# Android phone slow? Find what is slowing it down

A slow Android phone is usually short of free storage, running too much in the background, or carrying preinstalled apps that never stop working. Measure each one before you change anything.

## The usual causes

- **Nearly full storage.** When the data partition is almost full, Android has little room for caches and updates and everything feels sluggish.
- **Background work.** Apps that keep services, jobs or sensors active use memory and CPU even when you are not looking at them.
- **Preinstalled apps.** Manufacturer and carrier apps often start at boot and stay resident.
- **An old system update or a hot phone.** Heat makes the processor slow itself down.

## Quick fixes to try first

1. Restart the phone, then check **Settings > Battery** for apps with unusual background use.
2. Free storage: remove large files and apps you never open.
3. Install pending system and app updates.
4. Restrict background use for apps you rarely open (Settings > Apps > Battery).

## Measure instead of guessing

ADB can report what is running and what it costs.

```
adb shell df /data          # free storage
adb shell dumpsys meminfo   # memory per process
adb shell top -n 1          # CPU per process
```

The [slimdroid tool](https://slimdroid.com/app) collects these dumps for you and shows memory, CPU, battery and sensor cost per package next to a plain-language verdict, so you can see which preinstalled apps are worth switching off.

## If it is still slow

Disable the bloat you identified ([how to debloat without root](https://slimdroid.com/guides/debloat-android-without-root)), and as a last resort back up and factory reset the phone.

### Does clearing cache speed up Android?

Only a little, and only temporarily: apps rebuild their caches. Freeing storage and removing background-heavy apps helps more.

### Does disabling apps make the phone faster?

It helps when the apps were running in the background. The gain is often modest on a recent phone, and the battery improvement is usually easier to notice.

## Related guides

- [What is draining my Android battery?](https://slimdroid.com/guides/android-battery-drain-apps)
- [How to debloat an Android phone without root](https://slimdroid.com/guides/debloat-android-without-root)
- [Is it safe to disable system apps on Android?](https://slimdroid.com/guides/is-it-safe-to-disable-system-apps)
- [Android slow after an update: why it happens and what to do](https://slimdroid.com/guides/android-slow-after-update)