How to Speed Up a Slow Phone Safely

Phones rarely become slow for one mysterious reason. Usually it’s a mix of nearly full storage, an app misbehaving in the background, missing updates or an ageing battery. The fixes below start with the quickest and safest and build up to the bigger steps. None of them need special apps or risky tweaks.

Start with the quick fixes

1. Restart the phone

   A restart clears temporary glitches and stops stuck processes. If you haven’t restarted in weeks, do it now and see whether the problem goes away.

2. Install updates

   System and app updates fix bugs that can cause slowdowns. On Android, open Settings and search for “Software update” or “System update”. On iPhone, go to Settings, General, Software Update. Then update your apps from the Play Store or App Store.

3. Free up storage

   When storage is nearly full, the phone has less room for temporary files and updates, and it can start to feel sluggish. Clear old downloads, large videos and unused apps first.

4. Let the phone cool down

   Phones deliberately slow themselves down when they get hot, to protect the hardware. Take off a thick case, move out of direct sun, and pause gaming or navigation for a while.

5. Check your connection

   If only apps and websites feel slow, the problem may be your internet connection rather than the phone. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data to compare.

Find the app that’s slowing things down

A single app that crashes, freezes or runs constantly in the background can slow the whole phone. The battery usage screen is a useful clue, because apps that work hard in the background also use a lot of power.

• Check battery usage: on Android, search Settings for “Battery usage”; on iPhone, go to Settings, Battery. An app you rarely use near the top of the list deserves a closer look.
• Think about timing: if the slowdown started after you installed or updated a particular app, that app is the first suspect.
• Update, then remove if needed: update the suspect app first. If the problem continues, uninstall it and see whether the phone improves.
• Cut down on extras: live wallpapers, lots of home screen widgets and many apps running at once all add to the load, especially on older or budget phones.

Android: extra fixes

• Clear a misbehaving app’s cache: open Settings, go to Apps, choose the app, tap Storage, then “Clear cache”. It’s safe, because the app rebuilds these files as needed. Avoid “Clear storage” unless you’re happy to reset the app.
• Test in safe mode: safe mode starts the phone with only its original apps. On many phones, you open the power menu (on some models by pressing the power button and a volume button together), then touch and hold “Power off” or “Restart” until a safe mode option appears. If the phone runs smoothly in safe mode, an app you installed is likely the cause. Restart normally to leave safe mode. The exact steps differ by brand, so check your manufacturer’s help pages if this doesn’t work.
• Use your phone’s built-in maintenance tool: some brands include one, such as Samsung’s “Device care” (often under “Battery and device care”), which can close background apps and check for problems with one tap.
• Reduce animations: search Settings for “animations” and turn on the option to remove or reduce them, usually found under Accessibility. Menus will appear instantly instead of sliding, which makes the phone feel quicker, although apps themselves don’t run faster.
• Try lighter app versions: some popular apps offer “Lite” or “Go” editions designed for phones with less memory and storage. They’re worth a look on older phones.

iPhone: extra fixes

• Check battery health: go to Settings, Battery, Battery Health (or Battery Health & Charging). If it says the battery has significantly degraded, or that performance management has been applied to prevent unexpected shutdowns, replacing the battery can restore normal speed.
• Reduce motion: in Settings, Accessibility, Motion, turn on “Reduce Motion”. The phone will feel snappier, but it’s a visual change rather than a real speed boost.
• Force restart a frozen iPhone: on iPhone 8 and later models, press and quickly release volume up, press and quickly release volume down, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
• Offload rarely used apps: under Settings, General, iPhone Storage, you can offload apps you seldom open. This frees space while keeping their data for when you reinstall them.

What to avoid

When a phone feels slow, it’s tempting to install a “booster”, “RAM cleaner” or “phone optimizer” app. These rarely help and can make things worse. Android and iOS already manage memory themselves: apps kept in memory reopen quickly, and the system clears them when it needs room. Forcing memory to clear just makes those apps start from scratch next time. Many booster apps also run constantly, show ads and ask for permissions they don’t need.

Also avoid advice that involves rooting or jailbreaking your phone, installing apps from unknown websites, or changing hidden developer settings. These can break updates, weaken your phone’s security, and may affect warranty or repair support.

Last resort: a factory reset

If nothing else helps, a factory reset returns the phone to its original software state and can make an older phone feel noticeably quicker. It also erases everything, so back up your photos, chats and authenticator codes first, and check that the backup worked. On Android, search Settings for “Reset”; on iPhone, go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone. Afterwards, reinstall only the apps you actually use.

If the phone is still slow after a reset, the cause is more likely hardware, such as a worn battery, and a repair or a replacement phone may be the practical answer.