How to Speed Up Your Android Phone: 5 Fixes to Make It Feel New

An older, slower Android phone doesn't always mean it's time for an upgrade. Simple tweaks can often dramatically improve performance, making your device feel much faster.

You can often revitalize your phone's speed by focusing on three key areas:

Clear Out the Clutter

First, delete any unused apps. These take up storage and can have permissions to your personal data. You can usually do this by long-pressing an app icon and selecting "Uninstall," or by managing your apps directly in the Google Play Store.

Next, free up storage by clearing out old files. Use the pre-installed "Files" app (or "My Files" on Samsung, "File Manager" on OnePlus) to easily find and delete unnecessary downloads, old photos, or large files you no longer need.

Adjust Your Settings

Optimizing your phone's settings can also lead to a noticeable speed boost. Consider these changes:

Home Screen Layout: Long-press a blank area on your home screen and select "Home settings." Experiment with the app grid size and other options to create a more efficient layout that feels new and fresh.

System Settings: Enable dark mode to not only save battery life but also give your phone a clean, modern look. You can also stop new app icons from cluttering your home screen by adjusting these settings.

Privacy: Reviewing your privacy settings is also a good idea. Go to Settings > Privacy > Permissions Manager to see which apps have access to your personal data, like your location, contacts, or camera, and disable any permissions you don't want an app to have.

By taking a few minutes to clean up your apps and files and fine-tune your settings, you can often make your phone feel much faster without spending money on a new one.