Last Updated on September 22, 2020
As time goes by, your intensive use of the smartphone will inevitably lead to the accumulation of a large amount of unnecessary information.
Moreover, the technology will also move forward, and some tasks will require more resources from your smartphone. All this will eventually slow it down to the point where it’s going to start feeling a lot like your old phone. Time to buy another smartphone device? Well, maybe not!
You can avoid all this and keep your smartphone running smoothly with some basic care and maintenance. Here are 7 tips that will help you make your smartphone last longer!
1. Uninstall Apps You Don’t Use
Whether you have an Android phone or an iOS device, there’s an almost endless amount of apps available in the respective official stores. Every week it seems like there’s a new one to discover that might make some aspect of our life easier – and you don’t even have to pay anything to test most of them.
The outcome is that we end up with dozens of apps installed that we only have used once or twice at most.
It’s time to get rid of them all. These apps are using space and consuming resources unnecessarily, so why would you even want to keep them installed? If you keep them installed because you think you’ll need them one day, you can always re-download when that day arrives!
2. Get Rid Of Home Screen Widgets
Android phones are highly customizable. That’s precisely one of the reasons why Android fans prefer this mobile operating system over iOS.
The home screen is one of the things users most like to change, whether for aesthetic or functional reasons (the customization of the iPhone home screen, for example, is quite limited in comparison).
Having too many widgets and custom icons installed might slow down your smartphone, especially if you are already noticing some performance issues. Remove those customization options to make navigation more fluid whenever you go to the home screen.
3. Keep Everything Updated
System and software updates are rolled out by manufacturers to fix bugs, add features, and improve stability and security. Don’t skip them! Using an outdated version of a software piece makes you more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and it may run slower.
You can update all your installed apps in the app store, and you can search for system updates in the About phone section in your phone’s settings.
Warning: the only valid reason for not updating your operating system as soon as possible is if you have a really old phone that might not be able to keep up with a major update. In that case, maybe it’s time to buy a new smartphone.
4. Clean Phone Storage
When your smartphone’s storage drive gets nearly full, that can result in a noticeable performance loss. So, if you want to maintain your new smartphone in good shape, you’ll need to clean your storage every once in a while.
Google has a very complete and user-friendly file management app called Use Files. It searches your entire phone for unused files or apps and allows you to delete all unnecessary things from your smartphone easily. It also can clear cached data, so you won’t have to do it manually – it can take a long time.
It’s a good idea to keep your files stored in a cloud service. It frees your internal memory and is also a great way to keep them in a secure location. This way, you won’t lose your precious data if your smartphone gets stolen, lost, or broken. There are plenty of services to choose from, and most of them provide a free plan for you to try.
5. Use The Lite Versions
If you have a smartphone so old that its specifications can no longer keep up with modern apps’ requirements, you should definitely consider switching to Lite apps.
Most popular and demanding apps like Facebook, Messenger, Uber, Skype, Youtube, and Twitter have a lightweight version for people with low-spec smartphones or poor internet connection.
This allows everyone to use these tools regardless of their circumstances. This strategy enabled consumers in emerging markets with entry-level smartphones to use social media and connect with their loved ones and people worldwide.
6. Improve Your Battery Life
It’s quite common for you to notice a decrease in your battery capacity over time. That doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong with your phone. Modern lithium-ion batteries start losing capacity when they are at the end of their life.
But in some cases, it might be your specific type of usage that’s consuming a lot more battery than it should be. Check your battery settings to monitor your battery usage.
You might notice that some random apps that you don’t use are consuming a lot of juice while running in the background, or you might have your screen brightness always at the maximum, or your Bluetooth is always on, etc.
Warning: there are many apps in the store that promise to give your device a battery boost. Don’t bother installing them. These battery optimizers will make you watch a bunch of intrusive ads, and the only thing they do is removing the apps running in the background. As you have seen, you don’t need a dedicated app to do that.
7. Factory Reset
If none of the things on this list have improved your phone’s performance, it’s time to consider doing a complete factory reset.
Back up all important files and photos, and delete everything from your smartphone. Sometimes this may solve some random issues that occurred somewhere and remained undetected. If that’s the case, your smartphone will feel like new once again.
