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Device Running Slow or Storage Full

Written by Seth Smith

Phone running sluggish, or storage full? Find your device below for steps to free up space and speed things back up.

Apple (iPhone)

Freeing Up Storage

  1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and review the recommendations at the top — these often include one-tap fixes like offloading unused apps.

  2. Delete large attachments in Messages, and unused apps you haven't opened in months.

  3. Check Photos for large videos you've already backed up elsewhere and can delete from the device.

Speeding It Up

  • Restart the phone — this alone resolves a lot of sluggishness.

  • Check Settings > General > Software Update for a pending update; performance issues are sometimes fixed in newer versions.

  • Close apps you're not using by swiping them away in the app switcher if the phone feels laggy in the moment.

  • If the phone is several years old, slowdowns can also just reflect aging hardware and battery wear — check Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging for its maximum capacity.

Samsung

Freeing Up Storage

  1. Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Storage and tap Clean now to clear cached and duplicate files.

  2. Review the breakdown by category and delete large or unused apps, downloads, and old videos.

Speeding It Up

  • In Battery and device care, tap Optimize now — it clears memory and closes unused background processes in one step.

  • Restart the phone — this alone resolves a lot of sluggishness.

  • Check Settings > Software update for a pending update.

  • If the phone is several years old, slowdowns can also just reflect aging hardware and battery wear.

Google

Freeing Up Storage

  1. Go to Settings > Storage to see what's taking up space.

  2. Delete or offload large downloads, old videos, and apps you no longer use.

  3. In the Photos app, check for a “Free up space” option if your photos are already backed up.

Speeding It Up

  • Restart the phone — this alone resolves a lot of sluggishness.

  • Check Settings > System > System update for a pending update.

  • If the phone is several years old, slowdowns can also just reflect aging hardware and battery wear.

Motorola

Freeing Up Storage

  1. Go to Settings > Storage to see what's taking up space.

  2. Delete or offload large downloads, old videos, and apps you no longer use.

  3. In the Photos app, check for a “Free up space” option if your photos are already backed up.

Speeding It Up

  • Restart the phone — this alone resolves a lot of sluggishness.

  • Check Settings > System > System update for a pending update.

  • If the phone is several years old, slowdowns can also just reflect aging hardware and battery wear.

LG

LG exited the mobile phone business in 2021, so an older LG phone that's slowed down noticeably may simply be reaching the limits of its hardware rather than something fixable in software — but it's worth trying the basics first.

Freeing Up Storage

  1. Go to Settings > Storage to see what's taking up space.

  2. Delete or offload large downloads, old videos, and apps you no longer use.

Speeding It Up

  • Restart the phone — this alone resolves a lot of sluggishness.

  • Check for a pending software update under Settings > System (or About phone).

  • If the phone is several years old, slowdowns can also just reflect aging hardware and battery wear.

Still Stuck?

Message Previ Support right in the app, or call 801-437-0620.

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