Insufficient memory, long charging times, and stubborn apps - older smartphones can be quite problematic. This is how you can make your mobile phone faster and more stable. By Frederik Niemeyer
Mobile phones age quite quickly. A freshly-installed system will run as smooth as silk. Animations executes elegantly, the charging times are short, applications are stable, the battery service life is in order and storage space is available in spades. However, after several apps have been installed and uninstalled, firmware updates have been run and the device has been subjected to sustained use on a daily basis, your pride and joy will start to stutter. It complains about insufficient storage space, hangs in the middle of operations and ceases to be an enjoyable device. The change from a high-end accessory into an outdated gadget is as steep as it is relentless.
Thankfully, the collapse isn’t irreversible. Instead of spending hundreds of ringgit on a new device that may eventually run into the same problem, you can use a few simple tricks to get your old smartphone going again. This article will tell you how you can release memory space, reset unstable apps and accelerate your system by tweaking it and implementing certain tuning measures. We are focusing on the Android operating system as it is the most widely-used system. It has the lion’s share of problems, but also offers you many options to whip it into shape. However, the article also contains a few useful tips for Apple users. We’re starting out with clean-up operations that anyone can execute, before moving on to effective professional measures that reach deep into the OS. In some cases, you will need root privileges in order to be able to implement these measures. Information regarding how these privileges can be obtained can be found at the XDA Developers Forum.
Purge your Android
Old smartphones usually contain a large amount of unnecessary data, which takes up memory space and slows down the system. This is how you can clean up your old android device.
1 Re-start the device
When it comes to getting rid of minor bugs, a reboot is the first and simplest step. Mobile devices often remain in operation for months at a time without ever being re-started. This can lead to unseen problems. When the device is in operation, it collects temporary data that takes up memory space; the working speed starts decreasing, and in some cases, programme segments hang in the middle of an operation and end up generating error messages. You can access the power menu by holding down the power key for two seconds, and depending on your device, select the reboot option. If your Android mobile phone has stopped working altogether, you can re-start it by holding down the power key for ten seconds.
2 Uninstall unnecessary apps
When your system starts complaining about a lack of memory space, you should delete unnecessary data. You can find out the extent to which your Android system is being loaded by accessing “Settings | Storage”. Here, Android lists the various media types available and provides you with information regarding the storage space that is being used. If you want to delete an app, click “Apps” in order to access the list of all installed programmes. Swipe horizontally to switch over to the “Downloaded” tab (far left). This tab shows you how much memory space is being occupied by every single app, and allows you to delete unnecessary programmes. All you have to do is tap the respective entry and select the “Uninstall” option.
3 Deactivate system apps
Pre-installed apps usually cannot be uninstalled. However, you can deactivate and hide them instead. In addition to providing you with a better overview, this can also rectify certain problems - in particular, Google Now (integrated into the “Google search” app) which occasionally eats a lot of the battery power. This is how you can deactivate the search widget and Google Now: Use the “Settings | Apps” menu, then switch over to the “All” tab. Now, scroll over to the “Google search” option and tap the respective entry to view the “App info”. If you are unable to “Deactivate” the app directly, you will have to “Uninstall updates” before you deactivate the app. If you need to use a deactivated app, it can be activated under “Settings | Apps | Deactivated | [App name] | Activate”.
4 Reset/delete app cache files
The app info section provides more options for purging the Android system. Certain apps create cache data, such as thumbnails. In principle, a cache helps to speed up the system access. However, if it becomes too large, it may end up having the opposite effect instead. You can use the app info section for a given app to “Empty the cache”. The app will then create a new cache the next time it’s launched. You can delete the cache for all the apps under “Settings | Storage | Data in the cache | OK”.
The “Delete data” option that can be found in the app info section takes you a step further. This option enables you to completely reset an app. Using this option deletes all the data that is saved in the programme and resets the app to its original state. This option can often be used to repair apps that are no longer working properly. It also frees up a lot of memory space.
5 Use special apps to clean up the system
The clean-up operation can be simplified even further through the use of specialised cleaning apps, which, among other things, find and delete seldom-used database entries and cache files. If desired, they can also be made to do this in the background on a regular basis. One of the best clean-up app is SD Maid. The app is available in a free standard version, as well as an expanded pro version that costs RM 8. The pro version can also clean up apps and automate the deletion function. For the most part, SD Maid is self-explanatory. The start screen enables you to find and “Purge” unnecessary data. What’s useful is that even the free version of SD Maid offers expanded functions for users with root privileges. These expanded functions allow you to subject the internal memory to deeper system clean-up operations.
6 Secure the data and restart the system
A factory reset is the most thorough clean-up measure for your device. It enables mobile phones that have been used for two or more years and which have gone through a few system update procedures to make massive gains in terms of their performance and storage. However, since the mobile phone clears the entire memory, you should secure your important data before you implement a factory reset operation. The free SMS Backup & Restore tool can be used to save SMS messages. Select the “Back-up” option in the app and place the data in a user-defined folder. After you have created copies of the important pieces of data, connect your mobile phone to the PC and download them. The photos and videos can be found in the “DCIM” folder.
You can use the ‘Helium Backup’ back-up app to secure the data associated with all the apps. The fewer fragments of the old system you restore later, the more sustainable the system clean-up operation is.
Now, execute a factory reset. Navigate to the “Settings | Back up and reset” option on your mobile phone and select the “Restore factory settings | Reset telephone” option. If the respective option is available, you should also clear the SD card. After the system has been restarted, copy the back-up data, install your important apps and restore the back-up using the tools that you used to create it. To restore your SMS messages, access SMS Backup & Restore and select the “Restore” option. Your mobile phone will now be faster than before.
Tune up Your Android
In order to ensure that your Android is always up to speed, you should not only delete data leftovers on a regular basis, but also disable elaborate graphic options and implement certain tuning measures.
