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    4 min read 7 stepsMay 3, 2026Verified May 2026

    Your Phone Is Running Very Slowly — How to Speed It Up

    A slow, sluggish phone is one of the most common complaints. Before buying a new device, try these steps — most phones respond well to a thorough cleaning.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Troubleshooting
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    4 min read
    Steps
    7
    Topics covered
    slow phone
    performance
    speed
    storage
    battery

    In this guide (7 steps):

    1. 1.Check your storage and delete unused items
    2. 2.Close all background apps
    3. 3.Restart the phone
    4. 4.Update your phone software
    5. 5.Clear app caches (Android)
    6. 6.Turn off animations
    7. 7.Consider a factory reset as a last resort
    1

    Check your storage and delete unused items

    ~33s
    On iPhone: go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. On Android: go to Settings > Storage. Look at how much space is used. If it shows 90% or more full, that is likely the main cause of slowness. Delete apps you no longer use (press and hold the app icon, then choose to delete it). Empty your Recently Deleted album in Photos (open Photos, tap Albums, scroll down to 'Recently Deleted,' and empty it).

    Quick Tip

    Photos and videos take up the most storage. Consider backing them up to Google Photos (free, up to 15 GB) and deleting them from your phone.

    2

    Close all background apps

    ~19s
    On iPhone: swipe up from the bottom of the screen slowly to see all open apps, then swipe each one upward off the screen. On Android: tap the square 'Recents' button at the bottom and close all open apps. Apps running in the background consume memory and processing power even when you are not looking at them.
    3

    Restart the phone

    ~15s
    A full restart clears temporary files and memory. This is the equivalent of clearing off a cluttered desk — everything in temporary memory gets released. Restart your phone at least once a week for best performance.
    4

    Update your phone software

    ~22s
    On iPhone: go to Settings > General > Software Update. On Android: go to Settings > System > Software Update (the exact path varies by manufacturer). Install any available updates. Software updates often include performance improvements that can noticeably speed up older phones.

    Quick Tip

    Updates are free and are released by Apple and Google, not by your phone carrier. They will not change your phone plan or cost money.

    5

    Clear app caches (Android)

    ~22s
    On Android, apps build up temporary files called caches that take up space and can cause slowness. Go to Settings > Apps, tap on any large app (like YouTube, Facebook, or Amazon), and tap 'Clear Cache.' This does not delete the app or any of your data inside it — it removes temporary files.

    Quick Tip

    This step is specific to Android phones. iPhones manage their own caches automatically.

    6

    Turn off animations

    ~21s
    The visual animations when you open and close apps use processing power. On older phones this can cause noticeable lag. On Android: go to Settings > About Phone, tap Build Number seven times to unlock Developer Options, then go to Developer Options and set all three animation scale settings to 0.5x. On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion and turn on 'Reduce Motion.'
    7

    Consider a factory reset as a last resort

    ~29s
    If the phone is still very slow after all the above steps, a factory reset — which wipes everything and starts fresh — often restores the performance of an older phone dramatically. Before doing this, back up your photos, contacts, and important data. On iPhone: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. On Android: Settings > System > Reset > Factory Reset.

    Warning

    A factory reset permanently deletes everything on the phone. Only do this after backing up your photos, contacts, and anything else you want to keep.

    You Did It!

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    Need more help? Book a TekSure tech

    A phone that used to feel fast but now feels sluggish is experiencing one of the most common issues in mobile technology. The good news: this is usually fixable without spending any money. And you do not need to buy a new phone.

    Phones slow down for a few main reasons. First, storage fills up. When a phone has less than 10–15% of its storage free, it slows down noticeably because it has no room to do its temporary work. Second, apps accumulate in the background and keep using memory and processing power even when you are not actively using them. Third, an outdated operating system can cause poor performance because it is not optimized for current apps.

    The steps below are in order of impact — the first steps will make the biggest difference for most people. Plan for about 20–30 minutes to work through them.

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