How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (2023)

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Did you know you can tweak some options on your Android phone to make your games run even smoother? These are some easy-to-make changes, and you don't even need root access for most of these gaming optimization tips for Android.

Let's take a look at some of the best ways to make your Android phone more game-friendly.

1. Increase the Screen Refresh Rate

The higher the screen refresh rate, the better visual feel you get out of your games, with much smoother animations. Switching to a high refresh rate is one of the easiest options for how to increase gaming performance on Android without root.

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Many Android devices—including flagship and mid-range models from the likes of Samsung and OnePlus, as well as Google's Pixel phones—allow you to change your screen refresh rate. If you change this to whatever the highest that your phone offers, you can greatly improve the visuals of your games.

How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (1)

On the phones that support this feature (not all the phones do), here's how you can increase the refresh rate:

  1. Launch the Settings app on your phone and tap Display.
  2. Select Advanced on the resulting screen.
  3. Tap Refresh rate.
  4. Select the highest possible refresh rate from the options on your screen.

Since there are different flavors of Android, the precise steps will vary from one device to another. Check your exact phone model online if you can't find the option and are sure your device has a high display refresh rate.

2. Switch to a Fast Internet Connection

If you play online games on your Android phone, the speed of your internet connection affects your gaming performance. This is because your games need to send and receive data constantly. If your internet connection is poor, this data transfer takes longer. In turn, your gaming experience gets spoiled.

Therefore, to ensure your online games play as smoothly and lag-free as your offline games, try to use a faster internet connection when you play your games.

You can use any connection that's fast enough. It could be a Wi-Fi connection or even a mobile data connection, especially if you have access to 5G. But if you play multiplayer games, note that you will get a much lower ping on your home Wi-Fi network than cellular data.

If you're on a limited data plan, using cellular data to play Android games online will make your allowance run out quicker.

3. Turn Off Force 4x

Force 4x MSAA (multisample anti-aliasing) is an option found on some Android phones that greatly enhances the visual quality of your games. It's by far the best Developer options setting for improving how your games look, so we don't blame you if you had it turned on all along.

Unfortunately, this setting significantly worsens gaming performance. If your smartphone's processor isn't powerful enough, you will experience frame drops while playing graphically demanding games like PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Mobile, and more. Plus, it drains the battery pretty quickly.

So, try turning it off and see how much smoother your games run on your phone. More importantly, you will be able to game longer without worrying about charging it.

Keep in mind not all the phones out there support Force 4x. But you can check if you have the option by following the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings app, tap About phone, and tap Build number seven times. Your phone should say you're a developer. Some devices may ask you to enter your device password first before enabling the feature.
  2. Head back to the main settings menu and tap System.
  3. Tap Developer options.
  4. Find the option that says Force 4x MSAA and toggle it off.

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How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (2)
How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (3)

If these steps don't work for you, quickly search for Force 4x using the top search bar in the Settings app. Remember that you must enable the developer options first.

4. Limit Background Processes

Background processes can take a toll on your Android phone's gaming performance since they reduce the amount of memory available for your game. As such, you can improve your phone's gaming performance by limiting how many processes can run in the background.

This option is, however, only available if you enable Developer Options (see #3 above to do that). If you have, follow these steps to you can limit background processes running on your device:

  1. Open Settings and go to System.
  2. Tap Developer options and scroll down to Apps.
  3. Tap Background process limit and select your preferred maximum number of background processes.

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How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (4)
How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (5)
How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (6)

5. Remove the Junk From Your Phone

The more files you store on your phone, the slower it gets. And this is especially the case if your phone is getting low on storage space.

If you've saved any files on your phone that you don't intend to use anymore, you should get rid of those files to improve your phone's performance. This improved performance will positively affect your gaming sessions.

Your Android phone collects junk content from many sources. Your uninstalled apps' leftovers, old media files, and other unused documents are all part of this junk.

