Published on September 5, 2025 at 10:00 AMUpdated on September 5, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Is your Android device feeling sluggish, lagging when you switch apps, or draining its battery faster than usual? Rest assured, this is a common issue often caused by digital clutter and excessive background activity. The good news is that you can significantly speed up your Android phone by focusing on three essential strategies that address storage, memory, and application efficiency.
Best ways to speed up android (image: abwavestech)
By implementing these practical steps, you won’t just speed up your Android; you’ll also improve your battery life and overall user experience by ensuring that critical hardware resources are available when you need them.
1. Uninstall unused apps: the storage and resource purge
Every app you download occupies storage space and contributes to the general resource load on your device, even if you don’t actively use it. Many apps run background services, check for updates, or send notifications, all of which consume RAM and processing power unnecessarily.
Why this is crucial for performance?
Frees Up Internal Storage: Opens up valuable internal storage, which is crucial for the Android operating system to operate efficiently, perform updates, and quickly store temporary files. When storage drops below a certain threshold (e.g., 10% free), the OS throttles performance to cope.
Reduces Background Strain: Eliminates dormant apps that secretly consume RAM, freeing up memory for the foreground app you are actually using. This is particularly vital for devices with lower RAM specifications (e.g., 4GB or less).
Action steps
Identify the Culprits: Review your app drawer. Focus on games you finished, or apps you haven’t opened in over a month (e.g., travel, one-time photo editors, or old fitness trackers).
The Quick Uninstall Method:
Find the unused app icon on your home screen or in the app drawer.
Press and hold the app icon until a menu pops up.
Select “Uninstall” (or drag the app to the trash can icon).
The Comprehensive List:
Go to Settings > Apps (or Application Manager).
Browse the list and uninstall any app you no longer need. This method is useful for finding pre-installed system apps that you can safely disable or uninstall.
2. Clear cache and app data: the digital refresh
Over time, every app on your Android device accumulates temporary files (cache). While the cache is designed to speed up loading times by storing image thumbnails and common elements, an excessive amount of old or corrupted cached data can actually hinder performance, cause glitches, and bloat your storage.
Understanding the difference (safety first)
Clearing Cache: Removes temporary files and junk data. It is 100% safe and does not affect your login credentials, saved files, or personalized settings. This is your primary maintenance tool.
Clearing Data: Resets the app to its original, factory state. It WILL delete your login information, game saves, and custom settings. Use this only as a final resort for an app that is severely broken.
Action steps (focusing on cache)
System Navigation: Go to Settings > Apps (or Application Manager).
Select App: Tap on a demanding app that you use frequently, such as a browser (Chrome, Firefox), social media (Facebook, Instagram), or a streaming service.
Storage Access: Tap Storage & cache (or Storage).
Execute: Tap “Clear cache.”
Bonus Tip (Bulk Cache): To clear all accumulated cache at once (on some Android versions), go to Settings > Storage > and look for the option to “Clear Cache Data” or “Cached data” under the device’s storage summary.
3. Disable and limit background processes: freeing up RAM
Your phone’s perceived speed is directly tied to its available RAM (Random Access Memory). Apps running in the background—even if minimized—use RAM, leaving fewer resources for the app you are currently using. Disabling non-essential background processes gives the foreground app (like your browser or a game) the immediate resources it needs to run smoothly.
Method A: force stop (temporary fix for resource hogs)
For apps that are misbehaving or consuming too much battery right now, you can temporarily force them to stop.
System Navigation: Go to Settings > Apps > (App Name).
Action: Tap “Force Stop.” The app will only consume resources again when you manually open it. Use this for apps you don’t need to run constantly (e.g., printer services, rarely used synchronization tools).
This method uses the hidden Developer Options menu to set a hard limit on how many apps can run in the background simultaneously.
Enable Developer Mode: Go to Settings > About phone > Build number. Tap “Build number” seven times rapidly until you see a message stating, “You are now a developer!”
Access Developer Options: Go back to Settings > System > Developer options.
Set Limit: Scroll down to the Apps section and tap “Background process limit.”
Selection: Change the setting from “Standard limit” to “At most 3 processes” (or “At most 4 processes”). This drastically improves performance by ensuring the system doesn’t waste resources keeping dozens of inactive apps ready in RAM.
Conclusion
Boosting your Android’s speed doesn’t require technical expertise; it requires consistent maintenance and smart resource management. By prioritizing these three strategies, uninstalling unnecessary apps, regularly clearing the cache, and managing background processes, you are directly addressing the most common causes of device slowdown. Implement these quick steps today to experience noticeably smoother performance, faster app loading, and improved battery life on your smartphone.
