How to breathe new life into a weak Android (Topic)

Has your smartphone slowed down? Is the interface lagging and programs take longer to start? If the hardware is intact, then the lags can be dealt with. This article suggests 5 ways to do this.

Despite all sorts of improvements, over time all smartphones start to work slower. As the memory fills up with applications, OS updates are installed, the battery wears out, you begin to notice that the device is more and more reluctant to respond to commands. Fortunately, this can be fixed.

Don't rush to spend money on a more powerful mobile phone. Even the slowest Android can be revived.

Clean up memory

Research shows that the average person launches up to 50 applications per day, but hundreds of applications can be stored in the device's memory. You installed some for work or study, and some just play for 5 minutes.

When the storage is crammed to capacity, device performance drops dramatically. Through Google Play, you can find out what is taking up the most space, as well as find and uninstall those applications that you have not used for a long time (Files Go by Google also contains a section where unused applications and files are displayed). Remove as many unnecessary programs as possible. Don't worry, you can always restore them if needed.

Some applications can be moved to the microSD card, but they will start and run slower than from the internal storage.

Finally, it is possible to clear the cache of apps without actually uninstalling the program itself, such as cached WhatsApp images or saved Spotify playlists. This measure also allows you to free up a lot of space, but at the same time preserves the program itself and its main functionality.

Keep your battery charged

When the battery level is close to zero, the smartphone prompts you to enable power saving. This extends the autonomy for several hours, but negatively affects the performance: the processor goes into operation at low frequencies.

The best option is to keep the battery charge at 30-80% . Don't forget to carry your cable and powerbank with you to recharge outside the home.

Do a hard reset

If the slowness of your smartphone gets on your nerves, do a factory reset. You will have a clean mobile phone in your hands - exactly the same as you bought it in the store. A hard reset will remove all applications, settings and files, as well as those parts of the code that cause software conflicts and slow performance.

Setting up an entire device from scratch will take an hour or so.

Install another operating system

No matter what they say, updating the OS does not always benefit performance. This is especially true for older devices. Sometimes, third-party solutions contain unique features, make better use of resources, and consume less memory. This, for example, is the LineageOS firmware, formerly known as CyanogenMod.

Changing the mobile OS involves some manipulation of system files. Only get down to business after thoroughly understanding the pros and cons of the chosen system, the installation process and potential difficulties.

Just one wrong action can lead to the fact that the mobile phone will permanently lose its performance.

Use Lite versions of applications

There is a tendency among mobile software developers to offer users special Lite versions of programs. Lightweight applications use fewer smartphone resources, cache less data, but also have reduced functionality. Initially, they were created for less developed countries where people do not have the opportunity to purchase powerful mobile phones, but then they quickly attracted users all over the world.

Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, Skype Lite, YouTube Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go - all of this and more can be found on Google Play. If, due to regional restrictions, installation from an official source is not available, you can use the APKMirror website, which hosts thousands of popular Android applications.

Don'ts

Many articles advise you to regularly close running applications to clean up RAM. This is a popular tip, but unfortunately, it is completely ineffective. Launching an application and loading it into the smartphone's memory takes much more resources than just keeping it running.

A smartphone is smart enough to reduce the power consumption of those programs that are not currently being used. Therefore, do not worry if there are 10-15 applications in the device's RAM at once.

The Topic of Article: How to breathe new life into a weak Android.
Author: Jake Pinkman