Just like any electronic device, your smartphone will degrade. Batteries deteriorate, display loses clarity and tiny electronics components will weaken. Degradation is the law of nature, which will affect even brand new smartphones protected inside their sealed original box for years. The rate of deterioration is accelerated if you use your smartphone, but fret not. Keeping your smartphone performing well is actually quite easy.

1. Switch off regularly: Consider turning off your smartphone completely at least every a few days. Wait for a moment, then start it again. Just restarting your device may not completely refresh the OS of your device. This will flush the RAM and remove any program that runs in the background.

2. Clean up your display: Sometimes, you find out that the display responds slowly and become unresponsive. Invisible smudges could occasionally register a tap on the display, making your phone behaves erratically. Read the manual to know how to clean the display properly. Often, you only need a slightly damp, soft cotton cloth, that doesn’t leave moisture on the screen, but still moist enough to capture any dirt and smudge.

3. Manage data usage: Often, you don’t need a mobile data connection when you are working, driving, commuting or taking a nap. With the mobile data disabled, you can save battery life and reduce data costs. Automatic app updates could consume hundreds megabytes of data without your knowledge. It will be more efficient to use Wi-Fi connection to access the Internet, because it takes less power than mobile data. In many areas, Wi-Fi connection is also free, so you don’t need to spend any money, even if your smartphone downloads nearly a gigabyte of major operating system update. It’s even better to put your phone into Airplane mode, when working or taking a nap, so you won’t be disturbed by unwanted calls and social media updates.

4. Charge battery more often: Most modern smartphones use Lithium-ion batteries. It’s better to keep your smartphone charged at between 50 and 80 percent. It’s healthier for your battery if you charge it at small bursts, instead of charging it overnight from zero percent. Make sure that you use official charges, because generic chargers could damage your battery and in some cases, it may cause fire breakout.

5. Clear app cache: You can optimize app performance by clearing temporary files and cache of each app. You may start by closing all apps and then clear cache of each app. Many performance issues on Android devices are caused by accumulated cache.

6. Regain camera functionality: By freeing up more space in your storage, you may regain lost camera performance. It will be faster to store a newly captured image and get your camera ready again. A good way to do this is by moving your photos and videos to various cloud platforms, such as Google Photos and iCloud. This is a good backup strategy, so you won’t lose your data, even if you lost your phone.

7. Manage network issues: If you have network signal problem, the first thing you would do is to check whether the SIM is inserted properly. Check whether there are issues with your account or the coverage of the network in the area. Ask people who use the same carrier in your area to see whether they have similar problems. If the problem can’t be resolved, consider switching to a more reliable carrier.

8. Install anti-virus apps: Android and iOS are fully functional operating systems, just like the one you find on personal computers. So, they can be affected by malicious codes as well. Check latest reports about the most reliable anti-virus app. A virus could work in the background, consuming your hardware resources; making your device works more sluggishly. However, avoid installing multiple anti-virus apps, because they will only make your device slower and you won’t get added protection by having redundant anti-virus apps.

9. Check microSD card: If your smartphone is having issues with reading microSD cards, then there would be a decline in performance. The cheapest microSD card could be the slowest. It’s a good idea to invest on a storage card that offers decent read/write speed. Dust or slight corrosion on the connectors of both the smartphones and the microSD card could also affect transfer speed. With a good wipe, you may ensure proper connection and more reliable data transfer.

If you would like any more information about looking after your smartphone or how to dispose of it or recycle it, in an environmentally friendly way. Please visit Lascomsolutions website