Almost people only think about cleaning up their phone when something starts to go incorrect. Android devices are smart enough that regular maintenance isn't necessary, just it'southward yet a good idea to perform a digital tune-up every once in a while. Don't underestimate the touch of staying digitally organized and having gratis space when you need it.

The play tricks is finding phone cleaner apps that actually live up to their promises. At best, a bad cleaner app wastes storage space; at worst, information technology could infect yous with malware and spam you with ads. Not all Android cleaner apps are useless, all the same.

Here are the best cleaner apps for Android phones and tablets y'all should try.

1. Files past Google

Google'south official Android file manager has piece of cake tools that make it the offset Android junk cleaner anyone should effort. Fire upwardly the app and switch to the Make clean tab at the bottom to admission these options.

Hither you'll see several areas that the app identifies as wasting space. These include Junk files, Duplicates, Backed upwardly photos, and Unused apps. Select an option to look at what's taking upward the nigh space, check what you desire to remove, and confirm to have the app take care of the remainder.

While you can also use the Browse tab to explore your phone's storage manually, letting the app weed out the biggest infinite hogs with these automatic checks is more efficient.

Equally we'll see, a lot of the following apps have handy cleaning features only as well cram in RAM optimizers and other nonsense you don't demand. Google Files is a skilful answer to these; it'south ane of the best ways to clean Android with a simple, free app that isn't swollen with unnecessary extras.

Download: Files by Google (Costless)

two. Droid Optimizer

Droid Optimizer is 1 of the best-known Android cleaner tools, with over a 1000000 downloads on the Google Play Store. It's simple to use, especially for newbies, with an introduction screen that walks you through permissions and features.

It offers a "ranking organization" designed to motivate you to continue your device in tip-top shape. If y'all don't listen having your own device shame you lot into improve habits, Droid Optimizer is one of the best Android cleaner apps for you lot.

I tap is all y'all need to begin a phone cleanup. You'll see your stats at the top of the screen; free space and RAM show adjacent to your "rank" score, where yous receive points for your cleanup actions.

If you'd adopt to set and forget, Droid Optimizer allows you lot to set regular, automatic cleaning. This auto-cleanup will clean your cache, cease background apps, and delete any unnecessary files. It also comes with a "good night scheduler" to conserve energy, automatically disabling features similar Wi-Fi when no connections are active.

Droid Optimizer can also mass-delete apps—useful if y'all're looking to quickly make some space.

It'southward non the most attractive app, merely it works. If you lot're looking for a expert Android telephone cleaner and don't want to do much of the work yourself, Droid Optimizer should be on your shortlist.

Download: Droid Optimizer (Gratuitous, in-app purchases bachelor)

3. CCleaner

The same well-known desktop app for reclaiming disk infinite is also bachelor on Android. We've discussed why CCleaner isn't an essential app for Windows anymore, equally it'due south gone downhill somewhat since Avast acquired the service. And while the Android app isn't perfect either, information technology's better than a lot of the other spammy cleaner apps for Android.

Indeed, CCleaner on Android is a multifunctional app that does its best to clarify and clean upwardly stray files taking upwardly your precious space. The principal function is the cleaner feature that can wipe cache data from apps, purge empty folders, and delete diverse histories.

It likewise has an App Manager, which offers a unproblematic interface that lets y'all selection multiple apps for uninstallation. Lastly, the System Info page monitors your phone'due south resources (CPU, RAM, device details) so you can see what'southward going on at a quick glance.

No root is necessary and information technology'due south gratuitous, although you can upgrade to the Pro subscription for a few extras. It may be a bit light on features, but it does the job if all you demand is a quick mode to reclaim your phone'south storage infinite.

Download: CCleaner (Free, subscription bachelor)

Cleaning your telephone of unnecessary files is merely one function of the maintenance chore. What about monitoring your bombardment health, your CPU temperature, and those pesky mobile ads? The appropriately named All-In-One Toolbox is here to practice it all.

Information technology's capable of cleaning temporary files on your Android device, wiping your enshroud, and deleting empty folders and orphaned files. Information technology merely takes one tap to analyze your device, then another tap to delete, and you lot're washed. It's a like process with other areas of the app too.

