The hidden setting that slows down your phone - turn it off immediately

The phone that opened in a second at the store has become, after two years, a device that freezes at every screen transition, and almost every Israeli knows the moment when the finger is already hovering over the "replace device" button. But before you pull out a few thousand shekels, it is worth knowing that a slow Android is almost always a problem that can be fixed at home. In many cases, it is a single setting that the manufacturer turned on for you, without asking, and which slows down precisely the newer devices. This method, along with three more steps, is demonstrated by the international technology channel Geeks Tutorial, which has been operating and teaching technical tips since 2015. Everything you will see here is based on built-in and safe operating system settings, without third-party apps and without risk to your personal files.

The enemy the manufacturer turned on for you: virtual RAM

Many manufacturers, including Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus, activate a feature called RAM Plus (or "memory extension"), which takes a chunk of internal storage and uses it as if it were RAM. On paper it sounds generous, but storage is much slower than real RAM, and on devices with 6GB and above, this feature actually slows down the opening of apps. Go into settings, search for RAM, turn off the feature and confirm a restart. You will feel the difference the next time you open any app.

The secret that makes the phone "fly": shortening animations

In every transition between screens, the device runs a small animation that you don't even notice, but it is the one that creates a feeling of slowness. The solution sits in Developer Options: go to settings > about phone, and click seven times in a row on "build number" to open the hidden menu. Inside, look for three animation settings and change each one from 1x to 0.5x. The interface will react immediately, as if you replaced the device.

The choked storage: cleaning junk files without shady apps

Lack of storage is one of the heaviest factors for slowing down, but you don't need a "cleaning app" for that. Use the Files app by Google that is already installed on your device: enter the "clean" tab, select the junk files category and confirm. The action deletes only temporary files that apps no longer need, and does not touch your photos or personal files.

Background eaters: deleting apps in one go

Every app you forgot about continues to run in the background, gnawing at memory and drinking battery. Instead of deleting one by one, open the Google Play store, click on the profile picture and select "manage apps and device". On the "manage" tab, mark all at once everything you don't use, and click on the trash icon. You have freed up a lot of storage and system resources in one moment.

Summary of action steps and instructions (step by step):

1. Turning off RAM Plus: settings > search "RAM" > turn off memory extension and confirm restart.

2. Shortening animations: settings > about phone > 7 clicks on "build number" > developer options > three animation settings from 1x to 0.5x.

3. Cleaning junk files: Files app by Google > "clean" tab > junk files > confirm.

4. Deleting apps: Google Play > profile > manage apps and device > "manage" tab > multiple selection > delete.

5. Restart: to finish, restart the device so that all changes take effect.

And here comes the warning that must not be missed: stay away from "cleaning" and "booster" apps that promise to speed up your phone with a click. In most cases, they themselves run in the background, slow down the device and collect unnecessary data. Also inside developer options be careful, and touch only the three animation settings, without changing anything else in the menu. Perform the five steps as they are, and you will discover that the phone you thought to replace has simply returned to itself.