The Biggest Planets In The Universe

 

“My phone used to be super fast… what happened?”

We’ve all been there. A brand-new device feels like a rocket ship. But give it 6 months, and suddenly, opening apps takes longer, switching tabs feels sluggish, and even typing might lag.

So… what’s going on?

Is it planned? Is your device getting old? Or are we doing something wrong?

Let’s talk about why phones, laptops, and even tablets get slower over time — and what you can do about it.

It’s Not Just You — It’s Physics, Software, and Usage

Here’s the short version: devices slow down due to wear and tear, increasing software demands, and user habits.

 1. Apps Are Getting Heavier

When you bought your phone in, say  2021, Instagram might’ve been a 100MB app. Now it’s 250MB with reels, stories, AI filters, DMs, shopping, etc. That’s more code, more storage, and more memory usage.

The same goes for your browser. Chrome in 2020 is not the same as Chrome in 2025.

Result? Your device’s hardware (RAM, processor) is trying to lift a much heavier load than when you first unboxed it.

2. Storage Bloat Slows Everything Down

Photos. WhatsApp videos. Cache files. Random memes you forgot to delete.

The more your internal storage fills up, the slower your device becomes. Especially for older phones or laptops with HDDs (not SSDs), where full storage can directly hurt performance.

Note: Try to keep at least 10–15% of your storage free at all times.

3. Background Processes You Didn’t Know Existed

Have you ever opened Task Manager on your laptop or the Battery section on your phone and seen 15 apps running in the background?

Yup — even if you close an app, it often keeps processes alive for notifications, updates, syncing, etc.

All of that quietly eats up RAM, battery, and processing power.

4. OS and App Updates Expect Better Hardware

As time goes on, software gets designed with newer devices in mind. If your device is 3–4 years old, those updates might still run — but they’re not optimized for it.

Imagine trying to run a PlayStation 5 game on a PlayStation 3. It’ll work… poorly.

That’s why even updates can sometimes make things slower instead of faster.

5. Battery Aging Is a Hidden Culprit

For phones and laptops, the battery affects performance more than we realize. Older batteries deliver lower peak power and many devices (especially iPhones) throttle performance to prevent sudden shutdowns.

So yes — your processor might be capable of more, but the battery is holding it back.

6. Thermal Throttling (Overheating = Slower Speed)

Devices heat up over time — especially if you're using them while charging, running games, or in hot environments.

When a phone or laptop gets too warm, it purposely slows down the processor to cool things down. It’s a safety mechanism, but it feels like lag to us.

Okay... So How Do I Speed It Up?

Here are some practical things I do (and you should too):

On Phones:

• Delete old WhatsApp media, screenshots, and downloads

• Clear app cache every few weeks

• Uninstall apps you haven’t used in 2 months

• Disable auto-start for unnecessary apps

• Restart your phone once a week (yes, it helps)

 On Laptops:

• Use Disk Cleanup and delete temp files

• Uninstall old software and toolbars

• Disable unnecessary startup programs (via Task Manager)

• Add more RAM or switch to an SSD (if it’s an older laptop)

• Keep your desktop clean — 50 icons slow things down

For Both:

• Keep software updated — but watch how your device reacts

• Don't install “RAM booster” or “cleaner” apps — they usually do more harm than good