If your Android phone is crawling and apps feel like they're moving through molasses, it doesn't necessarily mean it's time for an upgrade. Phones naturally slow down over time, but with a few simple changes, you can breathe new life into your device-and delay that expensive upgrade a little longer.

Most of the magic happens in your settings. From clearing app clutter and optimizing battery usage to disabling background processes that drain your resources, a handful of tweaks can make your phone feel snappier almost instantly. And yes, while you're at it, give your device a proper cleaning-it's likely dirtier than a toilet seat.

Before you drop hundreds on a new device, try this smarter approach. Whether you're using a budget Android or a flagship model, these tips will help you cut the lag, free up space, and keep your phone running smoothly. It only takes a few minutes to refresh your phone and reclaim some of that out-of-the-box performance.

15 Years of Android: Comparing the Newest Android Phone to the First

To start, the T-Mobile G1 (also called the HTC Dream in some regions) was the first Android phone ever released, back in October 2008. Most recently, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hit stores on Aug. 11, 2023. While the new operating system was the main draw for the first Android phone, smartphones with Android now have much more to offer in hardware, performance and specialty features.

Android made its device debut on the HTC Dream, known as the T-Mobile G1 in the US. The G1 generally cost about $179 with a two-year T-Mobile contract.Along with Gmail, Google Maps and Google Calendar, the G1 came with the Android Market, which allowed users to install all sorts of radically half-baked applications.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 was announced at a star-studded event in Seoul on July 26, 2023. It went on sale on Aug. 11 with a starting price of $1,800.

When folded, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 sits at 6.1 by 2.6 by 0.5 inches, with a 6.2-inch screen. That first T-Mobile G1 (with keyboard slid in) was much smaller and yet a bit wider: 4.6 by 2.1 by 0.6 inches, with a 3.2-inch screen.

One of the most notable features of the G1 was its physical keyboard, which slid out from its left spine.

One of the Z Fold 5's most visible unique features is the ability to unfold into a tablet that's a little bigger than 6 by 5 inches.

Both phones received respectable scores from our reviewers, but neither hit a home run. The T-Mobile G1 received a final score of 7.5, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 got a 7.9.

In their Oct. 16, 2008, review of the T-Mobile G1, CNET's Bonnie Cha and Nicole Lee were "impressed with the Google Android operating system," but said that the G1 didn't "quite offer the mass appeal and ease of use as the iPhone."

In his Aug. 4, 2023, review of the Z Fold 5, Patrick Holland said that the phone offers only "incremental improvements" over the Z Fold 4, but noted that the new hinge makes the folded phone superior.The redesigned hinge of the Z Fold 5 (on top) allows the folded phone to sit much flatter than the Z Fold 4 (on bottom).

It's hardly fair to compare cameras 15 years apart, but we will anyway.While the G1's 3.2-megapixel camera bested the iPhone back in 2008, the Galaxy Z Fold 5's three rear cameras and two selfie cameras make the G1 look like a relic.

Its 3.2-megapixel resolution was good for the time, but the T-Mobile G1 camera didn't support video recording and had "no camera settings, such as white balance, effects and shooting modes."

Besides a 50-megapixel main camera, the rear of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 sports a 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto lens.

Along with the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the G1 provided five additional physical buttons on the bottom of the device: green and red buttons on the left and right for answering or ending phone calls, as well as a home button, back button and a contextual menu button.Even wilder was the trackball in the middle. You could use it to scroll through web pages, and clicking it would snap a photo.

The folding hinge on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 allows the phone to be angled into a screen with keyboard for videoconferencing.

Future Android phones may be as different from the Galaxy Z Fold 5 as that phone is from the T-Mobile G1. Follow CNET's phone coverage to stay on top of all the latest smartphone developments, and check our picks for best current Android phones.

Delete all of your forgotten apps

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 potentially have access to the personal information or permissions you approved when the app was first launched. 

How you go about deleting an app can vary based on who makes your device, but I covered all the bases in this post. Give it a read if you don't see an uninstall option after long-pressing on the app's icon. 

Eliminate old files to free up storage

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. 

Actually, some phones use a variation of that same app. On Samsung, for example, it's called My Files. On the Pixel lineup, it's just Files. On the OnePlus 10 Pro, it's File Manager -- you get the point. 

I recommend opening the app drawer on your phone and reaching for "files." Odds are that will reveal whatever your phone-maker calls the app. 

Start with checking the Downloads folder, where you can either delete the files you no longer want or move them somewhere like Google Drive.

Most file apps will also reveal any large files that are saved on your device. For instance, the OnePlus 10 Pro's File Manager app has a dedicated section in the app for files that are taking up a lot of space.

Tweak home screen settings for a new look

One of the best parts of Android is how much you can customize the entire look of your phone. From installing app icon packs to completely replacing the launcher your phone uses, there are plenty of options to personalize your phone. 

While you can definitely jump into tweaking launchers and installing app icons, start by digging into the home screen settings your phone already provides. I do this once in a while and it's surprising how subtle tweaks to aspects like app layout can make it feel like an entirely new phone. 

Long-press on a blank area of your home screen, then select Home settings (or some variation of that). That will open the options for your home screen, where you can customize various settings. 

Settings like the size of the app grid. It may seem like a small change to go from a grid of 4x5 apps to 5x5, but that extra column can make a big difference (the same can be said about shrinking the grid). 

This is also where you'll find settings for things like swiping down on the home screen to view notifications instead of having to swipe from the top of the screen. 

Go through the respective settings your phone has and experiment with your home screen setup. 

Optimize your device settings

Speaking of settings, now is a good time to go through and change any settings that have been annoying you. I have a roundup of settings you'll want to change and customize on any Android phone to get the most out of it. 

For example, turning on dark mode not only makes the app look better, but it saves battery life. And yes, I even show you how to stop app icons from automatically appearing on your home screen. 

Customize your privacy options

Before you take a break, do yourself and your Android phone one last favor -- double-check your privacy settings.

Open the Settings app then tap Privacy > Permissions Manager. Go through each category to see which apps currently have access to which treasure trove of your personal data. Find an app you don't want to have access to your location? Turn it off. The same goes for contacts, calendar or camera. 

It doesn't take long to go through each section, and even if it did, it's well worth the effort.