Speed up an older Android phone
PERFORMANCE TIPS AND TRICKS TO KEEP YOUR DEVICE RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
BUYING THE LATEST wizz-bang smartphone is very satisfying, but older hardware can keep on trucking for a long time. However, inevitably, a clog of apps, updates (or lack thereof) or other issues can slow your device to a crawl. To help out, we’ve put together a guide to finding and eliminating any performance bottlenecks. Our instructions are based around a Nexus 6P running Android 8, so your menus might be slightly different.
FINDING THE ISSUE
The hard part is knowing exactly what has caused your phone to go from buttery smooth to laggy and annoying. Sometimes, it is obvious — if the change is very sudden after installing a particular app or update, for instance. But normally, it’s a combination of factors that can be very frustrating to troubleshoot. It’s worth noting that full RAM on Android is a good thing (it helps commonly used apps load faster) and task killer apps are best avoided. A good starting point is to check battery usage — rogue apps often use excess power. If you do spot an app that is using an excessive amount of battery usage, try uninstalling it and seeing if performance improves. Another resource hog can be widgets — remove any you don’t use, or disable them temporarily to see if performance changes. Check the update history and try removing a recent update if possible, or install a newer update if there is one available. It’s also worth doing a Google search with your problem and phone model, as it might be a common issue that someone else has already solved. After uninstalling apps or making any changes, make sure to reboot so your phone starts fresh.
CHECK PERFORMANCE AND RUNNING APPS
Most apps sleep in the background when not in active use, but some stay awake and can keep using resources. This can be a tricky problem to solve, and the easiest way is with a third party app. We recommend Greenify ( goo.gl/LSsNw), which can be used to identify misbehaving apps, and to force them to sleep when not in use. For more in depth data, the free app Trepn Profiler ( goo.gl/d7Seif) gives real time readouts of performance metrics, such as CPU use.
CLEAR CACHE AND APP DATA
Apps store all sorts of data for later reference, which normally helps speed things up and avoid unnecessary downloads. But sometimes, an app can end up with something in the cache that causes it to act a bit screwy or create lag. Clearing the cache wipes that data, but does not get rid of any app data such as saved logins or game progress. Clearing the cache varies depending on Android version, so Google it to make sure, but it’s usually in ‘Settings > Storage’. In Android 8.0, clearing the cached data is only possible app by app, under ‘Settings > Apps & notifications’, then by selecting an app, and hitting Storage. If a particular app is the problem, selecting to clear app data will wipe it back to a fresh state, just as if it was uninstalled and reinstalled. For more in depth data, Trepn Profiler gives real time readouts of performance metrics, such as CPU use.
DELETE UNNECESSARY APPS AND FILES
That old notepad app you haven’t used in a year is unlikely to contribute much to your smartphone’s performance issues, but is still worth clearing out. The same goes for old download files, as well as photos and videos that are packed up elsewhere. To see what is using most of your space, head to ‘Settings > Storage’ and get rid of
AS PHONES AGE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS BATTERY LIFE. IT’S AN EASY FIX IF THE BATTERY IS REMOVEABLE, BUT DON’T RULE IT OUT OTHERWISE. REPLACEMENT BATTERIES CAN BE QUITE CHEAP ONLINE.
everything you no longer need. A little bit here, and a little there might add up to a noticeable difference.
DEVELOPER OPTIONS
While not usually necessary, hidden in Developer Mode is an option that can help an older device feel a lot snappier. Activating Developer Mode varies phone to phone, but generally, it’s something similar to ‘Settings > About’, then tapping on the build number until Developer Mode activates. Under the settings menu, there should be an extra Developer options menu. Scrolling down, there should be three entries for Animation Scales — these control how fast things like menus pop up. Changing all three from 1x to 0.5x can help give a snappier feel on an older phone, or turn them off completely to further reduce lag, albeit at the expense of looks. Many third-party launcher apps (such as Nova Launcher) also allow user adjustment of animation scales.
HARDWARE UPGRADES
As phones age, one of the biggest problems is battery life. It’s an easy fix if the battery is removeable, but don’t rule it out otherwise. Replacement batteries can be quite cheap online (try eBay, eBay.com.au) and websites such as iFixit ( ifixit.com) have excellent guides for most major phones. Otherwise, check your local phone repair business — many can replace a battery surprisingly cheaply. For those with performance issues, thermal throttling can be to blame, so try ditching a thick case and seeing if there is an improvement.
Many Android phones include a microSD card slot, and adding some extra storage is a good way to make an older device a lot more usable.