You can actually use a built-in feature on many Android phones, including Samsung devices, to find the unused files and safely delete them from the phone. Here's how you find and use this feature:

  1. Access Settings on your phone, and tap Storage.
  2. Tap the Free Up Space button.
  3. Select the items that you don't use anymore, and tap Free Up in the bottom right.

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How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (8)

Alternatively, take a look at the apps that will clean up junk files on your Android device.

6. Enable Dolby Atmos Sound

Audio fidelity is an often overlooked factor in mobile gaming. But competitive gamers understand how important audio cues are in multiplayer games.

Dolby Atmos surround sound greatly enhances the audio quality of your games. So, if you have an Android phone that supports this, you can turn this feature on and enjoy better-quality sounds in your games.

Most Samsung Galaxy phones have this feature, and you can turn this on and off from the Settings menu. Here's how:

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone, and tap Sounds and vibration.
  2. Tap Sound quality and effects on the following screen.
  3. Turn Dolby Atmos for gaming on.

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How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (10)
How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (11)

Now, you'll get to know the difference the technology makes whether you're using headphones or your phone's built-in stereo speakers.

7. Disable Power-Saving Mode or Battery Saver

Power-saving mode (also called Battery Saver on some devices) prioritizes longer battery life over device performance. It limits device and app performance, negatively impacting your Android phone gaming experience. Therefore, before you start playing a game, ensure you disable the feature first.

You can turn it off from the Quick Settings menu by swiping down your screen from the top, or via the Settings app by going to Battery > Battery Saver and toggling off Use Battery Saver. Your device UI might differ, but the general instruction is the same on all phones.

8. Use a Game Booster App

With more and more people playing games on their Android phones, there are now apps to optimize your Android device for gaming.

These game booster apps tweak various options to ensure your phone can play games smoothly, and they'll also shut off notifications, so you don't get interrupted while playing. You don't need to manually optimize each option, as the app does that for you with a single tap.

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How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (12)
How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone (13)

Game Booster is a free game optimization app you can use to make your Android device game-friendly. There are a few other game launchers for Android as well that you can use. And if your Android phone has a gaming mode, ensure you have it enabled every time you want to play.

9. Use a Phone Gaming Accessory

In addition to the software, you can make changes to your hardware to improve gaming on your Android device.

For example, you can get an external game controller to play games on your phone. This controller will help you better control your moves in your games. For instance, you can connect your Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 controller to your Android phone over Bluetooth.

Additionally, you can purchase a smartphone clip mount for your controller for the best handheld gaming experience. Most of these gaming accessory items are easy to install. You simply plug them into your phone, and they start working.

10. Overclock the Phone CPU

Finally, something more hands-on for the real mobile gaming enthusiast. Overclocking the CPU of your phone lets you extract more power out of the same processor. This lets your games process more items at once, and this results in an improved gaming environment.

You can overclock the CPU on most Android phones out there. However, keep in mind you'll need to root your phone before you can overclock it. If you aren't sure what root it is, it might be best that you don't do this, or you risk bricking your device.

To overclock an Android phone, you need to first install a custom kernel. Then you can use an app like the popular Franco Kernel Manager to overclock your CPU. Overclocking will make your phone run hotter and shorten your battery life, but it can squeeze every drop of power out of your device.

Optimize Android for Gaming

If your Android device is your primary gaming machine, the tips above will help you improve the performance of your games on your phone. A few tweaks here and there will make your device better handle all your favorite games.

Android has loads of games to choose from, and there are even games that don't require an internet connection at all.

FAQs

How to Boost Gaming Performance on Your Android Phone? ›

GFX Tool. The Game Booster 4X Faster application is an all-in-one gaming solution from G19 Mobile Tools. The Android-centric solution lets you tweak your gaming experience and the device in numerous handy ways. You get great features like the Game Turbo, GFX Tool, HUD Monitor, Zero Lag Mode, and other features.

