10 Tips and Tricks To Speed Up Your Android Smartphone For Better Performance in 2024

 10 Tips and Tricks To Speed Up Your Android Smartphone For Better Performance in 2024

Lately, if your Android smartphone is very slow in performance, you don't really need to buy a new one.

Like any computing device, even the high-end Android smartphones and tablets tend to decelerate down with use and age. This is especially true for lower- end Android smartphone that are not always designed to handle future software features and apps. But don’t despair — here are 10 tips and tricks you can do to speed up your Android device and scrounge a little further life out of it. 

the

1. Disable pre-installed applications

From my experience with smartphones, i found out that several bundled apps from manufacturers are not frequently used. This is particularly evident in lower-end, ad-supported devices that prioritize their own services over the ones that may be more useful. For example, you may see dedicated theme stores, music/video players, and device scanner apps. Though these apps cannot be uninstalled by manufacturers, they can be disabled. This means that you can render the apps dormant and they would neither open manually nor automatically. You can navigate to the Settings > Apps > Installed apps menu to disable the apps. However, you may have to toggle the Show system apps option to find them.

2. Restart your device occasionally

One potential solution to fix a slow computer is to perform a power cycle. Restarting your device can clear running apps, background processes, and other resources that accumulate over time, which can cause the device to slow down. Fortunately, restarting your device is a simple process that can be accomplished by pressing and holding your phone’s power button and selecting the Restart option.

Although restarting your device can fix a slow performance issue, often times it can return to its sluggish state over time. Fortunately, some manufacturer skins, such as Samsung's One UI, offer the feature to schedule an automatic restart at certain times, even on certain days of the week. Other Android manufacturers, like OPPO, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, also offer this feature, allowing you to keep your device running smoothly without manual intervention.

3. Clear cache for individual apps

If you have noticed a decrease in the performance of some apps on your phone, this tip might help you. Apps like web browsers and others that are used frequently tend to accumulate data (cache), such as when you navigate to a new website or page. Over time, this can pile up and potentially slow down the app’s performance.

To fix this issue, you can either clear the app’s cache or completely reinstall it. Clearing the app’s cache is usually the recommended approach since it won’t erase other data like your login details, history, and preferences. To do this, simply tap and hold the app icon on your home screen, wait for a pop-up menu to appear, then navigate to App Info, Storage, and finally, Clear Cache.

4. Disable hands-free Google Assistant

If you want to improve your Android smartphone's performance, you might consider disabling the background functionality of the Google Assistant. While the service is great for searching quickly, it can consume a significant amount of your device's performance budget.

To turn off the hands-free Assistant feature, you can navigate to the Google app and tap on your profile photo located at the top-right corner of the screen. From there, go to Settings > Google Assistant > Hey Google & Voice Match and turn off the feature. Don't worry; you can still access the Assistant manually. To do so, you can long-press the home button or swipe diagonally from either bottom corner if you're using Android gestures.

5. Stop apps from automatically updating

If your mobile device lacks sufficient processing capacity, intensive background tasks may significantly slow it down. This encompasses the automatic app and game updates from the Play Store. On less potent devices, including Chromebooks with the Play Store, these tasks can result in a laggy user interface.

To disable automatic app updates, follow these instructions:

1. Open the Play Store.

2. Tap on your profile picture in the top-right corner.

3. Choose Network Preferences.

4. Finally, switch the Auto-update setting to Don't auto-update apps, as shown above.

6. Avoid anti-virus and task killer apps

While the idea of installing a background task-killing app to free up system resources may be tempting, it could potentially do more harm than good. Android already intelligently hibernates unused apps, and antivirus apps may not provide significant protection. Android's app isolation and built-in functions in the Play Store and Google Play Services are effective at detecting malicious apps.

That being said, some anti-malware apps on Android offer additional features like VPN services, photo vaults, and anti-theft protection. If you choose to use these features, consider disabling the antivirus component of the app to prevent it from consuming valuable device resources in the background.

