How to Easily Increase RAM on Your Android Smartphone
Android smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. From keeping up with social media to running multiple apps at once, they help us stay productive and entertained. However, as we add more apps or run resource-intensive games, our phones may start to lag or freeze, indicating that it's time for a RAM boost.
RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal memory where your device stores data it currently uses. The more apps you have open at once, the more RAM they consume. And while most new Android devices come with sufficient RAM out of the box, older models or budget phones may not be so fortunate.
Fortunately, there are several ways to increase RAM on your Android smartphone without having to buy a new one:
1. Close Unused Apps
The easiest and most straightforward way to free up some RAM is by closing unused apps. While it might seem counterintuitive, having many apps open in the background doesn't actually use more RAM than having a few. Instead, it creates more processes for your device to manage, which can slow it down.
To close an app:
- Press and hold the recent apps button (usually located at the bottom left or right corner of your screen).
- Swipe left or right through the list of apps.
- Swipe up on the app you want to close to remove it from the list.
2. Use App Management Tools
There are several third-party apps designed specifically for managing and optimizing your Android device's RAM usage. Some popular options include:
- Greenify: This app puts misbehaving apps into hibernation, ensuring they don't use unnecessary resources when you're not using them.
- Advanced Task Manager and Task Manager: These built-in Android tools allow you to manage running processes and close background apps.
- RAM Booster: This app claims to optimize your device's memory by closing unused apps and freeing up space for new ones.
3. Use a RAM Expansion App
Some Android devices support the use of external storage as extended RAM. This process, called Swap Files or Swapping, moves less frequently used data from your device's internal RAM to an external SD card. As a result, more RAM becomes available for apps that are currently in use.
To check if your device supports this feature:
- Go to Settings > Storage & USB.
- Tap on the SD card entry and look for the option "Use as internal storage." If it's available, you can enable it and follow these steps:
- Move large files or folders from your internal storage to your SD card to create more free space.
- Go to Settings > Developer options (enable Developer options by going to Settings > About phone > Software information and tapping "Build number" seven times).
- Enable "Swap file" or "VM art work" in the Developer options menu, depending on your device.
4. Upgrade Your MicroSD Card
If you're using a low-capacity microSD card, upgrading it to a larger one can help you increase available RAM. Keep in mind that this method will only provide additional storage space and not necessarily more RAM for running apps.
Conclusion
By following the steps outlined above, you can significantly improve your Android smartphone's performance without having to buy a new device. Whether it's by closing unused apps, using app management tools, optimizing Swap Files or upgrading your microSD card, every bit of RAM saved counts towards a smoother and more enjoyable user experience.