How can I improve my Android phone performance? ›

Why is my Android slow? 8 ways to troubleshoot your phone
  1. 1 Restart your phone. ...
  2. 2 Free up storage space. ...
  3. 3 Uninstall unused Android apps. ...
  4. 4 Change the system animation speed. ...
  5. 5 Use Lite edition apps. ...
  6. 6 Update to the latest software. ...
  7. 7 Perform a factory reset. ...
  8. 8 Consider installing a custom ROM.
May 14, 2023

Which is the best game booster for Android? ›

GFX Tool. The Game Booster 4X Faster application is an all-in-one gaming solution from G19 Mobile Tools. The Android-centric solution lets you tweak your gaming experience and the device in numerous handy ways. You get great features like the Game Turbo, GFX Tool, HUD Monitor, Zero Lag Mode, and other features.

Which logger buffer size is best for gaming? ›

Buffer size: A general rule is that a buffer size of 10 MB per CPU core allows for a trace that's about 20 seconds long.

What should I turn on in developer options for gaming? ›

Turn Off Force 4x

Force 4x MSAA (multisample anti-aliasing) is an option found on some Android phones that greatly enhances the visual quality of your games. It's by far the best Developer options setting for improving how your games look, so we don't blame you if you had it turned on all along.

What is the performance mode for Android phone? ›

An Android application can request the platform to enter a sustained performance mode where the Android device can keep a consistent level of performance for prolonged periods of time.

What is the most powerful game booster? ›

5 Best Game Boosters For PC For An Amazing Gaming Experience!
  • Advanced System Optimizer. Pros And Cons. ...
  • WTFAst. Pros And Cons. ...
  • GameBoost. Pros And Cons. ...
  • Razer Cortex. Pros And Cons. ...
  • Wise Game Booster.
Apr 26, 2023

How can I improve my gaming performance? ›

  1. Turn on gaming mode. Windows is already conveniently built for gaming. ...
  2. Disable notifications. ...
  3. Turn on Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling. ...
  4. Adjust for best performance. ...
  5. Turn off enhanced pointer precision. ...
  6. Update your drivers. ...
  7. Turn on Nvidia G-Sync. ...
  8. Set your monitor refresh rate.
Feb 26, 2023

What should buffer size be set to? ›

All that said, there's no “industry standard” buffer size and sample rate, as it's all dependent on your computer's processing power. However, recording at 128 to 256 at a sample rate of 48kHz is acceptable for most home recording on modern-day computers.

What is force 4x MSAA in developer options? ›

Force 4x MSAA: Enables multisample anti-aliasing (MSAA) in Open GL ES 2.0 apps. Disable HW overlays: Disables the hardware overlay. Note that using the hardware overlay lets apps that display something on the screen use less processing power.

Which buffer size is better? ›

Ideally, 128 is a good buffer size, but 256 should be sufficient for tasks like this. If you can afford a lower buffer size, this is always best. However, this may cause any effects on tracks such as reverb or pitch correction to struggle to run in real-time.

Should developer options be on or off? ›

Some things can be considered security risks if you have them enabled in the developer options. One is the USB debugging and the other is the ADB through WiFi. Once you enable these settings, apps can be installed on your phone without the help of the play store.

How do I increase my Android refresh rate? ›

How to change the refresh rate on your phone
  1. Launch the Settings app and select Display.
  2. Tap Motion smoothness.
  3. Choose your desired option, and then tap Apply.

Is disable hw overlays good for gaming? ›

Turn on the Disable HW overlays in the developer options. This will significantly improve the visuals and if you are into gaming you'll face less lagging. You can see here other hacks to get the best out of your android GPU and processor.

How to force GPU rendering Android gaming? ›

To use this feature, go to: Menu > Settings > Developer options and look for Force GPU rendering.

How to make high graphics games for Android? ›

The 7 steps to creating a mobile game are:
  1. Make your plan.
  2. Choose your software.
  3. Learn your programming language.
  4. Start your project.
  5. Implement your graphics.
  6. Elevate your play.
  7. Release your game.
Nov 14, 2022

How do I set high performance mode? ›

To change a power plan:
  1. Select Start and then Control Panel.
  2. From the list of displayed item under Control Panel, select Power Options, which takes you to Select a power plan page. ...
  3. By default, the option to change power plans is disabled. ...
  4. Choose the High Performance option.
  5. Close the Power Option window.
Feb 23, 2023

What is best performance power mode? ›

Power Saver: Preserve the most power, lowering the system performance. This option will offer the most battery life if you use a laptop. High performance: Uses the most energy, but it offers the most performance.

