Let’s face it, there are several causes that can cause an Android device to slow down and, as a result, slow down your mobile phone. For example, it could be a cache issue, that you have outdated software and an update is needed, that the system animations are taxing the hardware of a basic and old device, or that you are running out of space. It is not because your phone is slow that the storage space is exhausted, but If you run out of space, your phone will slow down no matter what..
And I’ll tell you one thing: even if all the previous causes are possible and occur, the one that happens most often and is most visible is the lack of space. Also, even if some are related to the passage of time or a mix of experience and basic hardware, the lack of storage space can occur even in the first year. It is the combination of buying a model with little basic space and at the same time filling it with many applications and games, updates, photos and videos. Yeah, A mobile phone without space becomes slower but why?
Mobile without space, mobile slower
There is a direct relationship between the number and size of files stored on your phone and its performance: As storage fills up, performance decreases. While it is true that more modern and advanced processors use different techniques to maintain available memory, the accumulation of images, videos, messages and applications will limit the chip’s ability to adapt.
A mobile phone must have enough storage space to operate at full capacity. If you don’t have it, you will have to use your resources to find space or you won’t be able to use the cache effectively. Because yes, the cache memory takes up space, but it has its uses: it speeds up the opening of applications and the system in general.
When an app is used, it takes up extra storage space that is only freed up when it is stopped. Well, when the phone’s operating system detects that there is little space, it analyzes how the memory is being used and allocates the memory that is not being used when it is not needed so that it is available again.
Android has the ability to close appscompletely or partially. Thus, the operating system can send closing orders to applications, freeing up resources. But this process takes time during which the application may decide to freeze your data to recover it later, where it left off. All this takes time and energy, because mobile operating systems keep applications in memory until they need to be closed to avoid consuming more resources.
Additionally, as data accumulates on the device, the hardware and system will have to process more information. A quick and easy example: opening the gallery and having 100 photos is not the same as having 10,000 photos grouped in 200 albums. And unwanted things also accumulate: not only applications that we no longer use, but also corrupted files, half-installations with errors, etc.
How to manage a cell phone with almost no space? Although the ideal would be to restore the phone from the factory to eliminate everything that was installed afterwards and get rid of problematic files, this would involve reinstalling our applications and configuring them, as well as emptying our photos and videos (although the best is to keep them elsewhere, either in the cloud or in external storage), but you can simply clean your phone by deleting the applications you do not use, the shared WhatsApp files, the photos and videos that do not interest you.
If your phone is already a few years old and has little basic space, opting for lightweight apps is a good idea and also using cloud services like Google One.
Cover | Ivan Linares and DALL-E 3
In Xataka Android | Five Things That Slow Down Your Android and Their Solutions
