It almost doesn't matter what kind of phone you own—eventually, it becomes so slow. Yet don't despair! If your phone is sluggish, here are some tips to try and get some performance back.

Too little storage

Your phone is a computer, and like every computer, it uses storage and memory to run apps. If your storage is too full, it will affect the phone's speed. Try to keep at least a third open. For example, if your phone has 64GB storage, keep around 20GB free. Photos, video and Whatsapp attachments are the main culprits: back these up to cloud storage and delete them from your device.

Skipping updates

Some people skip updates for their phones, believing these slow devices down. But in most cases, it's the opposite: software updates improve performance and security. Granted, if the phone is old (more than four years), updates can make it go slower. But if that's the case, replacing the phone is better because skipping the updates will not make it faster. It will, though, make it more susceptible to hacks and cybercrime.

Low battery

If the battery is low, the phone uses that power more sparingly. Try to keep your phone charged above 50 per cent. Don't run it to its minimum—that will reduce performance and risk damaging the battery. You can consider replacing your battery, though it's unlikely a new one will give an older phone a significant speed boost. Check your phone's power dashboard for apps that use a lot of power, and delete the ones you don't need.

Malware

This scenario is more unlikely, but it's possible your phone is infected with malicious software (malware) that criminals use to steal your passwords and other information. If you download lots of apps, especially ones from places other than official app stores, there is a chance for malware infections. The best step is to use a malware scanner (Android, iPhone) and scan for any problems.

Slow data speeds 

This issue will be more app-specific than affect the overall phone speed. Most apps rely on your data connection. If your data connection is slow, it can affect their performance. If you have a weak signal or if the network connection is very slow, that can cause some apps to lag. Find a closer tower or faster WiFi connection.

Old device

Technology keeps evolving. As newer hardware appears on phones, developers update their software. The newer software is not optimised for older hardware, so older phones start struggling. If your phone is older than three years, don't use demanding apps on it (such as games) and try to use 'lite' versions of apps. And perhaps start saving for a new phone.

The operating system is faulty 

There is one 'all or nothing' way to see if you can speed up your phone—a factory reset. A smartphone runs complex software, and many things could go wrong, leading to a slower phone. Doing a 'hard' reset wipes the phone clean, removing many of those problems (if you want to do a hard reset, here are instructions for Android and iPhone). Wiping your phone means losing your contacts, apps, photos and other data. So be sure to back them up!

In summary, your phone is most likely slow because it has low space, runs resource-hungry apps, is low on battery power, or is simply an old phone. Don't bother with apps that claim they can improve phone performance—most of those are scams. Keep your phone clean and lean, respect its limits, and you'll get better performance. Alternatively, you can just get yourself a better-performing device by checking out these Vodacom deals.