How to Speed Up Your Android Phone in 2025 (No Root Needed)

If your Android phone is starting to feel sluggish, you’re not alone. Even the most powerful devices can slow down over time due to app clutter, system updates, or background processes. The good news is, you don’t need to root your phone or install any risky third-party tools to give it a performance boost.

In this 2025 guide, we’ll show you how to speed up your Android phone using simple, effective, and safe methods. Best of all, these tips rely only on features already built into the system. First, we’ll explore AI-powered battery optimisation that can improve performance without extra apps. Then, we’ll move on to smart launcher tweaks that make your phone feel faster and more responsive. By the end, your device will feel like new again, and no root is required.

Use Built-in Device Optimisation Tools

Most Android phones today come with built-in tools designed to keep your device running smoothly. These tools are typically found under Settings > Battery & Device Care or a similar section, depending on your phone brand.

With a single tap, you can optimise your phone’s performance by clearing temporary files, closing background apps, and freeing up storage space. Some phones even allow you to schedule this optimisation to happen automatically every day.

For example, on Samsung phones, there’s an option in the Device Care section to enable “Auto restart when needed,” which restarts the device periodically to keep everything running efficiently. Taking advantage of these tools can make a noticeable difference in how quickly your phone responds.

Uninstall or Disable Unused Apps

Over time, it’s easy to accumulate apps that you no longer use. While they may seem harmless, many of these apps continue to run in the background, consuming memory and draining your battery.

To clean things up, head to Settings > Apps, scroll through the list, and uninstall any apps you don’t use. If an app cannot be uninstalled because it’s pre-installed by the manufacturer, you can usually disable it instead. Disabling an app prevents it from running in the background and receiving updates, which helps reduce system strain.

Doing this regularly will not only improve your phone’s performance but also free up valuable storage space.

Enable AI-Powered Battery and Performance Features

Modern Android versions, particularly Android 13 and above, include AI-driven features designed to optimise battery life and system performance based on how you use your phone.

The Adaptive Battery feature monitors the apps you use most frequently and gives them priority when it comes to power allocation. Apps you use less often will receive fewer system resources, which helps reduce lag and extend battery life.

Similarly, Adaptive Brightness learns your lighting preferences and automatically adjusts the screen brightness, which saves battery and reduces system load.

Android also uses something called App Standby Buckets, which categorise apps based on usage frequency. Apps that fall into the “Rare” category are restricted heavily in the background. This process is automatic, but you can view and tweak some of these settings by enabling Developer Options.

Activating these AI-powered features is a smart way to ensure your phone is always running efficiently, without you needing to micromanage every detail.

Switch to a Lightweight Launcher

If your phone’s default interface feels slow or cluttered, switching to a lightweight third-party launcher can provide a much faster and cleaner experience.

Some of the best launchers available in 2025 include:

• Nova Launcher 8, which offers deep customisation and a fluid interface.
• Niagara Launcher, which is minimalistic and perfect for one-handed use.
• Lawnchair 12, which delivers a Pixel-like experience with no extra bloat.

These launchers are optimised for speed and simplicity, and many allow you to disable animations, hide unused apps, and streamline your home screen. After installing one, be sure to set it as your default launcher and disable the original launcher if your phone allows it. This will help avoid unnecessary resource usage.

Clear Cached Data and Restart Regularly

As you use your phone, apps store cached data to speed up performance. However, over time, this cached data can become outdated or excessive, leading to slower performance.

To clear cached data, go to Settings > Apps, select an app, tap on Storage, and choose Clear Cache. It’s not necessary to do this every day—clearing cache once every couple of weeks is more than enough.

Moreover, restarting your phone at least once a week can be very beneficial. It helps clear memory leaks and refresh the system. This is especially important if you tend to keep many apps open in the background. In addition, you can take advantage of the auto restart feature mentioned earlier. By doing so, your device can restart automatically on a consistent schedule, ensuring smoother performance over time.

Use Game Boosters or Performance Modes (Even for Non-Gamers)

Many smartphones now include a built-in Game Booster or Performance Mode that’s designed to allocate more system resources to gaming apps. Interestingly, these tools can also be used to boost performance for any heavy app, such as web browsers or social media apps.

These boosters typically limit background activity, reduce notifications, and prioritise CPU and GPU power for selected apps. Some phones, like those from ASUS or OnePlus, even include advanced tuning features like X Mode or High Performance Mode, which can be applied system-wide.

Using your phone’s game booster to launch demanding apps can result in smoother animations, quicker loading times, and an overall better user experience—even if you’re not playing games.

Use Digital Wellbeing to Control Background Activity

Apps like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube are known for consuming large amounts of data and running persistent background processes. Fortunately, Android’s Digital Wellbeing tools allow you to monitor and manage how much time and resources these apps are using.

You can access Digital Wellbeing from your phone’s settings and view a dashboard showing which apps you use the most. From there, you can set daily app timers, restrict background activity, and reduce distractions.

Not only will this help improve your phone’s performance, but it’s also a great way to manage screen time and reduce digital fatigue.

Keep Your Software Updated and Reset If Necessary

Keeping your phone’s software up to date is essential for both security and performance. Manufacturers regularly release updates that include bug fixes, performance improvements, and system optimisations. Always install these updates as soon as they’re available.

Also, if your phone continues to lag despite trying all the above methods, performing a factory reset may be your best option. This will erase all data and restore the phone to its original state, giving you a clean slate to start fresh.

Just make sure to back up all important data before doing so. You wouldn’t want to lose any important data if things get awry somewhere along the resetting process.

Final Thoughts

In 2025, Android phones are smarter than ever—but they still need occasional maintenance to stay in top shape. With built-in optimisation tools, AI-powered features, and a few smart tweaks, you can dramatically improve your phone’s speed and responsiveness without rooting or installing sketchy apps.

Here’s a quick recap of what you can do:

• Use your phone’s built-in performance optimiser.
• Uninstall or disable apps you no longer use.
• Enable Adaptive Battery and other AI-based features.
• Switch to a faster, more efficient launcher.
• Clear cached data and restart your phone weekly.
• Use Game Booster features to enhance performance.
• Set app timers and restrictions using Digital Wellbeing.
• Keep your system updated—and reset only if necessary.

With just a little effort, your Android phone can feel brand new again—smooth, fast, and ready to keep up with your life.