How to clean your phone from junk and speed up its work

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The easiest and most effective ways for Android devices and iPhones.

1. Reboot your device

Despite the seeming banality, this is one of the simplest and most effective ways to "revive" a slow, freezing gadget. When you reboot, not only all system processes are restarted, but various temporary files are deleted, which take up space and slow down the smartphone.

To reboot, usually just press and hold the power button until the menu appears, and then select the appropriate item. If it doesn't work, you can just turn off and turn on the gadget - the effect will be the same.

2. Install available updates

With each firmware update, manufacturers are fixing bugs and increasing the performance of smartphones. Therefore, it is recommended to always install the latest software versions available. The only exceptions are very old devices, which, due to weak hardware filling, can start to slow down even more on modern firmware.

On iPhone, go to Settings → General → System Update to check. On Android smartphones: Settings → System → System Update. Wait until the check for available updates finishes and install them by clicking the corresponding button.

3. Clear the cache

Another way to remove temporary files and various junk is to clear the system cache. Since there is no separate function for this in iOS, it happens during device reboot. But in Android, you can do the cleaning by opening Settings → Storage, then selecting the internal storage and clicking the Free up space button.

It is better not to use third-party cleaners and optimization utilities: they do more harm than good. The only recommendation for Android is the official Google Files app. On the "Cleanup" tab, you can use it to delete accumulated temporary files that take up disk space and can slow down your smartphone.

4. Remove unnecessary applications and their data

The lack of free space on the internal storage leads to slower access to files and, as a result, to a decrease in the performance of the device. It is highly discouraged to fill the storage to the eyeballs - it is advisable to leave at least 10% of the total volume unoccupied, and better - 20-25%.

Over time, applications accumulate data and can take up an obscene amount of space. To remove them, open Settings → Storage → More Apps in Android or Settings → General → Storage on iOS. Next, go through the programs that take up the most space and click "Erase Data". If the application does not have a cleaning option, then you will have to uninstall it and reinstall it.

Also, to free up space, you can get rid of unused programs, including built-in ones.

5. Install lite versions of applications

If the issue of saving disk space is very acute, the logical solution would be to remove regular browsers, instant messengers and social media clients and install lightweight, so-called lite-versions instead. They can be found on Google Play and the App Store by adding lite to the app name.

They have an ascetic interface and sometimes a more modest set of functions. But they take up much less space and work faster than an example.

6. Transfer apps and data to your storage card

The internal memory has a higher write speed, so by default all applications are installed in it. It is really better to keep the most important and frequently used programs on the built-in storage, while all the rest can be transferred to an SD card in order to save money.

To do this, go to "Settings" → "Applications", open the desired program and use the "Move" button. Unfortunately, not all smartphones provide this function, read more about this in a separate article.

Since iPhone does not support memory cards, the above applies only to Android devices.

7. Remove unnecessary content

If, after doing all of the above, the smartphone's storage is still full, you will have to review photos, videos, music and other media content. All unnecessary can be immediately deleted, and files that have value can be uploaded to one of the cloud storages or copied to a computer.

8. Reduce the number of widgets

Like other additional functions, widgets can overload the system and cause it to slow down. This is especially noticeable on budget and outdated devices. There is only one way out: remove all elements of no particular importance and leave only the most necessary ones.

To delete, just hold your finger on the widget and drag it to the cross that appears or click on the minus icon.

9. Disable interface animations and other effects

Animations of transitions between desktops and rendering of other interface effects load the processor so much that an outdated or not the fastest smartphone can noticeably slow down because of this. By disabling these options, you can improve performance.

On the iPhone, go to Settings → Accessibility and then in the Display and Text Size section, turn on the Reduce Transparency toggle switch, and in the Motion section, activate Reduce Motion.

On Android devices, you must first enable developer mode. Then in the menu "Settings" → "System" → "For Developers" find the section "Rendering" and set the parameter "No animation" in it for the options "Animation of windows", "Animation of transitions" and "Duration of animation".

10. Perform a factory reset

The most radical and most effective cleaning method that can be used as a last resort. When you reset, the smartphone is restored to factory settings, deleting the contents and all accumulated debris.

Please be aware that all content, including photos, videos and other files, will be deleted. Therefore, do not forget to transfer any important data or make a backup.

To reset iPhone, go to Settings → General → Reset → Erase Content and Settings and confirm the action.

On Android, go to Settings → System → Factory data reset and then select Erase All Data and press the Reset Phone Settings button to confirm.