Recently purchased the new Samsung Galaxy S24? It’s one of the fastest Android phones around, but you may have noticed some of your apps take longer than expected to open. Sluggish app load times can dampen even the best device experience.
If you need to fix Galaxy S24 apps running slow, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to potentially get those apps launching faster again. This guide will cover the most likely culprits behind slow app launches on the S24 and how to fix them.
Clear App Cache and Data
Over time, cached data and temporary app files build up on any smartphone. For apps you use frequently, the cache and data can grow substantially. This technical debris can slow things down.
To clear cache and data for individual apps:
- Go to Settings > Apps
- Select the app that is slow to launch
- Tap Storage
- Select “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data.“
Clearing this data forces the app to rebuild necessary files, acting as a refresh. You won’t lose anything important by clearing the app cache/data, so it’s worth trying.
You can also clear the cache/data for all apps at once rather than individually:
- Go to Settings > General Management
- Tap Reset
- Choose “Reset App Preferences.”
After clearing app data, check if load times have improved. You may need to restart your phone for the changes to fully take effect.
Check for Software Updates
Most of us put off phone software updates, but they can be vital to keeping things like app performance optimized. Regular Android updates contain important bug fixes, speed improvements, and other changes.
To check for system and security updates:
- Launch the Settings app
- Select “Software Update.”
- If an update is available, tap “Download and Install.”
Follow all prompts to allow the update to be applied. This can take a few minutes, so have patience. Restarting your phone after finishing will have changes fully take effect.
Keeping on top of Android and security patches means your system and apps have the latest speed enhancements. And if sluggish app launches were tied to a bug, a patch may address it. So don’t ignore those update reminders.
By default, your Galaxy S24 automatically downloads updates when they are detected, but it doesn’t hurt to check regularly just to be sure.
Restart the Phone
One of the simplest troubleshooting techniques for any sluggish phone issue is performing a restart. Restarting your Galaxy S24 essentially clears out memory, stops all current processes, and starts fresh. This can dislodge any stuck processes contributing to slow app load times.
To restart your S24:
- Hold down the Power button on the right side of the phone
- Tap Restart when the prompt appears
Let your phone fully restart before trying to reopen apps. This gives the memory and phone services a chance to fully clear out and rebuild.
Many users forget just how effective a basic restart can be for improved speed and performance, especially after major updates. Try this first before diving into more complicated troubleshooting. At the very least, it won’t hurt!
The full restart only takes 1-2 minutes. But it can get your S24 zipping along faster. Apps should open quicker after the restart as well.
Disable Animations
All the fun animation effects on our phones require extra processing power to run properly. While subtle, these visual animations can accumulate and impact overall system speed.
To potentially improve app load times, you can disable some animations:
- Go to Settings > Developer Options
- Scroll down and toggle the following animation options off:
- Window animation scale
- Transition animation scale
- Animator duration scale
This will remove most visible animations from the interface, replacing them with simple fade transitions. Apps and menus may now open a bit quicker.
Keep in mind that you are losing some visual polish by disabling animations. But if the faster function is more important, it’s an option to try.
Developer options need to be enabled on your S24 before you can access the animation toggle. Swipe down in Settings and select “About Phone.” Then tap “Build number” 7 times to unlock Developer Options toward the bottom.
Disabling animations may or may not have a noticeable impact, depending on the actual cause behind longer app load times. But experiment and see if it helps speed things up.
Free Up Storage Space
An overloaded storage drive can cause system sluggishness and longer app load times. Apps rely on available storage space to unpack temporary files and other data needed for a smooth launch.
If your Samsung Galaxy S24 internal storage is nearly full, try the following to free up space:
- Uninstall unused apps
- Clear app cache and data, as mentioned earlier
- Move photos/videos to cloud storage or microSD card
- Delete unneeded downloaded files
Aim to have at least 20% of the internal drive free at all times. This gives apps enough breathing room.
You can also expand storage very affordably using a microSD card. Insert an SD card with 512GB or 1TB capacity to truly get apps and games humming.
Reset App Preferences
Resetting app preferences essentially clears any customizations you have made to apps and returns settings to their defaults. It wipes each app back to a clean slate.
Resetting apps can fix odd behaviors, refresh performance, and help load times in some cases. It does not delete any app data.
Here is how to reset app preferences on the Galaxy S24:
- Go to Settings
- Select General Management
- Choose Reset
- Tap Reset App Preferences
Confirm that you want to reset your preferences when prompted. This will restart your phone as part of the process.
Once your S24 has reloaded, check if apps now open faster than before. Their performance should be refreshed after resetting all customizations.
Must Check: How to Reset App Preferences on Samsung Galaxy S24
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Conclusion
Slow-loading apps on your Samsung Galaxy S24 can certainly be frustrating. But hopefully, with the troubleshooting tips provided, you can get your phone and apps back up to speed.
Clearing the app cache, updating software, restarting the device, freeing up storage, and resetting app preferences are all worthwhile steps to try. Completing them requires a little time and effort, but it pays off with faster launch times.
Keep in mind that brand-new apps generally take longer to open than you’re used to as they unpack data. And some third-party apps are just optimized worse than others. So manage expectations and gauge whether launch times improve after applying fixes to fix Galaxy S24 apps running slow.
If you still see system sluggishness and delays when opening apps after troubleshooting, you may need to contact Samsung support for further help. There may be a deeper issue needing investigation to determine why your Galaxy S24 is not performing as expected.
But in most cases, one of the tips above does the trick to speed up apps after they’ve started slowing down. Enjoy that blazing-fast, butter-smooth S24 experience!