7. Install a Custom ROM

Opting for a custom ROM, a third-party operating system, can breathe new life into your device, offering extended functionality, particularly when official software updates cease. This process, though somewhat lengthy, is worthwhile. Custom ROMs are particularly advantageous after a manufacturer discontinues updates, providing a lighter and faster experience compared to default manufacturer skins, often based on stock Android.

It's crucial to recognize that custom ROMs are unofficial and vary in performance. While some operate flawlessly, others may display bugs and instability, requiring careful research tailored to your specific device model.

8. Revoke unused permissions

If you prefer not to uninstall or disable a specific app but want it to use minimal resources, utilize Android's permission manager to restrict its access. Managing permissions, especially the physical activity permission, can significantly impact your device's usability. Turning off permissions like location access and autostart can also reduce the app's background activity.

Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Permission manager for a quick overview of app permissions. Alternatively, press and hold any app icon on your home screen, tap App Info, then Permissions.

9. Delete old chats and downloaded media

Over time, smartphone apps, including chat apps like WhatsApp, can become bloated with accumulated data. WhatsApp, in particular, stores both downloaded data and the entire chat database locally, posing a challenge on slower devices, especially with a large number of messages.

To address this, regularly clean up unimportant conversations manually every few weeks. Also, remember to delete media files, as this can contribute to speeding up your Android device's gallery app and image picker.

10. Consider using web apps

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) provide app-like functionality without the extensive overhead of native Android apps. Interestingly, many lite apps available on the Play Store are, in reality, PWAs in disguise. Both PWAs and lite apps share a common objective — to operate seamlessly on a wide range of hardware capabilities.

Given that web apps are essentially enhanced websites, you can access them through web browsers like Chrome. Upon loading a web app for the first time, you'll receive a prompt to add it to your home screen.

In conclusion, optimizing your Android experience involves thoughtful choices and practical measures. From managing app updates and taming resource-hungry features to exploring the potential of custom ROMs, there are various avenues to enhance your device's performance. Additionally, strategic use of Android's built-in tools, such as permission management and regular clean-ups, can contribute to a smoother and more efficient smartphone usage. Whether considering the efficiency of Progressive Web Apps or the benefits of disabling certain features, making informed decisions empowers you to tailor your Android experience to your preferences and device capabilities.

10 Useful iPhone Apps You Need To Have In 2023

In today's fast-paced world, our smartphones have become indispensable tools that help us navigate through the demands of everyday life. Among the various smartphone options available, the iPhone stands out for its exceptional user experience and the vast array of apps at our fingertips.

 Whether you're a productivity enthusiast, a photography aficionado, or someone seeking to enhance your overall well-being, the App Store offers a treasure trove of useful applications designed to make your life easier and more enjoyable.

 In this blog post, we will explore ten useful iPhone apps in 2023 that are bound to simplify your daily routine and take your iPhone experience to the next level.

1. Widgetpod

The WidgetPod app offers a dynamic widget experience for music playback on iOS 16, providing support for both Apple Music and Spotify. It presents customization options for various aspects, such as displaying specific buttons and altering icon visuals. Throughout my two-week usage, I encountered no issues, as the app performed smoothly without any noticeable impact on battery life.

It also has the Ability to play local music offline through third-party apps and also Support macOS, enabling the same widget design on desktop.

 Pros: The app's familiar design language facilitates effortless customization for users.

 Cons: The absence of an organized structure for different widget sizes within the app makes customization and discoverability less convenient.

2. Halide

I enjoy introducing new and updated apps that bring fresh and exciting functionalities. One such app is Halide, which provides manual control over your iPhone's camera and surpasses the capabilities of the default camera app.

You can rely on Halide's Macro feature to capture stunning close-up shots of unique subjects. Additionally, its exclusive portrait feature enhances object identification with captivating visual animations. For anyone seeking professional-level photography on an iPhone, Halide is an essential addition.

Pros: Unlike many apps that become cluttered with unnecessary features, Halide thoughtfully incorporates each functionality. The new updates showcase a minimalistic design, utilizing ample white space to deliver a unique user experience that aligns perfectly with the iPhone's aesthetic.

Cons: On smaller devices such as the iPhone 12 Mini, the interface may feel slightly dense.

