Common Reasons Your Tablet Slows Down
A slow tablet usually comes from one of three sources: too many apps running at once, storage that is almost full, or a processor that is working harder than it should be. Your tablet's memory (RAM) fills up when you switch between apps without closing them, and your storage fills up when you read photos, videos, or large apps. Either one makes everything feel sluggish.
The most common culprit is background app refresh—apps that keep running even when you are not looking at them, checking for updates, loading new content, or tracking your location. Social media apps, email, weather, and fitness trackers are the biggest offenders. A single app doing this might not slow you down much, but five or six of them running at the same time will.
Older tablets also slow down because the operating system itself gets heavier with each update. If your tablet is three or more years old and you updated it recently, the new software may demand more power than the hardware can deliver smoothly.
Key Takeaways
- Close apps you are not using instead of leaving them open in the background, because each one uses memory and drains processing power.
- Check your storage space—if you have less than 10 percent free, your tablet will slow down noticeably, and you should delete old photos, videos, or unused apps.
- Turn off background app refresh for apps that do not need to update constantly, like games, news apps, or social media.
- Restart your tablet once a week to clear temporary files and reset memory, which often fixes lag without any other changes.
- If your tablet is more than four years old, it may not run the latest software smoothly, and you may need to accept slower performance or avoid the newest apps.
How to Check and Free Up Storage Space
Open your tablet's Settings app and look for a section called Storage, Device Storage, or About (the exact name depends on whether you have an iPad or Android tablet). This screen shows you how much space is used and how much is free. If the free space is less than 10 percent of your total storage, that is your problem.
The fastest way to free space is to delete old photos and videos. Go to your Photos or Gallery app, scroll to the oldest images, and delete anything you do not need—your tablet stores these at full resolution, which takes up enormous amounts of space. If you want to keep them, move them to cloud storage (Google Photos, iCloud, OneDrive) first, then delete the local copies.
Next, look at your apps. Go to Settings and find Apps or process Manager. Sort by size and delete any large apps you have not opened in months. Games, streaming apps, and photo editors are often gigabytes each. You can always read them again later if you need them.
Turn Off Background App Refresh
Background app refresh is a setting that lets apps update themselves even when you are not using them. It is useful for email and messaging, but wasteful for games, news apps, and social media that you check manually.
On an iPad, go to Settings, then General, then Background App Refresh. You will see a list of every app on your tablet. Toggle off the switch next to any app that does not need to update constantly—games, news, social media, and shopping apps are safe to turn off. Leave it on for email, messaging, and calendar if you want notifications.
On an Android tablet, the process varies by manufacturer, but the general path is Settings, then Apps or process Manager. Tap each app and look for a Battery or Permissions section. Disable background activity or restrict battery usage. Some Android tablets also have a Battery Saver or Adaptive Battery mode in Settings that you can turn on to limit background apps automatically.
Close Apps and Restart Your Tablet
Every app you open uses a portion of your tablet's RAM. When you switch to a different app without closing the first one, both are still in memory. After an hour of normal use, you might have ten or fifteen apps sitting in the background, all competing for the same limited RAM.
On an iPad, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top right corner on newer models) to see all open apps. Swipe up on each one to close it. On Android, tap the Recent Apps button (usually a square icon at the bottom) and swipe up on each app to close it. Do this once or twice a day, especially before opening a demanding app like a game or video editor.
The single most effective fix is a full restart. Power off your tablet completely, wait ten seconds, and power it back on. This clears temporary files, resets memory, and stops any stuck processes. Do this once a week, or whenever you notice lag starting to build up.
Check for Software Updates
Outdated software can cause lag because it may have bugs or inefficiencies that newer versions fix. Go to Settings and look for System, About, or Software Update (the name varies). If an update is available, connect to Wi-Fi and install it. This usually takes ten to thirty minutes.
Be aware that very old tablets sometimes slow down after a major update because the new software is heavier than what the hardware was designed for. If your tablet is more than four years old and you just updated it, the lag may be permanent. In that case, you can try reverting to the previous version (if your tablet allows it), but most users find they have to accept slower performance or stop using the newest apps.
Reduce Visual Effects and Animations
iPads and Android tablets both include animations when you open apps, switch screens, or scroll through lists. These look smooth on new hardware but can cause stuttering on older tablets or when your processor is already busy.
On an iPad, go to Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text Size, and toggle on Reduce Motion. This removes most animations and makes the interface feel snappier. On Android, go to Settings, About, and tap Build Number seven times to unlock Developer Options. Then go back to Settings, Developer Options, and toggle off Animation Scale or set it to 0.5x. This is a hidden menu, so do not change anything else there.
When to Consider Replacing Your Tablet
If your tablet is five or more years old, has less than 2 GB of RAM, and you have already tried all the steps above, the lag may straightforward be the age of the hardware. Processors and memory from that era were not designed for today's apps and operating systems. At that point, you have two choices: accept that it will be slow, or replace it.
Before you buy a new tablet, make sure the one you are looking at has at least 4 GB of RAM and a processor from the last two years. Budget tablets are often slower than they appear in the store because they have weak processors, not because they are new. Read reviews from people who have owned the tablet for at least a month to see if lag shows up over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will restarting my tablet delete my files or apps?
No. A restart only turns the power off and back on. All your files, photos, apps, and settings stay exactly where they are. It is completely safe to restart as often as you want.
Does clearing the cache help with lag?
Yes, but only a little. Cache is temporary data that apps store to load faster next time. Clearing it frees up a small amount of space and can fix bugs in individual apps. On iPad, go to Settings, General, iPhone Storage (or iPad Storage), tap an app, and tap Offload App. On Android, go to Settings, Apps, tap an app, and tap Storage, then Clear Cache. Do not tap Clear Data, which will erase your login information.
Is it safe to use a tablet cleaner app?
Most tablet cleaner apps do very little and some are scams. The built-in tools in Settings are more effective and free. Avoid apps that promise to "boost speed" or "clean junk files"—they usually just delete cache that will rebuild anyway, or they slow your tablet down further by running in the background.
Why does my tablet get hot when it is slow?
Heat and lag often happen together because a hot processor is a busy processor. If your tablet is hot, close all apps, turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and let it cool down for five minutes. If it stays hot even when you are not using it, a background app or malware may be running. Restart your tablet and check which apps are using the most battery in Settings.
Can I add more RAM to my tablet?
No. RAM is soldered to the motherboard on almost all tablets and cannot be upgraded. This is why buying a tablet with enough RAM from the start matters—you cannot add it later.