartphone - implement these tips to boost speed and performance. Your Android will thank you!

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