 Also, Halide offers a useful option called "Prevent Facebook Spying," which removes location data from your photos when shared with any Facebook-owned apps. You can find this option in the app's Advanced section within the Settings menu.

3. Timing

There are instances when all-in-one apps prove to be highly practical, and the timing.is app is a perfect example. Productivity revolves around effective planning and adhering to schedules, which necessitates combining calendar events and tasks. With the timing.is app, you can accomplish precisely that.

This app presents an all-inclusive solution for planning tasks, offering a fresh perspective on using both tasks and calendar events to enhance productivity. It seamlessly synchronizes with your calendars and integrates with the Reminders app on your iPhone. Additionally, it provides customization options, and the best part is that you don't need to create any accounts to utilize its features.

Pros: The app's inclusion of features like time blocking and gap management elevates it to the status of a professional calendar and planner app.

Cons: Although I appreciate its unique design language, I do feel that it deviates slightly from Apple's HID guidelines, which creates a sense of disconnection from other iOS apps.

Additional info: Within the app's main user interface, you can swipe down from the middle of the screen to reveal a year progress bar. This bar displays a percentage to indicate how much of the year has already passed, providing you with a quick overview of the year's progress.

4. MindNode

MindNode stands out with its unique design, offering a native editor and capabilities that surpass initial expectations. Alongside the ability to add images, link nodes, outline documents, create tags, customize themes, and incorporate stickers, the app provides even more impressive features.

Here are the following enhancements to the MindNode app:

1. Dynamic Reordering: This feature intelligently rearranges nodes by pushing close nodes away and introducing negative space between them, optimizing the visual flow.

2. Redesigned macOS and iPadOS App: The app's toolbar and sidebar have undergone a visually appealing redesign, elevating the overall aesthetic experience.

3. Enhanced Notes and Themes: The addition of note functionality within the Outline feature, along with the introduction of numerous beautiful themes, further enhance the app's versatility.

Pros: MindNode's frequent updates have significantly amplified its usability, surpassing the offerings of many competitors, particularly as an exclusive app on iOS.

Pros: The app can be overwhelming for first-time users due to its initial UI appearing somewhat empty, making it easy to get lost while navigating.

Additional info: To efficiently create new main nodes or paste items, simply tap anywhere on the blank canvas. This action will bring up a context menu from which you can choose your desired action.

5. Outplayer

Video players are typically resource-intensive, but the Outplayer app stands out for its exceptional speed, providing a seamless experience similar to using a new iPhone.

While Outplayer may not have an extensive feature set like VLC, its performance more than compensates. It handles heavy, high-quality videos flawlessly, delivering top-notch playback.

Outplayer offers various methods to transfer videos from your PC or Mac. Essentially, any device with a web browser can connect to it. Additionally, it boasts the following great features:

- Picture-in-picture support

- Subtitle support

- Integration with SMB, external storage, and more

- Chapter and playlist navigation

Pros: The standout feature of Outplayer is its unmatched performance. It effortlessly handles 4K HDR videos without any issues.

Cons: The file management UI is limited and requires significant improvements to enhance the user experience.

Additional Info: Two-finger tap on the video UI plays or pauses the playback.

6. KDE Connect

With KDE Connect, you can effortlessly bridge the gap between your iPhone and PC, enabling seamless communication and synchronization. While this app may not boast a proprietary design or an extraordinary user experience, it serves as a utility to connect your devices.

I rely on KDE Connect to conveniently access my clipboard, share files, and control media playback on my PC. Over the past two weeks, I have experienced great stability with this app, encountering no issues.

Pros: One of the standout advantages of KDE Connect is its remarkable speed when sending files from my iPhone to PC over Wi-Fi 6. This method surpasses the efficiency of using a lightning cable or relying on AirDrop on Mac.

Cons: However, it's worth noting that the interface appears outdated, and there is room for improvement in terms of providing a clear user experience direction for initiating and concluding tasks.

Additional Info: If you encounter difficulties when initially connecting your iPhone to your PC, where it fails to detect the PC, try the following workaround. Tap on the "more" button located in the Devices tab and select "Configure Devices by IP." Add the IP address of your PC in this section. Following these steps helped me successfully establish a connection between my devices.

