Samsung Galaxy S4 sports higher hardware specs than Galaxy S3 but users can still suffer from occasional lags and sluggish performance. If you are one of those users, check out these tips to improve speed and performance of the Galaxy S4.

Minimise Animation

App windows feature transitions during opening, closing or switching which affect speed. Users can minimise the animation to make the device snappier. Go to Settings > Developer Options then select the options for transition and animator scales.

Widgets on Lock Screen

Instead of putting widgets on the home screen, set them on the lock screen. Aside from the effort saved from unlocking the device, lock screen widgets can display the activity and will take users directly to the app when accessed. Go to Settings > About Device > Lock Screen > Shortcuts.

Speeding Up Home Key

S Voice is a good feature, but Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Android KitKat also sports Google Now for queries—no need to use both all the time. The home key slows down if the S Voice is linked to it. In addition, users who desire a speedy home button reaction, launch the S Voice > Settings > Uncheck the "Open Via The Home Key."

Faster Camera Access

Instead of unlocking the smartphone and then looking for the camera shortcut on the home screen, users can put the camera shortcut on the lock screen. Users can set it as a widget so they can access it quickly without going to the home screen. Go to Settings > My Device > Lock Screen > Shortcuts > Choose the Camera.

Removing Light Effect

By default, the Galaxy S4's lock screen features a light effect when users unlock it. The graphics create a dramatic effect which takes a longer time when unlocking the screen. For a snappier effect, go to Settings > My Device > Lock Screen > Unlock Effect > None.

Slow Image Loading

The gallery app may slow down if there are too many pictures stored as indexing takes time. Users can transfer some of them to a computer to relieve some strain on the Galaxy S4 and prevent any data loss if something happens on the device.

Using the SD Card for Apps

Users whose devices are still running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or lower can transfer some apps to the SD card. Some apps can be moved to the external storage. Transferring apps can be useful for large-sized applications. For Android KitKat, users need to root their smartphones and download a specific app due to a restriction implemented by Google.

Selective Galaxy S Features

If all features of the Galaxy S4 are active and running at the same time, expect too many ongoing processes to slow down the device. Users can select the features they use often and disable others to help the memory to breathe and reduce power consumption.

Remove Unnecessary Files

Galaxy S4 owners can use the File Manager pre-installed on the smartphone to remove files from non-system folders or Bluetooth. They can delete the cache files of apps and uninstall those no longer in use. Some apps can eat up to 50 MB on the memory which can severe performance and multitasking.

Dealing with Native Apps

Some apps are non-removable but can be disabled including bloatware from Google and Samsung. Go to Settings > Application Manager > All tab > Select the Apps. Users can disable apps including Google Maps, Google Newsstand, Google Movies and more to prevent them from eating memory. Galaxy S4 owners may also need to uninstall the updates first before any disabling can be accomplished.