How to Keep Your Phone Running Flawlessly
They may be called phones, but they’re used to perform a variety of functions. One could easily say that modern smartphones are like mini computers that aid us in almost all our day-to-day activities to the extent that they are probably the first thing we look at every morning.
Gone are the days when mobile phones were used only for making and receiving calls and text messages. Smartphones, today, pack a punch and are able to fulfil several of our needs.
They can turn into alarm clocks and help us start our day on time. They can also transform into cameras that enable us to capture selfies and make home videos. Additionally, you can also use them to listen to music, play games, browse the Web, check your social media accounts, find your way through a new place and store important data/documents.
Of course, to be able to use the smartphone to its optimal capability, there are different mobile applications that need to be downloaded to our phones.
At the same time, with so much influence on our activities, it is crucial that it functions smoothly. This post contains some tips on keeping your smartphone in top shape.
- Clean Up Your Phone
It is important to get rid of the clutter on your phone on a regular basis. Because we keep downloading several apps to make our lives easier, we often forget that doing so cannot just clutter the phone up, but also take up a lot of memory space. It is, therefore, advised that you examine your phone every once-in-a-while and uninstall the apps you haven’t used in a while or don’t need anymore.
Apart from that, look for stuff that may have been downloaded as attachments while browsing the Internet and remove it if you find it to be of no use.
Free up space by deleting unwanted videos and images. Getting rid of unnecessary apps and files will enable your smartphone to run at a good speed.
- Clear the Browser Cache
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This is exactly like clearing the browser cache of your desktop. And don’t you just love it when your computer performs at its peak? Hence, you should give your phone the same treatment as well. This can go a long way improving your phone’s output.
Clearing the cache involves deleting the browser history, cookies and other data. You can do so by simply opening the browser(s), and altering the settings in the menu. You should feel the difference in the working of your phone as soon as you do this.
- Verification of the Source
Make it a point to verify the source whenever you download an app. Most applications are open-source and come through different vendors. It is, therefore, suggested that you trace the original source of the app and then download it. This reduces the chances of downloading rogue apps, which are a major cause for smartphones not working to their optimal capacity.
- Install Antivirus
One cannot even begin to explain the importance of downloading a reliable antivirus to your phone. Do so now to save yourself unnecessary heartache later. Ensure that the antivirus you install is legitimate, else it defeats the purpose the having one in the first place. Mobile phones are vulnerable to virus attacks as well, so having an antivirus in place will keep your data safe.
- Extend Battery Life
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There are several applications that you can use to increase the longevity of your phone’s battery. Closing apps that are being unnecessarily downloaded and left running in the background will also help you curb battery consumption.
Additionally, reducing the brightness of your screen and using non-animated wallpapers will help you save battery life.
You should also make sure that you do not over-charge your phone battery. So, refrain from charging it needlessly. Connect it only when your battery is about to drain out completely, and unplug as soon as it is fully charged.
- Defragment
It is always a good idea to defragment to improve the performance of your phone. You can do so by connecting it to your computer. Locate your device on it and click on the ‘Properties’ option. From there choose the ‘Tools’ option and defragment your phone. This doesn’t work for all phones though. However, if it works for yours, make sure you do this.
- Keep Your Apps Updated
It is always great to have updated apps on your phone. Updates often help your smartphone use less battery and stabilize the apps to suit the phone’s functioning better. Even though you may have configured your smartphone for automatic update, some apps require to be upgraded manually. So keep an eye open for that.
- Turn Off Your Location
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A lot of apps use location services to determine your whereabouts, but this isn’t essential. Turn off the location service as doing so will help speed up your phone, increase the battery life and most importantly, protect your privacy.
Of course, when using certain apps like Map, you will be required to keep the location service on. But others, especially social media apps/websites, need not know where you are. Turn off the service for such apps.
- Use Memory Management Software
Consider downloading memory management software for free or a very low cost and install it on your smartphone. This program is helpful in restoring lost memory by defragmenting the hard drive or performing a recovery to find lost information.
Once the software is installed, click on the app and run the program to free some memory up. These apps also provide other features to help you track your phone’s memory usage.
Conclusion
Carrying out extra activities can slow a phone down and overload its memory. You will do well to delete unused apps and media, and even download and install a memory management app to improve your phone’s performance. If required, you can also restore the phone to its factory settings, but that will obliterate all your data. Doing so, however, improves speed and opens up a lot of memory. Typically, the rules for keeping your smartphone running flawlessly are same as the ones that apply to a regular computer, none of which require much technical expertise.
Author Bio: Jason Geater leads the team at Solvusoft. They offer consumer PC optimization products that help with computer errors, edit file types, and protect online privacy.
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