How to fix a Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2019) smartphone that keeps freezing and lagging (easy steps)

Performance issues depicted by symptoms like frequent freezes and lags are usually attributed to memory problems like insufficient storage space on the phone. Other factors that are likely to inflict the same problems are bad updates, errant apps, software bugs and malware. In worst cases, these symptoms could be triggered by damaged hardware. Corrupted or fried SD card in use can also inflict the same trouble on smartphones with SD card support. All these are common causes that you need to consider looking into individually whenever your device misbehaves.

Highlighted in this post are suggested workarounds and generic solutions to freezing and lagging issues on the new Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2018). Even new devices can succumb into performance issues that are likely attributed to a software glitch. Read on to find out what to do whenever you get to encounter relevant issues on the same device.

Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our troubleshooting pages to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. Don’t worry it’s free. But if you still need our help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

First solution: End all background apps then perform a soft reset/restart.

Background apps are recently used apps that remain running in the background. While it’s not a bad idea to keep certain apps open for multitasking, any of these background apps can become corrupted at some point. When this happens, other apps or system functions will likely become affected. To make sure this isn’t what causing you with such trouble, follow these steps to end all background apps on your Galaxy J2 Pro (2018):

Navigate to Apps from the Home screen.
Drag the screen to the left to access more Apps.
Tap on Smart Manager icon.
Tap RAM from the given options.
Tap End All at the bottom of the screen to close all apps running in the background.

Once you’re done ending background apps, perform a soft reset or restart your Galaxy J2 Pro with these steps:

Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds.
Tap Power off from the menu options.
Then tap OK to confirm power off.
After 30 seconds, press the Power button again until the phone restarts.

If your device is frozen or unresponsive, then you will need to perform the alternative reboot or force restart.

To do so, press and hold the Power button and the Volume Down button on the side until the phone restarts.

Wait until the restart is complete, then use your device as you normally do to find out if the problem is fixed.

Second solution: Boot into safe mode and manage apps.

Booting your Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) in safe mode can help determine whether a third-party app is to blame or not. Only stock or preinstalled apps and services are permitted to run in safe mode. That said, if the problem doesn’t occur while your device is running in safe mode, then that denotes any of your third-party apps or downloaded services is the trigger. Follow these steps to find out:

With your device turned on, hold down the Power button until the menu options appear.
Tap on Restart option twice. Your device then instigates restart.
While your device is restarting, press and hold the Volume Down button for a few seconds.
Release the Volume Down button when the device turns on again.

A Safe Mode badge will then show up on the bottom left corner of the screen. That denotes your phone is running in safe mode. Use your device as you normally do and observe if it still lags or freezes. If it doesn’t, then any of your downloaded apps or services are most likely the culprit. In that case, try to uninstall the suspected app. It’s probably the most recent app you’ve downloaded prior to the onset of the problem. If you can’t figure out which app to uninstall, then you can just delete individual apps from the most recent download you’ve got then so on until the problem is gone.

If that won’t work, then move on to the next possible solution.

Third solution: Update software to the latest version.

Software updates also contain security enhancements or fix patches to address existing device issues inflicted by software bugs and malware. Should the freezing and lagging issue on your device is attributed to some bug or malicious software, then installing the new update can be the key to fixing it.

To check for new software (Android) update available for your Galaxy J2 Pro (2018), head over to Settings-> Software update menu. A notification will show up if an update is available. Follow the onscreen instructions to proceed with the update file download and installation.

If the new update doesn’t show up via OTA or over-the-air, then you can manually upgrade your phone’s firmware to the latest build using a computer.

Fourth solution: Wipe cache partition on your Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2018).

Temporary files cached in your phone’s system folders can also make your device rogue, especially when they’re corrupted. Wiping the cache partition is therefore recommended. It doesn’t just clear corrupted cache and temporary data but also clears the internal memory of your phone for more space and better performance. If you wish to try your luck in wiping cache partition, then you may proceed with these steps:

Turn off your phone, if necessary.
With your phone turned off, press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
Release the buttons when the Samsung logo appears on the screen. The Android system recovery menu then shows up.
Press the Volume Down button several times until Wipe Cache Partition option is highlighted.
Confirm selection by pressing the Power button.
Wait until your device is done wiping the cache partition then restart to apply the changes.

This will not affect any data stored on the internal memory of your device, thus all your personal information and downloaded apps remain.

Fifth solution: Perform a master reset (factory data reset).

A master reset or factory data reset will wipe everything from your device and restore the default options or factory default settings. Any complex software issues are generally resolved with this method, particularly those that are triggered by malware ang intricate bugs. Should you wish to continue, be sure to back up all your important contents and personal information, so you can restore them later when needed. Start whenever you’re all set to reset your Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) to its factory settings:

Turn off your phone, if necessary.
With your phone turned off, press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
Release the buttons when the Samsung logo appears on the screen. The Android system recovery menu will display.
Press the Volume Down button several times until Wipe data/Factory reset option is highlighted.
Confirm selection by pressing the Power button.
Press the Volume down button again to highlight Yes — delete all user data option.
Then press the Power button to confirm selection.
Wait until the Recovery Mode reappears on the screen then press the Volume Down button to highlight Reboot system now from the given options.
Finally, press the Power button to restart your device.

This reset wipes all data including personal information, downloaded apps, customized settings and other contents saved in the internal memory of your device. After the reboot, factory defaults settings are restored on your device, which means the need for you to set up your phone as new.

More often than not, software problems even complex system errors are successfully resolved by a master reset or factory data reset. But if you still ended up having the same problem on freezes and lags, then you will need to consider opting for service. There might be some physical or hardware damage on your Galaxy J2 Pro 2018 smartphone that needs tech repair.

Service / Repair

It’s possible that some components of your device might have obtained physical or liquid damage and therefore need service. In that case, you need to take your device to a Samsung service center nearby and have it checked and/or repaired by authorized technician. Don’t forget to avail for warranty if your device is still eligible for one.

Or you may contact Samsung Support for further troubleshooting assistance and official recommendations especially if your Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) smartphone started to freeze and lag after installing a new update to Android.

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