When you purchase a new smartphone, it often exhibits peak performance for a few months, only to gradually slow down over time. Fortunately, maintaining your smartphone, be it an iPhone or an Android device, in its original condition, is a relatively simple task. Continue reading to find out 7 tips and ways to keep your smartphone running like new, improve its speed, and ensure smooth operation.
1. Keep your software up to date:
Ensure that your phone's operating system, whether it's iOS or Android, is always running the latest version. These updates frequently include enhancements and bug fixes that can boost your phone's speed and overall performance. Check for updates through the Settings app on both Android and iPhone. Additionally, keep your installed apps updated to maintain optimal performance.
2. Uninstall unnecessary apps:
Most people tend to accumulate apps that have outlived their usefulness, such as one-time-use airline apps, underused camera apps, or less entertaining games. While it's perfectly normal to change your app preferences, make it a habit to uninstall the ones you no longer need. Unnecessary apps consume storage space and may run background processes, which can slow down your phone. For preloaded Android apps that cannot be deleted, disable them to prevent them from utilizing system resources.
3. Minimize background tasks:
On both iOS and Android, take steps to ensure that the apps you choose to keep do not negatively impact your phone's performance. For Android, consider reducing the frequency at which apps like email or social media connect to your accounts and fetch updates. In iOS, manage Background App Refresh settings and reduce the number of apps running in the background. Additionally, turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when they are not in use to conserve resources.
4. Declutter your home screen:
While Android offers numerous home screen options and widgets for quick access, an overly cluttered home screen can affect your phone's speed. Remove unnecessary icons (which you likely eliminated by uninstalling unused apps) and only keep widgets that you genuinely find useful. Apply the same principle to iOS, ensuring that you maintain an organized home screen with only essential widgets to prevent unnecessary resource consumption.
5. Reduce animations:
If your phone experiences delays when switching between tasks, consider disabling or minimizing animations within the operating system. On Android, access developer options via Settings and adjust or deactivate animations. If you are using a live wallpaper, consider switching to a static image. On iOS, opt for a static image instead of a live wallpaper and disable parallax, and the app zooms through the Accessibility section in the Settings app.
6. Free up storage space:
If you've uninstalled apps but still find your phone running low on storage, delete unused downloaded files or back up and remove accumulated photos. You can sync them with your computer or use a cloud service app for backup. Additionally, remove old message threads that consume storage. On Android, periodically clear app caches to eliminate stored data that apps use to streamline their operations. On iOS, clear history data in apps like Safari.
7. Perform a factory reset:
When your phone continues to perform poorly despite trying other solutions, a factory reset can be a more drastic but effective measure. This often resolves random app issues and persistent problems. However, ensure you back up all critical data and media before initiating a factory reset.
