Do I Really Need a RAM Cleaner?

[IceCold803]

I just received my Note 4 last week and love it so far. I am coming from a Note 3 and I was using Clean Master and then Du Speed Booster to clean my RAM and handle files. Now I have heard these applications are not really needed. With my Note 3 I was having horrible battery issues which I am not having on my Note 4. I am worried if I add one of these apps it may screw with my battery like the Note 3. Now I don't know for sure if it was one of these apps that caused the poor battery life that plagued my phone but I don't want to take any chances.

The concern I have is these apps allowed me to clean "residual files". I don't know any other way to clean the residual files when I remove apps so if these RAM Cleaner apps really do more harm than good, does anyone know of any other way to clean my phone. I just don't want to download one of these apps and start having issues with my Note 4. Anyone have any suggestions?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[daddyd302]

I use to use these apps back in the days of the Motorola Droid and Galaxy Nexus. It made no difference. It's just snake oil as far as I'm concern.

 

[Aquila]

Yes, they are not needed. Android includes functionality to automatically reuse "unused" storage. Additionally, app and device cache can both be cleared as needed manually - but that's becoming much less necessary as well.

 

[Almeuit]

Yes, they are not needed. Android includes functionality to automatically reuse "unused" storage. Additionally, app and device cache can both be cleared as needed manually - but that's becoming much less necessary as well.

This .

 

[IceCold803]

@Darth Spock

Okay sounds good. Could you give me a quick walk through on how to do this manually? I assume just go into My Files and just look around? I just don't want to delete anything that I may need.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[xxx420]

I just received my Note 4 last week and love it so far. I am coming from a Note 3 and I was using Clean Master and then Du Speed Booster to clean my RAM and handle files. Now I have heard these applications are not really needed. With my Note 3 I was having horrible battery issues which I am not having on my Note 4. I am worried if I add one of these apps it may screw with my battery like the Note 3. Now I don't know for sure if it was one of these apps that caused the poor battery life that plagued my phone but I don't want to take any chances.

The concern I have is these apps allowed me to clean "residual files". I don't know any other way to clean the residual files when I remove apps so if these RAM Cleaner apps really do more harm than good, does anyone know of any other way to clean my phone. I just don't want to download one of these apps and start having issues with my Note 4. Anyone have any suggestions?

Posted via the Android Central App

As others have mentioned your concern about RAM is not needed, Android handles that just fine on its own now. However your concern about removing residual files is a valid one and that is the reason why I also use clean master. You can use this app to remove the residual files without it touching the ram. Tap junk files, Let it search and then uncheck the memory section and any others you don't want, but leave junk files checked and it will clean just that stuff. Left over apk files and such can take up a surprising amount of space if left to pile up on the device, so it's good to clean that stuff out every now and then.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[itsnotmeitsyou]

@Darth Spock

Okay sounds good. Could you give me a quick walk through on how to do this manually? I assume just go into My Files and just look around? I just don't want to delete anything that I may need.

Posted via the Android Central App

This app works good for cache cleaning.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ails?id=com.cleanmaster.mguard&token=YE-lKCHU

 

[IceCold803]

Thanks for the advice all.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[56note4]

What about greenify?

 

[cryptoncore]

Greenify is a whole different thing. I love greenify because you can stop apps running in the background until you start them and that will save RAM. This is what I've heard but I have only heard this from people on YouTube

 

[Aquila]

Greenify is a whole different thing. I love greenify because you can stop apps running in the background until you start them and that will save RAM. This is what I've heard but I have only heard this from people on YouTube

Saving RAM isn't a goal in Android though - the way Android manages RAM, it is supposed to use as much as it can dynamically. This is the opposite of the old Windows paradigm.

 

[cryptoncore]

Saving RAM isn't a goal in Android though - the way Android manages RAM, it is supposed to use as much as it can dynamically. This is the opposite of the old Windows paradigm.

Surely apps running in the background is negative for battery life also?

 

[Aquila]

Surely apps running in the background is negative for battery life also?

It depends on the app but most apps don't run in the background at all other than background data sync. Turning that off can save some battery life, but it can also prevent you from receiving push emails, etc. A normal app when it is put in the background is essentially frozen in memory and stored in RAM so that if/when you decide to return to it the app doesn't have to start up from the very beginning (which is harder on battery life). Force closing apps is an action that should be reserved for troubleshooting a rogue app, rather than something that is done all the time.

 

[cryptoncore]

It depends on the app but most apps don't run in the background at all other than background data sync. Turning that off can save some battery life, but it can also prevent you from receiving push emails, etc. A normal app when it is put in the background is essentially frozen in memory and stored in RAM so that if/when you decide to return to it the app doesn't have to start up from the very beginning (which is harder on battery life). Force closing apps is an action that should be reserved for troubleshooting a rogue app, rather than something that is done all the time.

Thank you interesting..I guess I don't really need greenify then. Haha.

 

[thegame161]

up to you but clean master is great

 

[Connecticut Sweetpea]

Absolutely right if you go into your file....you will find... additional file with all your residual files in it that makes no sense

 

[Connecticut Sweetpea]

No it isn't....go into file manager
It takes all the files that you think it cleans.....stores in another file... your smartphone is a computer go and clean it yourself cleaning the cache ..... and reboot you cannot take away from your hard drive....
Your smartphone computer will eventually write over..utilize space

 

[anon(5719825)]

No it isn't....go into file manager
It takes all the files that you think it cleans.....stores in another file... your smartphone is a computer go and clean it yourself cleaning the cache ..... and reboot you cannot take away from your hard drive....
Your smartphone computer will eventually write over..utilize space

No one will know who you are replying to since you didn't quote them.

 

[tube517]

I don't clean cache (except after an OTA)

i don't kill apps unless an individual app is going crazy killing the battery. I just kill the one app not all.

I don't clear recent apps.

I don't install any cleaners.

I don't use RAM Boosters.

My phone runs fine.

 

[smvim]

The concern I have is these apps allowed me to clean "residual files". I don't know any other way to clean the residual files when I remove apps so if these RAM Cleaner apps really do more harm than good, does anyone know of any other way to clean my phone.

When uninstalling any app, instead of just tapping the 'Uninstall' button, tap 'Force stop' then 'Clear data', and then the 'Uninstall' button. The 'Clear data' button removes that app's cache and its related settings, configuration, and residual files.

As for those RAM cleaners and such, I'd avoid them. I try not to micromanage my phone, Android's memory management is pretty sophisticated as is. At some point system resources need to be diverted just to compensate for the actions of those pseudo 'optimizers'.