How To Fix A Samsung Galaxy That’s Running Slow

Estimate Cost : 0

Time Needed : 10 minutes

There can be many factors that can cause a device to slow down or perform poorly. You’ll want to narrow down these possible causes so be sure to follow this guide on what to do.

1. Check for apps running in the background.

   
   
   One of the most common reasons Samsung Galaxy appear to run slow is background apps. When you stop using an app and switch to another one, you’re not really closing it but instead simply leaving it to run in the background.
   
   Over time, a number of background apps may tax the system and cause slow performance. On paper, an Android device should be able to manage its memory to mitigate effects of too many background apps but in reality, this may sometimes fail.
   
   If you noticed that your Samsung Galaxy seem to be lagging or running slow, the first thing that you should do is to close your apps. You can do that by either force closing individual apps or closing all of them using one button.
   
   If you want to force quit an app singly, follow the steps in this post.
   
   Otherwise, you can close all apps tapping on the Recent app button (the left most soft key) and tapping on Close All button.

2. Troubleshoot a slow loading app.

   
   
   If you have a problem loading a single app only, this may mean that the app is buggy. There are a couple of things that you can do about that.
   
   First, you can try to clear the app’s cache. This is going to delete the temporary files being kept by the app (cache). This cache will be rebuilt over time so it can be deleted safely. You won’t lose any personal data if you delete an app cache.
   
   If clearing the app’s cache won’t work, you can also clear its data. This procedure will return the app to its factory settings so some user data like game progress, credentials, and other stuff may be deleted.
   
   For example, if you want to clear the data of a Call of Duty gaming app, you’ll have to log back in using credentials afterwards. You may also lose your game progress and other items if they are not backed up in a remote server. Additionally, you may also have to install an update for the game later on. 
   
   To clear an app cache or data, follow the steps in this post.

3. Reboot your Samsung Galaxy.

   
   
   Devices like phones and tablets can slow down and perform poorly if left running for a long time. This is because Operating System may become inefficient in doing tasks if it’s not refreshed from time to time.
   
   We recommend that you restart your Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet at least once every few days to avoid slow performance issues.

4. Optimize your Samsung device.

   
   
   Aside from regularly refreshing the system with a reboot, you can also lessen the chances of poor performance in an Android device by optimizing it. All you have to do is to simply head to Settings > Device care > Optimize now. 
   
   Optimize now feature will briefly scan your phone or tablet and do some basic clean up to get rid of outdated files or cache, close background apps, and do other checks to keep the system streamlined.

5. Clear the cache partition.

   
   
   If your Samsung Galaxy started running slow after installing an update, there’s a chance that it may be having an issue with its system cache. This cache may become corrupted or outdated after a software update, which can result to problems.
   
   To keep this cache in top shape, make sure that you do a clear cache partition procedure. This will delete the current system cache and hopefully fix any problem you’re having.
   
   Clearing the cache partition will not erase your personal data so you don’t have to worry about losing files.

6. Fix a slow Samsung device by keeping apps and software updated.

   
   
   Keeping the software environment of your device up-to-date can prevent and fix known bugs. Your Samsung Galaxy device should automatically notify you for app and software updates by default but you can also manually check for updates anytime.
   
   To check for app updates, just open the Play Store app. 
   
   If you want to know if there’s any new Android OS update available, you can go to Settings > Software update > Download and install.

7. Check for overheating.

   
   
   Is your Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet becoming uncomfortably warm while at the same time slowing down or lagging? If yes, it’s most likely overheating. Both lag or being slow and overheating usually go hand in hand and suggest that there’s either a software problem or a hardware malfunction in a device. 
   
   The best fix that you can try if both lagging and overheating are observed in a device is factory reset. If the cause of the overheating problem is software-related, a factory reset is a good solution. However, if overheating persists even after doing a factory reset, bad hardware may be to blame. 
   
   If your Samsung device still has an overheating problem following a factory reset, you should consider getting help from Samsung Service Center. Repair or replacement is most likely necessary to help you out.

8. Restart to Safe Mode.

   
   
   The presence of a broken or malicious third party app can be the cause of your problem. If you noticed that your Samsung Galaxy started running slow after a new app is installed, you can reboot it to safe mode to check. 
   
   Learn how to use safe mode diagnostic tool to get rid of a bad app in this article.

9. Wipe your Samsung device (factory reset).

   
   
   The final solution that you can try in this situation is factory reset. As the name suggests, this will return all software settings to their original factory settings. This is usually effective in fixing software issues so if you’re positive that your Samsung phone or tablet does not have any hardware-related issues, make sure that you do this at this point. 
   
   Factory reset will erase your personal data such as photos, videos, contacts, messages, etc. Be sure to back them up ahead of time.
   
   Learn how to factory reset your Samsung Galaxy by checking this post.