ALSO READ: 

How To Save Your iPhone Battery From Running Down Fast

7. Infuse 

If you rely on a network storage solution like a NAS or an external hard drive to store your movies and shows, then Infuse is the app you've been looking for.

Infuse is an exceptional media player that offers a plethora of features you didn't even know you needed. It's a lightweight and powerful multi-device software with a stunning interface.

With Infuse, you can synchronize your watch history with Trakt and stream videos from various sources such as NAS, Cloud Storage, Plex, and more. It supports Dolby and can play a wide range of video formats without requiring additional software.

Pros: Infuse provides a remarkable media center experience, complete with a beautiful interface and an array of valuable features that enhance your movie and show-watching experience.

Cons: However, it's important to note that despite its support for iCloud synchronization, there may be some instability issues when synchronizing NAS login credentials.

8. Cookie Blocker

The user experience (UX) of the web is often compromised as many companies prioritize short-term goals over providing a good user experience. This unfortunate trend has led to the proliferation of dark UX patterns on numerous websites. However, I am glad to have discovered utilities that help alleviate these annoyances.

One such utility is Cookie Blocker, a Safari extension designed specifically to hide those pesky cookie acceptance pop-ups that appear when visiting websites.

According to the developer, this extension is effective on over 2 million websites. In my personal experience, I have yet to encounter a website that displays a cookie banner when this extension is active.

Pros: Notably, Cookie Blocker boasts a lightweight app size, ensuring a snappy performance without causing any issues in Safari.

Cons: However, it's worth mentioning that there is no interface available to temporarily disable the extension. This can be problematic on websites that require the acceptance of their cookie banner, as they may not function properly if the extension is active. It's important to keep this in mind if you encounter any issues with a particular website.

9. Calendars

Calendars by Readdle has become a popular go-to calendar app on iPhone, thanks to its comprehensive handling of both calendar events and tasks. This app goes above and beyond by offering features like templates for repetitive events and seamless integration with popular apps like Zoom.

One standout feature that I personally adore is its natural language processing capability. I can effortlessly convert simple text, such as "Coaching session for tomorrow at noon with Andrew near Times Square," into a fully detailed event accurately placed in my calendar.

Pros: One of the major advantages of Calendars by Readdle is its adherence to design patterns seen in other productivity apps like Spark. This familiar UI design creates a comfortable and consistent experience across my productivity tools.

Cons: However, there is one notable challenge I've encountered. When creating a new event, swiping down on the event window doesn't automatically cancel it. Instead, you need to press the "Cancel" button to close the window, which can be a bit unintuitive.

10. ARC

Arc for iOS is a recently launched browser app that, despite being in its initial version, has provided a positive experience for me. One of its standout features is the ability to access all my spaces and tabs from the desktop app directly on my iPhone.

As a consumer, I appreciate healthy competition in the browser market, and it's great to see new options emerge. Arc distinguishes itself by prioritizing user experience and incorporating subtle animations for micro-interactions.

Pros: The instant synchronization of tabs across different spaces within the app, seamlessly transitioning from desktop to mobile, is a noteworthy advantage.

Cons: However, being a version 1 release, there are several features that this app currently lacks, preventing it from becoming my primary browser on iOS. For instance, the absence of bookmarks is a notable limitation.

In conclusion, these ten iPhone apps offer a range of functionalities and utilities to enhance your daily life. Whether you're looking for productivity tools, media players, or utilities to simplify tasks, there's an app on this list to suit your needs. From the intuitive design of Halide to the seamless synchronization of Calendars by Readdle, each app brings its own unique strengths and benefits.

So go ahead and explore these apps, download them from the App Store, and unlock their full potential. Let them become valuable additions to your iPhone, helping you stay organized, entertained, and efficient. And don't forget to share your experiences and recommendations with others, spreading the word about these useful iPhone apps.

If you have any other favorite iPhone apps that you think should be on this list or any thoughts to share, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy app exploring and enjoy the incredible functionality that your iPhone has to offer!

