My old Android phone runs faster after one quick change — Explained
For some time now, I’ve been thinking about when it’ll be time to buy a new phone. Actually, I’m very happy with my mobile, which has served me well for just under four years. Back then, I opted for an Oppo A55, which was a good mid-range model at the time.
However, the first signs of wear and tear are becoming apparent: the battery is running down faster, and on some days I even have to charge the smartphone twice. What’s more, the storage is almost full, even though I’m already using a microSD card and moving large files onto it.
Then there’s another annoyance: the processor is slowing down. This could well be down to the full storage, but even when I delete apps or clear out my photo gallery, it doesn’t get any better.
This is even noticeable sometimes when I take a photo: the picture is only taken after a significant delay, and afterwards it can take several minutes for it to appear in my photo gallery. Sometimes it disappears completely, which is really annoying. Apps also take a long time to open.
The solution
It was during a conversation with colleagues about new topics for the website that I finally came across the solution. And it wasn’t simply to buy a new smartphone – something I’d advise against doing in 2026. That’s because it’s much harder to get value for money with the current high cost of RAM.
However, with a simple setting change, you might still be able to save your old smartphone and use it for at least another year or two. To do this, simply go to your device’s settings and look for “Animations”. Depending on the manufacturer, this option might be hidden in a sub-menu. On my phone, it could only be found under “Additional settings”.
Then select the setting “Remove animations” or “Disable animations”. And that’s it – that’s all it takes.
The result
To be honest, I hadn’t thought that this setting alone would make such a big difference. But straight away, my smartphone felt like new.
Admittedly, it took a bit of getting used to at first. That’s because when you disable the animations on your smartphone, the transitions between individual apps are missing. So, for example, when you open WhatsApp from the home screen, it no longer happens slowly with a noticeable transition, but very abruptly.
In my case, however, it had one very clear advantage: my smartphone no longer struggles to play this animation while simultaneously loading the app’s data. Instead, it opens apps in a flash. The shutter delay issue with my camera has now been resolved too: it simply takes a photo and it’s immediately available in my gallery.
It’s important to note that disabling the animations doesn’t mean the processor has suddenly improved. Nor does it improve performance within an app, for instance if you’re using your smartphone for gaming. But you notice the difference straight away because the GPU isn’t constantly busy loading animations.
And let’s be completely honest: nobody really needs these animations. They’re there solely to add a little visual gimmick. But for me personally, things are much better now. And I no longer feel like I have to buy a new device straight away. However, I still need to check whether this slows battery drain.
If your phone is past saving, check out our round-ups of the best budget phones, the best mid-range phones and the best phones altogether to find your next daily driver.