Should I use high performance power mode? ›

Operating System: Windows

Your PC manufacturer may even have their own custom power plans. If your power plan is set to "Balanced" or "Power saver" and you're experiencing issues like audio crackles, dropouts or other negative performance issues, we recommend switching to the "High performance" power plan.

What does *# 9900 do? ›

The *#9900# code is a diagnostic code used on Samsung mobile devices. It opens the "SysDump" mode, which provides advanced system information and options for troubleshooting and debugging purposes.

How to clear RAM on Android? ›

Below are the 5 options which could help on this matter:
  1. Check memory usage and force quit apps you don't need. ...
  2. Disable Apps and Remove Bloatware. ...
  3. Disable Animations & Transitions. ...
  4. Don't use Live Wallpapers or extensive widgets. ...
  5. Use Third Party Booster apps.
Feb 17, 2023

How do I reduce lag in developer options? ›

Good news, as the Developer Options menu also includes a setting for restricting the amount of background processes that can run at any one time. Simply tap the "Background process limit" option, and you can change the standard setting to anything from 1–4 background processes.

How do I activate game boost? ›

What is Game Booster and how do I use it?
  1. 1 While playing a game, swipe up if in portrait mode or swipe left if in landscape mode.
  2. 2 Tap the Game Booster icon.
  3. 3 Tap Start.
  4. 4 Game Booster will activate and you will be returned to your game.

What is game Booster priority mode? ›

“Priority mode” blocks incoming calls and all notifications, except alarms, to keep you totally focused on your gaming experience. It also accelerates game performance by closing other apps to dedicate more power to whichever gaming app you are currently using.

Where can I find game booster settings? ›

Activate Game Booster

To active the high-performance mode, pull up the navigation bar from the bottom of your screen while in a game, then tap the Game Booster icon to the left. This will activate a general purpose in-game overlay. Refer to the performance tab on the left to activate the feature.

How do I fix poor gaming performance? ›

If you're seeing low FPS in-game, there are a few steps you can take immediately.
  1. Close background processes. ...
  2. Update the game. ...
  3. Update your graphics drivers. ...
  4. Search for player tweaks and mods. ...
  5. Repair your install.

How do I fix slow gaming? ›

Here's how to fix lag issues:
  1. 5 Ways to Reduce & Fix Lag. ...
  2. Check your Wi-Fi connection. ...
  3. Boost your Wi-Fi signal & speed. ...
  4. Improve your gaming connectivity with powerline or MoCA adapters. ...
  5. Reduce bandwidth for other programs and applications. ...
  6. Manage your home network.

How can I improve my mobile gaming skills? ›

Trying to get better at mobile gaming? Here are some tips
  1. First rule of mobile gaming – enable the DND mode. ...
  2. Reducing background usage can makes your game run smoother. ...
  3. Customising controls can help you be a pro. ...
  4. Improve your game using a controller. ...
  5. Sound is just as important as visuals. ...
  6. Try playing on a larger screen.

What does a higher buffer size do? ›

Increasing the buffer size will allow more time for the audio to be captured without distortion. It is important to find the right buffer size for your session as this can vary depending on the number of tracks, plug-ins, audio files etc.

Is a higher buffer capacity better? ›

If the buffer capacity is 10 times larger, then the buffer solution can absorb 10 times more strong acid or base before undergoing a significant change in pH. A buffer maintains a relatively constant pH when acid or base is added to a solution.

Does buffer size affect quality? ›

The size of the audio buffers affects both the latency and the audio performance. Generally, the smaller the buffer size, the lower the latency. On the other hand, working with small buffers can be demanding for the computer. If the audio buffers are too small, you may get clicks, pops or other audio playback problems.

