How to enter Safe Mode on your Android phone - and why it's critical to do so

What exactly does safe mode do on Android?

Safe mode itself doesn't fix your Android phone's problems. It simply helps you diagnose them.

Also: 6 underrated Android features that are seriously useful

Safe mode disables all third-party apps so only Android system software and preinstalled apps run. This then lets you determine whether issues like freezing, crashing, or slow performance are caused by an app. If your phone works normally in safe mode, you can usually narrow the cause down to a third-party app that was recently installed or updated.

What if my phone still has problems in safe mode?

If your phone still has problems while in safe mode, the cause may be a deeper software issue or even a hardware problem. In that case, you may need to check for system updates to install, reset your device, or even contact the manufacturer for extra support.

Also: Changing this setting on my Android phone doubled the speed

You can also try clearing your Android phone's cache as the next troubleshooting step.

Will safe mode delete my apps or data?

Safe mode primarily prevents third-party apps from running, but it does not delete them from your phone. Google warns that safe mode does remove some home-screen widgets. So, if you use widgets, it recommends taking a screenshot to help you put them back.

Why does my phone run faster in safe mode?

With third-party apps disabled, your phone has fewer background processes to manage. If performance improves significantly, one of those apps may be using too many resources or crashing in the background, and you may want to delete it.