Android isn't as controlled and regulated as its iOS competitor. No matter what version of the OS you're running, it's basically a tinkerer's dream. It allows users to tweak and optimize the system's performance from A to Z. From cache cleaner to junk file hunters, CPU overclocking tools and app disablers, here are eight Android tools that you can use to get more out of your system.
1. Clean Master (Free)
Cheetah Mobile's Clean Master comes with a Junk Files tool for cleaning your phone's app and system cache as well as temp files. It also sports a memory saving Phone Boost tool, an app manager and antivirus tool. While you can probably skip the task-killer-like features of Phone Boost, the Junk File tool is great at cleaning out widowed and temporary files, as well as cleaning out your system cache to free up phone storage. The app manager allows users to backup APKs, move apps to the SD card and uninstall apps. A surprising strong point is Clean Master's antivirus tool, which scored highly in AV-TEST's latest mobile antivirus survey.
2.DU Speed Booster (Free)
Another comparable all-in-one Android optimization tool is DU Speed Booster, which comes with a Trash Cleaner for app cache and junk file cleaning, a one-touch accelerator, app manager, antivirus, a privacy advisor and built-in internet speed test. Again, the benefits of task-killing with accelerators are dubious, DU Speed Booster's junk file / cache cleaner is a great way to free up internal storage space, and the app manager and other tools are also solid extras.
3. SD Maid (Free)
SD Maid is a storage maintenance app designed to free up space on your SD Card or internal storage by searching for widowed files and folders left behind by uninstalled apps. In addition, it also doubles as a file manager. The app is a great way to clean up some drive space, and is also great for periodic system maintenance. The free version is a perfectly serviceable app, but more options can be unlocked by purchasing an unlock key.
4. CCleaner (Free)
Piriform's CCleaner is one of the best PC maintenance tools for Windows machines, and now, it's also gone mobile with an Android app that's the perfect tool to help you clean the crap out of your system. Like its desktop sibling, CCleaner for Android is a multipurpose cleaning tool that can clean out your application cache, download folders, browser history, and other temporary files, as well as optionally clean your call and SMS log selectively or in bulk. In addition to its fast, ad-free cleaning experience, CCleaner also comes with an app manager, CPU, RAM and storage meters, as well as battery and temperature tools.
5. CPU Tuner (requires root) (Free)
CPU Tuner allows you to monitor and tweak your CPU's performance. Customize the settings for your CPU governor, underclock to save battery, overclock to improve performance, and set various trigger-based performance profiles to ensure your CPU performs just the way you want. Again, a little care and research as to what your hardware can tolerate is important, especially if you choose to overclock. Also, unlike similar applications (SetCPU, for example), CPU Tuner is free on the Google Play market.
6. 3c Toolbox / Android Tuner (requires root) (Free)
3c Toolbox, formerly known as Android Tuner, provides users with a ton of diagnostic and tweaking tools that a savvy user can utilize to diagnose and improve the health of their system. The toolbox includes a task manager to manage (or kill) your apps, backup or restore APKs, CPU governor and voltage tweaks, system settings such as SD cache size or just view a wealth of diagnostic data. As with any app that tinkers with system settings, be careful of what you tinker with and do your research before changing anything.
7. BetterBatteryStats ($2.89) (requires root)
While the Android settings menu provides users with some insight on battery status and how much energy is in use, technically oriented users can get far more comprehensive information with apps like BetterBatteryStats. Plus, BBS has good tools for tracking apps that do "partial wakelocks" that prevent the device from entering battery-saving sleep mode. If you suspect that some of your apps are chewing through your battery life or are preventing your phone from properly entering sleep mode, BBS can be a great tool to help.
8. Greenify (requires root) (Free)
Greenify basically puts an app in a state of hibernation, unable to access system resources, bandwidth or run background processes. However, Greenify allows you to run an app normally in the foreground when explicitly called by the user without any extra fuss. If you've got memory or battery hogs that keep draining resources in the background, don't bother with a task-killer when you can just greenify it. Just don't do that to your alarm clock or messenger, unless you want them to stop working.
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