Join us on Telegram for more and faster tech updates 

Jamb Portal

Simple Steps on How to Do Factory Reset on Android Smartphone

Simple Steps on How to Do Factory Reset on Android Smartphone 

Performing a factory reset on an Android smartphone can help to resolve certain issues or simply wipe all personal data from the device.

People may do a factory reset on their smartphones for several reasons which includes:

1. To resolve software issues: If your smartphone is experiencing software problems like frequent crashes, freezes, or slow performance, a factory reset can help. It erases all the data and settings on your phone, removing any potential software conflicts or issues that may have been causing the problem.

2. To prepare for resale: If you plan to sell or give away your smartphone, performing a factory reset is important to protect your privacy. It ensures that all your personal data, including contacts, photos, and messages, are erased from the device.

3. To free up storage space: Over time, smartphones can accumulate a lot of unnecessary data, like temporary files, app caches, and other junk. A factory reset erases all this data, freeing up storage space on your phone and potentially improving performance.

4. To start fresh with a clean slate: Sometimes, people just want to start fresh with a completely clean slate. A factory reset wipes the phone's data and settings, returning it to its original state when it was first purchased.

It's important to note that performing a factory reset will erase all personal data and settings on your phone, so it's important to back up any important data before doing a reset.

 The exact steps to perform a factory reset may vary slightly depending on the specific brand and model of your smartphone, but if you read this post to the end, I'll be showing you two ways you can do factory reset; 1 is through Settings and the other option is through Recovery mode.

ALSO READ:

• 7 Settings You Must Do After Buying A New Android Phone
• Other Ways You Can Use Your Old Smartphone Without Throwing It Away

How to factory reset android smartphone through Settings:

1. Back up your data: Before performing a factory reset, it's important to back up any important data on your smartphone, such as contacts, photos, and documents. You can use Google's backup and restore feature to back up your data to your Google account.

2. Open the Settings app: On your Android smartphone, open the Settings app. This can usually be found in the app drawer or by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping the gear icon.

3. Find the "System" or "General Management" or "About phone" option: Depending on your smartphone model, the option to reset your device may be located under the "System" or "General Management" or "About phone" section of the Settings app. Select "Reset" or "Backup & reset".

4. Choose "Factory data reset": Within the "Reset" or "Backup & reset" menu, select the option called "Factory data reset" and then click on "Erase all data"

You may be prompted to enter your device PIN, password, or pattern to proceed.

5. Confirm the reset: You will be asked to confirm that you want to perform a factory reset. Read the warning message carefully, then tap "Reset" or "Erase everything" to initiate the process.

6. Wait for the reset to complete: The factory reset process may take several minutes to complete, during which time your smartphone will reboot and erase all personal data and settings.

Once the factory reset is complete, your smartphone will be restored to its original factory settings. You can then set it up as if it were a new device, or restore your data using the backup you created in step 1.

How to factory data reset an Android phone using Recovery Mode:

1. Make sure the phone is off, Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.

2. Continue pressing them until the screen starts.

3. A screen with the word “Start” pointing at the power button, text, and navigation instructions will appear.

4. You can now use the Power button to make selections and the Volume keys to navigate.

5. Hit the Volume Down button until you see Recovery Mode, Press the Power button to select it. The phone will restart and show an Android robot in trouble.

6. Press and hold the Power button, then press the Volume Up button while still holding the Power button.

7. Using the Volume buttons, highlight Wipe data/factory reset.

8. Press the Power button to select the option.

9. Confirm by selecting Factory data reset and let the phone do its thing.

10. Once done, select Reboot system now.

I have a video tutorial that will guide you step by step on how to perform factory reset on your android smartphone. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel after watching the video.

Watch now: 

Now that you have learnt something new today, why not support me by sharing this post with your friends on social media so that they can benefit from it just like you did.

Click the Facebook and Twitter button below.

Don't forget to join our Telegram Channel, so that you can receive or tech updates faster 

Check Out 7 New Features Added to the Latest Whatsapp Update You Did Not Know About in 2023

 Check Out 7 New Features Added to the Latest Whatsapp Update You Did Not Know About in 2023

Over the years, just like every other apps, WhatsApp has always been rolling out new updates to their apps.

