Slow Android phone? My 4-step refresh routine can speed it up fast
Slow Android phone? My 4-step refresh routine can speed it up fast
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-refresh-android-phone-clear-cache-unused-aps/
Publish Date: 2026-03-23 11:20:00
Source Domain: www.zdnet.com
Consider my 4-step Android refresh routine before switching to a new phone
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As a person who covers consumer tech for a living, I get to use a few dozen smartphones every year. While I almost always advise on which is the new best smartphone, the majority of consumers don’t upgrade every year. I have friends and family who tell me they don’t want to upgrade and ask, “How can I make my current phone faster?” I finally have an answer.
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I don’t get to use review devices for long, but I have picked up tips and tricks from years of experience that can help boost the speed of your old Android phone. Before you ask, it doesn’t involve rooting your device. These tips are easy to implement for both tech-savvy consumers and the average Joe.
If your Android phone has started feeling slow, you should primarily focus on clearing its storage. If you’re unsure about where to start, here are a few steps you can take to make your old Android phone run faster.
1. Delete unused apps
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Over time, phones can collect a lot of unused apps and leave you with a cluttered space. You might have used a QR scanner app from a restaurant on your years-old trip or a photo editing app that is no longer in use. It is best to uninstall such apps to clear space on your Android phone.
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Decluttering your Android phone can make it faster because it won’t need to allocate resources to apps that are no longer in use. Uninstalling such APKs will lead to better resource management and thus, a faster phone. You can go to Settings Storage Apps to see the list of installed apps and uninstall the ones you no longer need. On the app screen, you can also long-press on such forgotten apps and go to App Info Uninstall.
2. Clear more storage
Old Android phones tend to accumulate a lot of junk, whether it’s files…
