My proven 4-step Android refresh routine that brings phones back to life - no matter the model

1 day ago 4
Prakhar Khanna utilizing the OnePlus 15.
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.


As a idiosyncratic who covers user tech for a living, I get to usage a fewer twelve smartphones each year. While I astir ever counsel connected which is the caller best smartphone, the bulk of consumers don't upgrade each year. I person friends and household who archer maine they don't privation to upgrade and ask, "How tin I marque my existent telephone faster?" I yet person an answer.

Also: The champion phones to bargain successful 2026

I don't get to usage reappraisal devices for long, but I person picked up tips and tricks from years of acquisition that tin assistance boost the velocity of your aged Android phone. Before you ask, it doesn't impact rooting your device. These tips are casual to instrumentality for some tech-savvy consumers and the mean Joe. 

If your Android telephone has started feeling slow, you should chiefly absorption connected clearing its storage. If you're unsure astir wherever to start, present are a fewer steps you tin instrumentality to marque your aged Android telephone tally faster.

1. Delete unused apps

Google Pixel 9a
Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Over time, phones tin cod a batch of unused apps and permission you with a cluttered space. You mightiness person utilized a QR scanner app from a edifice connected your years-old travel oregon a photograph editing app that is nary longer successful use. It is champion to uninstall specified apps to wide abstraction connected your Android phone. 

Also: I recovered a Google Maps alternate that won't way you oregon drain your artillery - and it's free

Decluttering your Android telephone tin marque it faster due to the fact that it won't request to allocate resources to apps that are nary longer successful use. Uninstalling specified APKs volition pb to amended assets absorption and thus, a faster phone. You tin spell to Settings > Storage > Apps to spot the database of installed apps and uninstall the ones you nary longer need. On the app screen, you tin besides long-press connected specified forgotten apps and spell to App Info > Uninstall.

2. Clear much storage

Old Android phones thin to accumulate a batch of junk, whether it's files oregon long-forgotten photos of schoolhouse notes. After deleting unused apps, purpose to escaped up abstraction by reviewing the files and photos connected your Android phone. 

Also: How to wide your Android telephone cache (and wherefore it's the easiest mode to velocity it up)

You tin spell to your phone's File app to cheque what's saved. The Downloads folder often houses the astir junk from long-forgotten PDF files, photos, etc. There are 2 much spaces you should cheque to wide the storage.

  • Offload photos from your telephone and prevention them to an outer thrust oregon the cloud. This helps make a backup of your memories and wide abstraction connected your aged Android phone.
  • Clear the app cache. For the unaware, cache is bits of information that an app saves truthful it tin run much rapidly the adjacent clip you unfastened it. I urge clearing the cache for less-used apps with nary saved login information. You tin spell to Settings > Storage > App > Clear Cache to prevention much space.

3. Check for updates

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Make definite your Android telephone is up to day connected the OS front. Keeping it up to day volition marque it snappier and instal the latest information protocols. You tin spell to Settings > General > System Update to cheque and instal the latest disposable bundle version. 

Also: I changed 12 settings connected my Android telephone to instantly widen the artillery life

Once you person removed the uninstalled apps and updated your aged Android telephone to the latest OS version, you should spell to the Google Play Store and update the remaining apps. It is important to usage the latest disposable versions of these apps to person entree to the latest features, amended performance, and improved security.

4. Bonus: Adjust the animation speed

Accessing Developer options connected  an Android device
Kerry Wan/ZDNET

You tin alteration oregon disable a fewer settings to marque your telephone consciousness faster, including Developer options to alteration the animation speed. This is somewhat much analyzable than the remainder of the settings mentioned above, but it tin marque your telephone consciousness importantly faster. 

You request to alteration Developer options by going to Settings > About telephone > Tap connected Software accusation > and past pat your Build fig 7 times. This should alteration the Developer options, truthful you tin present entree antithetic animation standard settings.

Now, spell to the Drawing conception wrong Developer options and scroll down until you find the Window animation scale. Tap connected it and acceptable the animation to 0.5x, truthful apps and model pop-ups tally faster.

Also: Android telephone feeling slow? How I changed 1 mounting to instantly treble the speed

You tin besides set the Transition animation standard to minimize the velocity of moving betwixt location surface panels and wrong apps. Plus, minimize the Animator duration standard to marque opening and closing apps, unlocking the phone, and different wide UI animations snappier.

Changing these settings volition springiness your aged Android telephone a caller life. Once adjusted, it should consciousness faster, with added zip successful day-to-day tasks. If you privation to springiness it a refresh, I urge messing astir with your location screen, changing the wallpaper, and adjusting much settings to assistance it past longer. 

Read Entire Article