The drag of slow mobile browsing
Do you ever get frustrated by the speed of your phone’s browser? A slow browser can occur on both iPhone and Android, and it’s not always because you have a slow phone. Before worrying about whether or not your phone is broken, here are some issues to be aware of, and some simple steps you can take to boost your browsing speed.
How fast should your phone be?
Before we talk about how to make your mobile Internet faster, it’s worth considering how fast it should be. Your mobile device will have a set speed; this is the 3G, 4G, and now 5G identification that comes with every mobile device.
The higher the number, the faster your Internet speed. Note that the number doesn’t refer to a set speed; it’s not 3 gigabytes (GB) or 3 megabytes (MB), but a standard. 3G is the third generation cell service standard, 4G is the fourth, and the upcoming 5G is the fifth - and correspondingly the most advanced.
How fast is each standard? Well, 3G delivers download speeds between 0.5 and 5 megabits per second (mbps). The standards don’t increase by any set amount; in theory, 4G is up to 100 mbps for downloads, while the forthcoming 5G could be 100 times faster, up to 100 gigabits per second. That’s only in theory - but even in real-world tests so far, 5G is much, much faster than 4G; early reports indicate average 5G speeds of 100 Mbps faster than 4G. That’s much less than the theoretical maximum, but still a huge jump.
What accounts for the difference between the number possible and the actual real-world speed? Everything from signal strength to location and, of course, your phone itself.
5 tips to speed up your phone
1. Upgrade your browser
Your web browser likely accounts for most of your Internet use. Giving it an overdue upgrade can dramatically increase your Internet speeds. Brave is built around one idea: your data belongs to you. Brave uses Shields to stop unwanted ads and block trackers. Each tracker blocked is one less thing to load on a webpage, resulting in load times that are 3x faster than Chrome. Looking for a faster Internet experience on your phone? Get a faster browser - switch to Brave.
2. Reboot your router
If you notice that your phone seems to work fine in other places but slows down at home, it could be a hardware issue. Turn your router off and on again to reset your Internet connection, then try an Internet speed test to measure it. Move closer to your router, or consider upgrading your equipment.
3. Delete or restrict apps
A quick look at your apps settings should display how much data each app is using. If you notice that you have old apps still running, delete them to free up storage and reduce the load on your battery; it’ll help speed things up as well reduce the bandwidth your phone is using. You can also prioritize apps that do this naturally; Brave blocks unnecessary scripts on web pages, saving a little bit of data each time.
Bonus: perform a full app audit to figure out exactly what apps you have installed and the data each is using. Beware of rogue apps - copycat apps that mimic popular, well-respected apps but secretly steal your data and browsing information. Not only are they a major security risk, they also use up a lot of Internet bandwidth.
4. Restrict background processes
If you have access to developer options, you should be able to restrict the number of background processes that are running. Otherwise, apps may continue to run or download updates in the background and slow down your browsing speeds. Note: if you’re not sure how to access developer options, you can find out more here.
5. Perform a factory reset
If nothing else seems to be working, but your Internet speeds still aren’t what they should be, you can perform a full factory reset. As the name implies, this wipes all of your apps and data to restore things back to the way they were - so it’s definitely a last resort. And you will want to be sure to back everything up beforehand, or all your pictures will be lost.
Speed up your Internet with a better browser
Faster Internet isn’t the only thing Brave offers, but it is one of the most important. Brave reimagines the Internet to respect your privacy and speed up your browsing. Curious? Download Brave today and discover a better Internet.