Smartphone Tips and Tricks You Can Use Today
Got a phone that feels a bit slow or a bit too chatty? You’re not alone. Most of us use our phones for everything—from checking the news to playing games—so even a small tweak can make a big difference. Below are a few no‑nonsense hacks you can try right now, plus a step‑by‑step fix for a common Android annoyance.
Boost Performance in Seconds
First, clear out apps you haven’t opened in weeks. Long‑press the app icon, drag it to “Uninstall,” and watch your storage free up. Next, head to Settings > Battery > Power saving mode. Turning this on reduces background activity and extends your day‑long charge. If you notice lag in games, disable animations: Settings > About phone > tap “Build number” seven times to unlock Developer options, then go to Developer options and set “Window animation scale,” “Transition animation scale,” and “Animator duration scale” to 0.5x or off. Finally, restart your phone once a week. A fresh start clears temporary files that can bog down the system.
Stop Ads on Your Android Phone
One of the most irritating things on Android is built‑in ads that pop up from system apps. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7 Pro running MIUI 10 is a frequent example. Here’s a quick way to silence those ads:
1. Open Settings and go to “Password & security.”
2. Tap “Privacy protection,” then “Ad services.” Turn off “Personalized ads.”
3. Still seeing ads? Open the “Security” app, head to “Permissions,” and revoke “Read usage data” from apps that don’t need it (like the theme store).
4. For extra coverage, install a reputable ad‑blocker from the Play Store. It filters network requests and catches pop‑ups that slip through the system settings.
5. Lastly, clear cache for the offending app: Settings > Apps > [App name] > Storage > Clear cache.
Follow those steps and the ad noise drops dramatically. If you switch to another Android brand, the same menu names usually apply—just look for “Ads” or “Personalized recommendations” in the security or privacy sections.
These tricks are just the tip of the iceberg. Keep an eye on battery‑draining culprits, use built‑in “Do not disturb” schedules to avoid unwanted notifications, and explore widget shortcuts that let you toggle Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth with a single tap. A little time spent tweaking now saves you frustration later, and your phone will feel faster, cleaner, and far less annoying.