1 Deactivate animations and widgets
It’s worthwhile to select a static background instead of a moving one. Doing so improves the system’s response time and the battery service life. You should also minimise the use of widgets (i.e. the interactive windows on the home screen), which means that you should remove unnecessary elements.
If you wish to make deeper changes, you should deactivate system animations. First, activate the “Developer options” by navigating to the “Settings | About device” section and tapping the “Build number” option seven times in a row. Now, under “Settings | Developer options”, deactivate the “Scale” for window animations, transition animations and the animation duration.
2 Transfer apps to the SD card
If your mobile phone’s internal memory is full, it would make sense to transfer your apps to the SD card. If the mobile phone and the app support this option, you will be able to find the respective function in the Android settings menu (“Apps | [App name] | Transfer to SD card”. Unfortunately, only certain applications can be transferred. Furthermore, the operation often only copies part of the data – the main program still lives in the phone memory.
The other options are only available to users who have root privileges. If you have root privileges, you can use the useful FolderMount tool to transfer the folders of your choice from the internal SD memory to the external one.
3 Regulate the apps’ auto-boot facility
The free Startup Manager app is a useful tool for speeding up your system’s start-up process: This tool enables you to regulate your Android applications auto-boot process. Startup Manager lets you prevent unwanted apps to start up during the booting process. The app is quite easy to understand: The “User” and “System” tabs allow you to specify the apps that are not to be loaded when the system is started up. All you have to do is tap the minus sign. The “Customise” section allows you to specify the applications that are to be loaded automatically during the start-up process.
However, Startup Manager needs root privileges in order to be able to regulate all the apps (including system apps).
4 Activate the new ART and Trim features
Those who is using the Android 4.4.4 operating system and are happy to try out new things can also optimise the execution speeds of their apps. In order to do this, access the developer menu and select the faster ART system (which is part of the standard package in Android 5.0) instead of Dalvik, under the “Set runtime” section. When the ART system is selected, apps run faster, but they also take up a larger amount of memory space. Caution: Under Android 4.4.4, ART can cause certain apps to crash more frequently.
Experienced users should also make use of the so-called ‘trim’ function, which ensures that the memory speed remains at a high level. Google first introduced the trim function in Android 4.3. If the device remains in the sleep mode for more than an hour when it is connected to the charger or has a fullycharged battery, new Android versions automatically clean up the Flash memory. Those who use Android 4.2 or an older version of the same operating system who want to avoid slumping transfer rates and slower access times must root their mobile phone and manually install the trim-driver. This can be done with the help of the LagFix (fstrim) Free app. Since it can be risky to use this tool, only experienced users should give it a try. However, the tool does significantly boost the performance of several devices.
5 Overclock or underclock the processor
A higher speed can also be attained through the use of socalled ‘custom kernels’. A kernel represents the heart of a piece of firmware, and controls important system functions such as the clock rates of the CPU. You can overclock or underclock the CPU for higher speed or longer battery service life respectively. In this manner, you can exploit the potential offered by your old smartphone without having to install a new system (refer to point 6).
6 Install a new custom ROM
It would also make sense to install an alternative version of Android in order to freshen up your mobile phone. Custom ROMs like the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) are usually a lot faster than the bloated manufacturer-versions that contain unneeded apps. Another advantage of this option is that it enables you to obtain new Android versions even after the mobile phone manufacturer stops providing OS-related support. The most well-known custom ROM is CyanogenMod. The installer can be used to install the alternative firmware on supported mobile phones in a simple and automated manner.
Tweaking iOS
Even though installing system updates is quite advantageous in principle, iOS users shouldn’t rush into upgrading to a new version as they come out. Although Apple updates compatible iPhones every two years, the new system updates are sometimes sluggish, as if they are not optimised for the old models. Consequently, it would make sense to obtain info online from other users after they have applied the update. If you want to switch back to the old version after you have already installed the update, you will only be able to do so a few days after the launch of the new OS version.
1 Forego the 3D effect
iOS doesn’t exactly offer a lot of outlets for optimisation. However, you can deactivate a few graphics-related effects in order to speed up the system a little bit and go easy on the battery. Even in case of iOS, you should avoid moving background images and switch over to an “Individual image” under “Settings | Background image | Select new background”. You should also deactivate the 3D effect of the iOS wallpaper. This can be done by using the “Perspective: Off | Save” option after the individual image has been selected.
2 Deactivate the parallax effect
The parallax effect makes the icons move along with the mobile phone. To deactivate this subtle effect, navigate to “Settings | General | Operational aids | Reduce movement” section and activate the corresponding option.
3 Reduce transparency
Now, deactivate the transparency effect that Apple uses, among other things, to embellish the quick-start menu at the bottom. Just like the parallax and 3D effects, the calculations associated with the transparency effect also come at the cost of performance. The transparency effect can be deactivated under “Settings | General | Operational aids | Increase contrast | Reduce transparency”. You must activate the corresponding option in order to deactivate the function.
4 Less multi-tasking
If you are using iOS 7 or 8, and your battery cannot hold out for as long as it originally did, you should deactivate the function that updates certain apps in the background. Otherwise, all the programmes will keep obtaining data from the internet at will, thereby consuming battery power. To deactivate the function, navigate to the “Settings | General | Background updates” section and deactivate the corresponding function. The function can be deactivated for individual apps or for the entire system. Energy can also be conserved by preventing the apps from accessing the GPS function. This can be done under “Settings | Data protection | Positioning services” section. In order to conserve the battery and simultaneously limit the system’s user tracking facility, you should navigate to the “System services” section and deactivate the “Location-dependent information”, the “Location-dependent iAds”, the “Frequent locations” facility and all the functions under “Product improvements”.