While Android devices are smart enough to not require regular maintenance, it’s still a good idea to make digital tweaks every once in a while.
The trick is to find a phone cleaning app that really delivers on its promise. In the best case, a bad cleaning app will waste storage space; In the worst-case scenario, it could infect you with malware and send you ads. However, not all android cleaner apps are useless.
Here are the best cleaning apps for android phones and tablets you should try.
1. Files by Google
Google’s official Android file manager has simple tools that make it the first Android junk cleaner that anyone should try. Launch the app and switch to the Cleaning tab at the bottom to access these options.
Here, you’ll see several areas that the app identifies as wasting space. These include junk files, duplicate files, backed-up photos, and unused apps. Choose an option to see what is taking up the most space, check what you want to delete, and then confirm; The app will take care of the rest.
While you can also use the Browse tab to manually explore your phone’s storage, it’s more efficient to have apps weed out the biggest occupiers with these automatic checks.
As we’ll see, a lot of the apps below have handy cleanup features but are also crammed into memory optimizers and other crap you don’t need. Google Files is a good answer; It’s one of the best ways to clean up your Android with a simple, truly free app without bloated unnecessary extra features.
Download: Files by Google (Free)
2. Droid Optimizer
Droid Optimizer is one of the most famous Android cleaners with over a million downloads on the Google Play Store. It’s easy to use, especially for newbies, and its introductory screen will walk you through permissions and features.
It offers a “ranking system” designed to motivate you to keep your device in tip-top shape. If you don’t mind letting your device humiliate you and make you develop better habits, Droid Optimizer is one of the best Android cleaner apps for you.
With just one tap, you can start cleaning your phone. You’ll see your stats at the top of the screen; Free space and memory are displayed next to your “Level” score, and points are awarded for your cleanup actions.
If you like to set and forget, Droid Optimizer allows you to set up regular, automatic cleanups. This automatic cleanup will clean your cache, stop background apps, and delete any unnecessary files. It is also equipped with a “good night scheduler” to save energy, automatically disabling features such as Wi-Fi when there is no connection.
Droid Optimizer can also delete apps massively – useful if you want to quickly free up some free space on your Android device.
It’s not the most visually appealing app, but it works. If you’re looking for a good Android phone cleaner and don’t want to do a lot of work yourself, Droid Optimizer should be on your shortlist.
Download: Droid Optimizer (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. SD Maid
SD Maid claims to “work for you” and is a digital cleaner for your Android phone. It keeps the experience simple; Opening the app gives you several quick actions that you can use to “declutter” your device.
The first action is CorpseFinder, which searches for and deletes any unowned files or folders left behind after deleting the app. SystemCleaner is another search and delete tool, this time looking for normal files and folders that SD Maid believes are safe to delete.
If you like the sound, AppCleaner will do the same for your application. However, to use this feature, you’ll need to upgrade your SD Maid Pro. There is also a database area to help tune any application databases that are in use. In our tests, it cleared 40MB from Spotify in this way.
There are also storage analysis tools (to help you find and delete large files) and large-scale app removal if you’re considering bigger phone tweaks.
Download: SD Maid (Free, in-app purchases available) | SD Maid Pro ($4)
4. CCleaner
This well-known desktop app is also available on Android to reclaim disk space. We’ve already discussed why CCleaner is no longer an essential application for Windows because it’s been going downhill somewhat since Avast acquired the service. While the Android app isn’t perfect either, it’s better than many other Android junk cleaner apps.
In fact, CCleaner for Android is a versatile app that does its best to analyze and clean up the clutter that takes up your precious space. The main feature is the cleanup function, which can wipe the cache data of the application, clear empty folders, and delete various histories.
It also has an app manager that offers a simple interface that lets you pick and choose multiple apps to uninstall. Finally, the system information page monitors your phone’s resources (CPU, memory, device details), so you can quickly see what’s going on.
No root is required, and it’s free, although you can upgrade to the pro version for some extra services. It may have a bit of a few features, but it gets the job done if all you need is a quick way to reclaim your phone’s storage space
Download: CCleaner (Free, subscription available)
5. All-in-One Toolbox
Cleaning up unnecessary files from your phone is just one part of the maintenance task. And what about monitoring your battery health, your CPU temperature, and those pesky mobile ads? The toolbox, called All-In-One Toolbox, does it all.
It cleans temporary files on your Android device, wipes your cache, and deletes empty folders and orphan files. It only takes one click to analyze your device, then another click to delete, and you’re done. The process is similar in other areas of the application.
The boost feature cleans your system cache and closes background apps, again with just two clicks. You can set it up automatically with the Boost+ feature if you wish, but doing so requires an in-app purchase. The Battery Saver section is another background task killer if you’re low on battery (see the warning about this below), but it also provides you with current battery stats.
If that’s not enough, there’s also a massive app remover, advanced file cleanup tool, and Wi-Fi analytics. As its name promises, the Almighty Toolbox tries to do it all. Like Droid Optimizer, it also has a ranking system to encourage regular use.
Download: All-in-One Toolbox (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Norton Clean
With the exception of CCleaner (which belongs to Avast), none of these cleaning apps are from the top security companies. So, one cannot fail to mention Norton Clean offered by the famous Norton Anti-Virus company when looking for the best android cleaning app.
Norton claims to be able to “clean up clutter” from your Android device. Like the other entries, it will search and wipe your cache, remove any junk files, and help you quickly remove any unused apps you have installed. The Manage Applications section lists all your apps, letting you sort by last used, install date, or the amount of storage they use.
The app takes a simple approach. Norton Cleanup has one of the cleanest, brightest, and most modern user interfaces compared to other entries. Everything you need is in between one or two clicks, which means you don’t need to be an Android expert to figure it out.
The features of this software are also simple – it’s just a file cleaner and app remover, as well as prominent ads for other Norton apps. However, if you’re worried about space, Norton Clean is an easy enough way to help you regain space. And it doesn’t have any issues with in-app purchases or subscriptions.
Download: Norton Clean (Free)
A Warning on Android Task Killers
Many Android cleaners offer RAM boost (also known as memory optimization) and task-killing features – even some of the ones on this list, such as CCleaner. However, these are counterproductive because the task killer actually harms the performance of your device.
On Android, full memory usage doesn’t have to be an issue. In fact, Android deliberately keeps RAM usage high to maximize performance. The Android operating system is smart enough to know how to handle open applications for optimal performance. Interfering with this process will cause Android to work harder than it needs to, which will eventually slow down your device – especially if you’re closing background system apps.
Most modern Android apps shouldn’t have that much impact on your battery performance either. If they do, Android should alert you to this problem (assuming you have a current version of Android). If you’re having trouble here, you might want to take a look at how to extend your Android battery life. You can do this by restricting background usage using Android itself, rather than with Task Killer or apps with Task Kill.
These apps are useful for deleting old files and wiping cache data, but you should be wary of letting them control the apps or services running on your device. The Android environment has gone beyond these “all-in-one” optimization solutions. The speed of the device is faster, and Android is also better at managing system resources.
Be careful with Android phone cleaners
Regular maintenance is not necessary for most android users, but in some cases, it can help keep your device running smoothly.
Here’s the truth: even if you don’t take the time to clean up the junk, your device will continue to function. Most modern Android devices have enough memory and device storage to handle anything you install or save. You also shouldn’t need to spend time cleaning up the app cache on a schedule.
That said, if you notice a problem with your Android device, Android Cleaner can make it more dynamic. If needed, you can take further steps later.
