The good news is that you don’t need a trade-in to get that “new phone” feeling back. You can start 2026 with a device that actually responds when you touch it, and it won’t cost you a single cent. By performing a targeted purge of your digital junk, you can kill the stuttering and reclaim your phone’s original speed.<\/p>\n
Stop tolerating a sluggish device and give your Android the performance boost it’s been begging for. It isn’t hard to make your tech feel fast again without spending a dime. Here are the most effective ways to turbocharge your phone now that it’s a new year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For more, check out our reviews of the\u00a0Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/a>,\u00a0S26 and S26 Plus<\/a>.<\/p>\n 15 Years of Android: Comparing the Newest Android Phone to the First Take a few minutes to go through your home screen or app drawer and delete any and all apps you no longer use. Not only do those apps take up precious storage, but they also potentially have access to the personal information or permissions you approved when the app was first launched.\u00a0 <\/p>\n How you go about deleting an app can vary based on who makes your device, but I covered all the bases in this post<\/a>. Give it a read if you don’t see an uninstall option after long-pressing on the app’s icon.\u00a0 <\/p>\n You can also uninstall apps using the Play Store.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jason Cipriani\/CNET Eliminate old files to free up storage <\/p>\n After removing any old apps, free up more storage by going through the files saved on your Android phone. It’s far too easy to forget about all of the files you’ve randomly downloaded — like the takeout menu of the new place down the road or a GIF a friend sent. And those files add up. The quickest and easiest way to manage your phone’s storage is to use the Files app that comes preinstalled.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Actually, some phones use a variation of that same app. On Samsung<\/a>, for example, it’s called My Files. On the Pixel<\/a> lineup, it’s just Files. On the OnePlus 10 Pro<\/a>, it’s File Manager — you get the point.\u00a0 <\/p>\n I recommend opening the app drawer on your phone and reaching for “files.” Odds are that it will reveal whatever your phone-maker calls the app.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
\n See all photos <\/a> Delete all of your forgotten apps<\/p>\n <\/p>\n