 Why do they do this?

If you are having this question in your mind, the answers is that they roll out new updates to their app whenever they fix bugs or issues on the app or whenever they want to add new features or upgrade existing features to enhance user's experience on the app.

The latest WhatsApp update version 2.23.3.79 (updated in February 2023) comes with great new features that are very interesting. 

Most of this new features are not really noticeable because of the fact that they are upgrades of already existing features on the app, while there are very few noticeable features that arrived on the WhatsApp app for the first time.

I'll be focusing on seven (7) of these features that are very important in your daily WhatsApp usage.

Join me to the end as I list out these features and how to access them.

FEATURES:

1. You can now add captions when sending documents.

In this updated version of WhatsApp, sending of documents with captions has been enabled. Previously, you could only add captions to photos and videos but now, you can also add captions to documents before sending them to your contacts or posting in groups. This Is new feature.

2. Added support for longer group subjects and descriptions to better describe your group.

Group subjects also known as group name, is the part where the title of a group is seen.

Join Us On Telegram

Previously, group subjects only had 30 character spaces for text and emoji when creating or updating a group, but now, it has been extended to 100 character spaces.

This is a great news for group owners that have or intend to use long group subjects.

3. You can now send up to 100 photos / videos at once.

Previously on WhatsApp, Aside GB WhatsApp and every other modded WhatsApp, you are only allowed to send or post 30 photos/image at once.

In this new WhatsApp update, this feature has been upgraded as you can now send upto 100 photos/videos at once. Wonderful, isn't it?

4. You can now create personalized avatars and use them as stickers and profile photos.

If you wish not to use any of your pictures as WhatsApp profile photo, there is an option on WhatsApp that allows you to create and use a personalised avatar of your choice.

 The avatar can also be used as stickers.

To gain access to this new feature,

 Go to Settings > Avatar to get started.

5. Voice Status update.

This a very interesting, long awaited feature that WhatsApp just added to it's update. Voice Status update allows users to record and post voice notes on their status. Just like other status update, the voice Status will also delete automatically after 24hrs.

How to use WhatsApp voice status?

• Swipe left to the status tab
• Click on the pen icon as if you want to type something,
• Instead of typing, just press and hold the mic icon which is located at the right side of your screen.
• The recording will start automatically.

The maximum duration for the recording is 30 seconds.

In the coming updates, there will be better enhancement and options to this voice status update such as voice filter etc.

ALSO READ:

• List Of Countries Where Whatsapp Has Been Banned
• 5 Ways To Save Whatsapp Statuses Without Using Status Saver Apps
• How To Add Yourself Back To A Whatsapp Group After Being Kicked Out By The Admin

6. Deleting selected Images/Photos select for status update by just touching them.

Previously, after selecting Images/photos you wish to upload on your WhatsApp status and you feel like removing some, you would have to go back and unselect them or alternatively tap on the particular image you don't want and them tap the delete icon at the top right of the screen. 

In this latest WhatsApp update, a slight upgrade has been made as you can now delete unwanted selected photos/videos by just tapping on them at the preview panel and it will be removed immediately. See image below.

This feature is only available for WhatsApp Business users as at when this post was made. It might be made available for normal WhatsApp users in subsequent updates.

7. Polls.

This feature that has been on Telegram for long has now been added to WhatsApp.

WhatsApp poll allows you to send polls to contacts and groups of your choice. Once sent, others users will be allowed to vote on the polls you sent by selecting an option from the multiple options created by you.

As of now, multiple answers can't be selected by others users, unlike on Telegram where you can set whether to allow multiple answers or not.

We hope WhatsApp adds this option to Polls in subsequent updates.

Hope you learnt something new today?

If you aren't seeing any of these features in your WhatsApp application, kindly rush to Google play store (for Android users) or iOS App store (for iPhone users) and update your WhatsApp to the latest version so that you can start enjoying these awesome features on WhatsApp.

Note that your mobile data needs to be turned or connected to a WiFi with active internet subscription before the update can be successful.

Don't forget to share this post on Facebook and other social media.

We are on Telegram, join our Channel now!