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How to give your phone a spring clean
If your phone’s been feeling a bit sluggish lately, a little digital tidy‑up can make your mobile feel brand new again. Here’s how to give it the refresh it deserves.
Between the endless photos of your pet, the apps you downloaded once and never opened again, and that mysterious “Other” folder that seems to grow by the day, things can get cluttered pretty quickly. But here’s the good news; a little tidy-up can work wonders.
Out with the old
First things first; let’s talk apps. We all download things with the best intentions (looking at you, random workout app from January), but if you haven’t opened it in months, it’s probably just taking up space. And yep, even unused apps can quietly run bits in the background that slow your phone down. So, maybe it’s time for a clear-out.
If you’re an Apple enthusiast:
- Open up your iPhone and head to Settings.
- From there, hit General then iPhone Storage and scroll through the list to see exactly what’s causing bloat.
- Tap any app you don’t need any more and tap delete.
For Android fans:
- Pop into Settings and open the Apps menu.
- Then, sort the list by “Last used”.
- Uninstall anything that’s been gathering digital dust.
These are simple solutions that can make a big difference.
Curate your gallery
Next up, the camera roll. This is where things usually get a bit out of hand. Blurry photos, ten versions of the same selfie, memes you meant to share and forgot about. Deleting of all that lot can free up more room than you realise.
Start by dumping any duplicates, old screenshots, or pics you just don’t need anymore. For the important stuff you want to keep, just back it up to cloud so it’s safe and sound.
Once you’re finished, make sure to empty your Recently Deleted folder, otherwise that all that data will sit there for up to 30 days. Now you can fill it up with a fresh batch of snaps.
Address your address book
While you’re on a roll, it might be worth it to give your contacts list a little pruning too. It’s amazing how many random numbers end up lurking in there. Go ahead and merge any identical digits, delete the ones you don’t recognise, and keep your list packed with people you actually want to hear from.
Ditch the subscriptions
To wrap up this section, have a peek at your subscriptions. You’d be surprised how many quietly tick away in the background. From free trials you forgot to cancel to services you don’t even use anymore, they can clutter up your mobile and nibble away at your bank balance without you even noticing. It’s easy to check what’s what.
On an iPhone:
- Head to Settings, then tap on name and head to Subscriptions.
For Androids:
- Open the Google Play Store and scroll to Payments & Subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
- Have a look through the list and cancel anything you’re not using.
Clean up behind the scenes:
To keep everything running smoothly, it’s worth giving your phone a little behind‑the‑scenes spruce‑up too. Over time, apps build up temporary files they use to load things faster called a cache. It’s handy at first but it can pile up, slowing your phone down and sneakily eating into your storage.
If you’re on Android:
- Bob into Settings, then select Storage and clear your cached data. A few quick taps and you’re finished.
For iPhone users:
- One of the easiest wins is offloading apps you don’t use very often. Just head to Settings, then General, followed by iPhone Storage.
- Tap on an app you want to remove and choose Offload App. That’ll remove it but keep your data safe if you ever want to reinstall again.
Organise for a fresh start
Now that your phone’s running like a dream, it’s the perfect time to give your home screen a glow‑up. Try grouping similar apps into folders and ditching any widgets you never actually use. A cleaner layout makes everything easier to find and much less distracting.
Last but not least for this part, take a gander at your Downloads folder. You might find some long-forgotten PDFs are other random files hiding in there. If you come across anything important, move it over to your cloud storage so it’s safe, then feel free to delete the rest.
Finishing touches
To finish things off, give your phone a couple of last bits to keep it running at its best. Start by checking your notifications and app permissions so they aren’t constantly buzzing away or accessing things you don’t want them to.
Also switch off alerts from anything you barely use and make sure only the essentials can use your location, camera, or microphone. It’s a simple tweak that helps protect your privacy and saves a bit of battery life too.
So, how often should you declutter your phone?
We’d recommend doing it every three to six months, since regular maintenance can help keep your device healthy, stop your storage becoming overloaded, and even make the battery last that bit longer. It’s also nice to open up your smartphone and be greeted by a nice, tidy home screen free from a jumbled mess of untouched games and old snaps.
