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Wednesday, April 15, 2026
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How to refresh your phone without upgrading it

You don't necessarily have to spend money on a new phone. Here's what you need to know.

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How to refresh your phone without upgrading it
Source: Popular Science

What’s Happening

So get this: You don’t necessarily have to spend money on a new phone.

The post How to refresh your phone without upgrading it appeared first on Popular Science. You can make a phone feel like new, without it actually being new. (shocking, we know)

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The Details

No matter how snappy your phone feels when you first buy it, it will inevitably slow down over time. When that happens, you have to decide when it’s time to upgrade.

At some point, an upgrade becomes necessary—especially once your phone stops receiving software updates and becomes more vulnerable to security issues. But you can often delay that moment longer than you might think.

Why This Matters

If you’d rather avoid the cost of a new phone and get more life out of your current one, try these steps on your device and see how much they help. Remove and limit apps When your phone gets cluttered with too many apps, it starts to impact performance. Getting rid of apps you dont frequently use can make a difference.

The scientific community tends to find developments like this significant.

Key Takeaways

  • Do an audit of whats on your phone and see how many apps on your device are gathering digital dust.
  • Note that you can always reinstall them later or use the web versions.
  • If youre on Android, tap and hold on an app shortcut, then drag it up to the Uninstall button at the top.
  • On the confirmation dialog, tap Uninstall .

The Bottom Line

Tap App battery usage , and theres an Allow background usage toggle switch you can turn off. Open Settings then tap General Background App Refresh —you then get a list of all the apps installed on the iPhone, and you can turn off the toggle switches for the apps you dont want running in the background.

Is this a W or an L? You decide.

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