What does force GPU rendering do in Android? ›

Developer Options: How to use the "Force GPU rendering" feature. This feature forces hardware-accelerated rendering for controls, making the UI faster. Not all apps or methods of rendering are compatible with this feature. Use this feature to test if your app is compatible with GPU rendering.

What does developer mode do? ›

Developer Mode, introduced in iOS 16 and watchOS 9, protects people from inadvertently installing potentially harmful software on their devices, and reduces attack vectors exposed by developer-only functionality.

What is the use of developer mode in Android? ›

The Developer options menu lets you configure system behaviours to improve app performance. The list of developer options will depend on the version of Android that your device is running. For more information on what each of the developer options does, please visit the official Android Developer site.

Does developer options make phone faster? ›

If you want to tweak animation speed, head to Settings > System > Developer options. From here there are three options that you can toggle to improve speed. “Window animation scale,” “Transition animation scale,” and “Animator duration scale” can be tweaked to suit your own personal preferences.

Is there any way to increase mobile data speed? ›

Try the following tips to increase your mobile data speed:
  1. Restart your phone. ...
  2. Find the top mobile data–draining apps. ...
  3. Turn off inactive background apps and programs. ...
  4. Pause resource-draining apps the easy way. ...
  5. Install an ad blocker. ...
  6. Try a data speed booster. ...
  7. Clear the cache on your mobile browser.
Sep 13, 2022

How can I make my phone run faster for gaming? ›

9 Ways to Improve Gaming Performance on Android Without Root
  1. Use Faster Internet Connection.
  2. Switch to Higher Screen Refresh Rate.
  3. Enable Force 4x MSAA.
  4. Limit Background App Activities.
  5. Free Up Storage Space.
  6. Silence Notifications.
  7. Use Game Booster (Samsung Phones Only)
  8. Enable Dolby Atmos for Gaming (Samsung Phones Only)
Jun 14, 2022

What are the best developer options? ›

Here are the top 8 Android developer options:
  • USB Debugging: This is probably the most used option due to several factors. ...
  • Mock location: ...
  • Animation settings: ...
  • Stay awake option: ...
  • OEM unlocking – ...
  • Disable Absolute Volume: ...
  • Dark mode: ...
  • Enhance gaming performance:
Jan 17, 2022

What is * * 4636 * * Android secret codes? ›

*#*#4636#*#* Displays information about the phone, battery, and various network statistics.

What happens if you dial *# 31? ›

Hide Caller ID: *31#

The caller might have hidden the ID intentionally or sometimes it can be accidental. If you want to hide the caller ID dial *31# and press call button.

What does ## 002 do to your phone? ›

##002# - If your voice call or data call, or SMS call has been forwarded, dialling this USSD code will erase them. *#21# - By dialling this USSD code, you would get to know if your calls have been diverted somewhere else or not.

How can I increase my Android network speed? ›

How to speed up phone internet
  1. Clear your Cache. Yes, Cache doesn't only increase your internal storage space but can also speed up your slow mobile internet. ...
  2. Close your apps. ...
  3. Turn off auto update for your apps. ...
  4. Use a different browser/lite apps. ...
  5. Reset your network setting.
Feb 9, 2023

How can I speed up my LTE? ›

How Can I Improve My 4G LTE or 5G Speed?
  1. Get a New Phone/Hotspot. If you're using an old device, a new phone or hotspot may allow you to connect to new bands. ...
  2. Use External Antennas [Best for Hotspots] ...
  3. Use a MIMO Signal Booster [Best for Phones]
Jan 23, 2023

How to bypass mobile data speed? ›

How Do I Bypass My Internet Bandwidth Limit? There's no way to lift an internet bandwidth limit. Not even a VPN can help. The only way around the limit is upgrading to a higher internet plan or switching providers.

Is it good to turn on developer options? ›

No, enabling developer options does not affect a phone's performance by itself. The developer options, as the name quickly suggests, enable some options that are already present in the phone. But there are settings that can cause performance issues if you are not careful.

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