There aren’t many things as convenient as downloading apps to your phone. Whatever your needs, there’s probably an app available on the Google Play Store. However, this convenience is also the very thing that can end up making your phone sluggish and sluggish.
Over the years, your phone has accumulated a ton of apps, some of which you use every day while many others sit in your app drawer eating dust. In this guide, let’s look at eight types of apps that you should uninstall from your phone.
1. Preinstalled Bloatware Apps
If there’s one thing that all Android users unanimously hate, it’s bloatware. Even though some pre-installed apps may be useful, you should uninstall the ones you don’t use. Note that different Android skins have different amounts of bloatware; some are lighter, like OxygenOS and Pixel UI, while others are heavier, like One UI and MIUI.
Also keep in mind that some pre-installed Android apps cannot be uninstalled as they are an integral part of this Android skin. However, you can always disable unwanted apps to prevent them from running in the background.
2. Old utility apps now integrated
Android has come a long way since its birth in 2008. Back then, you had to download separate utility apps like flashlight, QR scanner, screen recorder, media player, and dimmer. screen, as these features were not built into your device.
Fortunately, things are much better now. You may still need to download some utility apps occasionally, especially if you’re using Android, but that problem is more or less solved now. So if you still have utility apps on your phone that are now redundant, it’s time to remove them.
3. Outdated productivity apps
Similar to utility apps, your phone might also have several outdated productivity apps that you could get rid of in favor of Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Google Keep, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, Calendar, etc.
Google makes such great productivity apps that you really don’t need to look anywhere else. And most of these apps are already pre-installed on all Android phones, so you have no reason to carry around those old apps from other third-party developers.
4. Performance-enhancing apps
We have already covered in detail why performance boosting apps are bad for Android. But if you don’t have time to read it all, here’s the gist: Performance-boosting apps like RAM cleaners, battery savers, and game optimizers reduce your device’s usability and do more harm than good.
RAM cleaner apps are redundant because many of the processes they stop end up automatically restarting immediately afterwards, as they are essential for your phone to perform its normal functions. Also, the next time you open a force-closed app, it will take longer to load than if you had done nothing and let it.
Battery saver apps are useless because most Android phones already come with a built-in battery saver mode that works much better than any third-party solution. The same goes for game optimizers. Do yourself a favor and uninstall these apps immediately.
5. Duplicate apps that perform the same functions
It’s not uncommon for people to have multiple apps on their phone that perform the same function. This can include browsers, note taking apps, backup apps, email apps, etc. In some cases, two similar apps offer very different functionality, in which case it might be a good idea to keep them both.
But if one of the apps is obviously better, you should get rid of the less useful one. For example, if you are using a Galaxy device, you must choose between Samsung Internet and Google Chrome as your mobile browser. Uninstall the one you don’t find as useful.
Listen, we don’t want to sound like your grandma here, but social media takes up a lot of your time. In the United States, people spend an average of more than two hours on social media every day switching between different apps, and this number is only increasing every year.
Unless your job requires you to, spending so much time on social media is just not good for you and can even lead to social media addiction. If possible, uninstall apps that consume most of your time. If that doesn’t work, try setting an app timer to reduce your screen time and become more disciplined as you go.
7. Old games you no longer play
Temple Run, Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies were all great games for their time and still are for many people. But if you don’t play them anymore, there’s no point in keeping them on your device and wasting your storage space.
Although mobile games have always been quite disappointing, there is cause for optimism. Modern smartphones are much faster and more powerful, and with all the upcoming advances in 5G, virtual reality and augmented reality, it’s clear that mobile gaming is the future.
There are a ton of other newer and better mobile games waiting for you to try. Uninstall the old ones you no longer play to make room for the new ones!
8. Apps you no longer use
It’s so easy to let apps clutter your phone long after you’ve stopped using them or found them useful. Besides the ones we’ve covered so far, there are a variety of other types of apps you might have on your phone that you should uninstall. These may include the following:
- Dating apps: Dating apps don’t work for everyone, and if you can’t find good matches, it’s best to delete them and try traditional ways to find new people.
- Meditation apps: Some meditation apps are better than others, but if none of them get you closer to being more relaxed and focused, you might want to sign up for an offline in-person class instead.
- Fitness Apps: For some people, fitness apps are not enough as they need a more engaging environment to work out. If you are one of them, joining a gym can help.
Get rid of unwanted apps
Deleting or disabling old apps that you no longer rely on is one of the many ways to give your Android phone a new look. This will free up your device’s storage space, save battery life, put less strain on the CPU, and make your app drawer less cluttered so it’s easier to find the apps you want.
You can always download an app you deleted if you need it again. But for now, there’s no point in sitting idle on your phone. Also, if any of the apps you intend to remove contains important information, be sure to back it up somewhere else or create a copy of it.