The Boost role cleans your system cache and closes groundwork apps, again with two taps. You can ready this automatically with the Boost+ function if yous'd prefer, but doing so requires an in-app purchase. If you're running out of juice, the Battery Saver department is another groundwork chore killer (see below for a warning on this), only it also provides your current battery statistics.

If that wasn't enough, there'due south also a mass app deleter, avant-garde file cleaning tools, and Wi-Fi analysis. As its name promises, All-In-1 Toolbox tries to do it all. Like Droid Optimizer, there's also a ranking system to encourage regular use.

Download: All-in-One Toolbox (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. SD Maid

SD Maid claims to be "at your service" as the digital cleaner for your Android telephone. Information technology keeps the feel simple; opening upwardly the app gives you several quick actions you can utilise to "tidy up" your device.

The first, CorpseFinder, searches for and erases any orphaned files or folders left over from deleting an app. SystemCleaner is some other search-and-delete tool, this time looking for common files and folders that SD Maid believes information technology tin can safely delete.

If you lot like the audio of this, AppCleaner performs the same action for your apps. To use this feature, notwithstanding, you'll need to upgrade SD Maid Pro. There's also a Databases area to help optimize whatever app databases in apply. In our exam, it cleared 40MB from Spotify this way.

There are also tools for storage analysis (to assist you detect and delete big files) and mass app removal if you're because a bigger telephone tune-up.

Download: SD Maid (Free, in-app purchases available) | SD Maid Pro ($4)

half-dozen. Norton Clean

Aside from CCleaner (endemic by Avast), none of these cleaner apps come from meridian-tier security firms. The search for the best cleaning app for Android thus tin can't conclude without mentioning Norton Make clean, offered by the famous Norton Antivirus from Symantec.

Norton claims to "remove the clutter" from your Android device. Much similar the other entries, it'll search for and wipe your cache, remove any junk files, and assistance y'all speedily remove whatever unused apps y'all have installed. The Manage Apps section lists all your apps, letting you sort them past last use, installation date, or how much storage information technology uses.

The app takes a simple approach. Compared to the other entries, Norton Clean has one of the cleanest, brightest, and most mod-looking user interfaces. Everything you need is one or 2 taps away, meaning you don't have to be an Android pro to figure it out.

This 1 is besides low-cal on features—it's but a file cleaner and app deleter, with prominent ads for other Norton apps. If you're worried well-nigh space, however, Norton Clean is an easy enough way to help you reclaim it. And information technology doesn't have whatsoever in-app purchases or subscriptions to worry virtually.

Download: Norton Clean (Gratuitous)

A Warning on Android Task Killers

A lot of cleaner apps for Android offering RAM boosting and task killing every bit a characteristic—even some on this list, like CCleaner. However, these are counterproductive, equally job killers actually impairment your device performance.

On Android, total RAM usage is not necessarily a problem. In fact, Android purposely keeps its RAM usage high to maximize functioning. The Android Bone is smart enough to know how to juggle open up apps for optimal performance. Interfering with that process can cause Android to work harder than it needs to, which ultimately slows downwards your device—especially if y'all're closing groundwork organisation apps.

Most mod Android apps shouldn't impact your bombardment performance that much either. If they do, Android should alert you to the trouble (bold you accept a modern device). You might need to expect at how to extend your Android battery life if that'southward the example. Yous tin can do that by limiting background usage using Android itself, not with a task killer or apps with task-killing features.

These apps are useful for removing former files and wiping cache data, but y'all should be wary about letting them control apps or services running on your device. The Android landscape has moved past these "all in one" optimization solutions. Devices are faster and Android is better at managing system resources.

To learn more, see what actually makes Android run faster and why you shouldn't constantly shut Android apps on your phone.

Use Android Phone Cleaners With Care

Regular maintenance isn't vital for about Android users, simply information technology can assistance to keep your device running smoothly in some cases.

That's the truth: your device will continue running even if you don't spend time clearing out junk. Most mod Android devices have plenty of RAM and device storage to cope with anything you accept installed or saved. You shouldn't demand to spend your days clearing app cache, either.

That said, if y'all discover at that place'southward a trouble with your Android device, an Android cleaner could perk information technology upward a niggling. If that doesn't piece of work, you might need to try transmission cleaning side by side.

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Almost The Author

Ben Stegner (1799 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Chief at MakeUseOf. He left his Information technology task to write total-time in 2022 and has never looked dorsum. He's been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more equally a professional person writer for over 8 years.

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