I tweaked these Samsung features, and my Galaxy phone finally stopped feeling sluggish and bloated

Published Jul 20, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT Parth, a seasoned tech writer, wields the keyboard (or pen) with finesse to unravel the intricacies of both Windows and Mac operating systems. He has covered evergreen content on mobile devices and computers for multiple publications over the last six years. You can find his work on AndroidPolice, GuidingTech and TechWiser. Whether it’s demystifying system updates, deciphering error codes, or exploring hidden features, Parth’s prose guides readers through the binary maze. When not immersed in tech jargon, you’ll find him sipping chai, pondering the next software review, and occasionally indulging in a friendly debate about mechanical keyboards. I have always liked Samsung phones for their flexibility, but One UI can sometimes feel like it is trying to do too much at once. Between duplicate apps, aggressive recommendations, unnecessary background services, and shortcuts I never asked for, my Galaxy started to feel cluttered over time. The hardware was fast, but the software experience did not always feel that way. Instead of installing a launcher or performing a factory reset, I went through settings and tweaked the Samsung features that added no real value to my workflow. Tweak performance profile From Light to Standard I had switched my Galaxy phone to the Light performance profile because I wanted to squeeze out a little more battery life. However, after using it for a while, I started noticing that the phone did not always feel as responsive as I expected. Apps occasionally took longer to open, animations felt less fluid, and heavier tasks lacked the instant performance I wanted from a flagship device. I eventually went to Settings -> Device Care -> Performance profile and switched it back to Standard. This mode offers Samsung’s recommended balance between processing speed, battery life, and cooling efficiency. The change did not destroy my battery life, but it made everyday navigation and multitasking feel smoother. Light mode can still be useful when battery endurance is a priority, but Standard is a much better fit for how I use my Galaxy every day. Tip: If you still deal with below-average battery life, I recommend dialing down display resolution from QHD to FHD on supported devices. Optimize the phone using Device care A one-touch solution One of the easiest ways I cleaned up my Galaxy phone was by using Samsung’s built-in Device Care tool. I simply went to Settings -> Device Care and tapped Optimize now. From there, the system handled the maintenance automatically. It closed unnecessary background apps, checked for abnormal battery usage, cleared temporary memory, scanned for potential app problems, and looked for security or performance issues that could slow the phone down. I did not have to install a third-party cleaner or manually force-stop dozens of apps. The entire process took only a few seconds, but it helped keep background activity under control and made the phone feel more responsive afterward. Disable Edge panels and Samsung Wallet gestures Can be irritating in daily use When it comes to unnecessary gestures and Samsung services, I started by disabling Edge panels because the floating handle kept interfering with the back gesture. I often swipe from the edge expecting to go back, only to open the panel instead. Edge panels can be useful for quick shortcuts and multitasking, but I rarely use them. I headed to Settings -> Display -> Edge panels and turned it off. Back navigation immediately felt more predictable. I also disabled Samsung Free and switched to Google Discover instead. Samsung Free felt bloated and never really added much value to my routine. I long-pressed an empty area on the home screen, swiped to the left-most page, and selected Google Discover. Finally, I turned off Samsung Wallet’s swipe-up gesture on both the lock screen and the home screen. I kept triggering Wallet accidentally while navigating or trying to open the app drawer. I opened Wallet -> Settings -> Quick Access -> Swipe up gesture and disabled it for both locations. Turn off live wallpapers Consumes resources in no time Live wallpapers looked impressive when I first set up my Galaxy phone, but the novelty wore off quickly. They added constant movement to the home and lock screens, consumed more system resources than a regular image, and made the interface feel busier than necessary. I eventually replaced them with static wallpapers, and the phone immediately felt cleaner and more focused. The process was simple. I opened the Gallery app, selected one of my favorite photos, tapped the three-dot menu, and chose Set as wallpaper. A static image still lets me personalize my Galaxy without adding unnecessary background animations. Increase touch sensitivity Handy for devices with screen protectors Installing a screen protector is one of the first things I do after buying an expensive phone. I would rather deal with an extra layer of glass than risk scratching or cracking the display. However, after applying one to my Galaxy phone, the touch response felt less smooth. Some taps required more effort, swipe gestures occasionally felt sluggish, and typing was not as effortless as before. I fixed it by heading to Settings -> Display and enabling Touch sensitivity. The feature increases the display’s responsiveness when a screen protector is installed. I fly through One UI Samsung gives me more features than almost any other Android brand, but that flexibility can also make One UI feel busy. None of these tweaks transformed the hardware, but together, they removed friction and made the phone feel faster, cleaner, and more personal. My Galaxy experience is still powerful without getting in my way. You can even remove unnecessary Samsung apps to reduce bloat.