One of the most annoying parts about being a smartphone owner is when it gradually begins to slow down.
If you own an Android, chances are you’ve had to deal with it acting slow on you from time to time. Sometimes, when this happens, people typically think it’s due to some kind of battery issue or some other internal system problem. While that could be the case, it’s also important to note that there could be some settings and features you should adjust in order to prevent your phone from slowing down. Read more about the three features tech experts say you should adjust below.
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1. Turn Off Transitions And Animations
Android's animation and motion effects make the user experience feel smoother and a little fancier by adding visual transitions between screens, apps, and actions. These effects help guide your eyes when opening an app, switching between menus, minimizing a window, etc. They're mainly for some visual flair, but they can also affect performance.
"Android's transition animations are nice enough, but can cause lower-end devices or older phones to lag, says tech expert and owner of The Big Phone store, Steven Athwal. "Turning off Always-on animations and motion effects can be good for performance as well as provide you with a little boost. They can be turned off through settings, or simply turned down to 0.5x."
2. Turn Off Auto-Sync
According to Jason Chen, a tech expert at JarnisTec, auto-sync is another feature that can "slow down" your Android, even though it may seem super convenient and helpful.
"This feature allows your phone to automatically sync data from your various accounts, such as emails, social media, and contacts," he explains. "While it may be convenient, constantly syncing data in the background can drain your phone's battery and slow down its performance. To disable auto-sync, go to your phone's settings, and under 'Accounts,' you can turn off auto-sync for specific apps or all of them."
3. Adjust Background App Refresh
Background app refresh on Android lets apps update their content and run certain tasks even when you're not actively using them. This means apps like social media or weather widgets can stay up to date so that when you open them, the latest information is already loaded. While it helps keep things running smoothly, it can also drain your battery and use mobile data over time.
"Some apps are always refreshing in the background to update with new info," suggests Athwal. "This keeps your phone active at all times. Restrict background app refreshing on apps you don't use often."
