As an Android user, you may likely come across, the “Android is starting…….optimizing app” notification which is even more common among smartphones with older software.
The notification may instead look positive to most people but when your device starts acting up or is stuck in one place, you begin getting worried. This is why we will list out the reasons why you are getting this message on your notification bar and how to resolve this issue
Reasons why the Android is optimizing Apps issues occur
App is not incompatible
Installing any app is one of the mistakes that are often made by Android users. Just because you are able to get an APK file does not mean it is designed to work on your operating system or device.
An incompatible app is capable of upsetting the balance. When you see or notice that an app is not suitable for your phone even if it was usable on another phone, the best solution is to ignore or download it from the Google play store or any of its alternatives.
With the Google play store, the chance of installing incompatible issues is almost zero since there is a system in place that checks in real time.
A recent Android software update
When you update or upgrade your Android Os, your apps will also need to be optimized to make them more efficient and suitable. This will automatically begin after you have restarted your phone for the takeover of the new update. This will only happen once and should not take much of your time depending on your device’s specification.
A broken app
Another reason why you may get this message is when a faulty or incomplete app has been installed. This may happen due to obstructions like a phone suddenly switching off during installation.
When this occurs, it may cause the phone software to work abnormally. You should try removing the said app and reinstall it again if you still need to.
Developer mode
This unpleasant situation may also occur after an installation of a 3rd party app that will need to utilize developer’s mode to run. The constant notification will keep appearing after every restart if you fail to turn off the developer mode.
How to fix Android is optimizing apps issues
No one wants to keep seeing the same notification, so it becomes important to find a fix for these problems. The most common reason why this occurs is due to an Android upgrade. The system will attempt to optimize each app on your phone to create an efficient and mobile-friendly interface.
1. Restart your Android phone
Most issues can easily be resolved with a phone reboot. All you may need to rectify the app optimizing problem could be to just restart your device. With this, you might be able to clear any conflicts that a device may be having.
To restart your Android phone, just hold the power button and select “Restart”. If you are using a high-end Samsung like the galaxy, you will need to swipe down from the homepage to restart your device.
2. Remove the problem app
If the Android is optimizing apps issue comes up after installing a new app, one could easily identify where the problem is coming from. You will need to go to your App space and look for the app you recently installed.
If there are many recently installed apps, you could just uninstall all and install them one by one to easily identify the app that may be causing the issue.
3. Clear the Cache
Did you see “optimizing your device this may take a while” on your notification tab? There is no reason to fret. A simple wiping of the Cache might also resolve the issue.
I can’t remember how many times I have done this to fix most app issues on Android, and it rarely fails. If an app is suitable for the device, this works like magic.
To wipe the cache of an app, simply go to “Settings” on your device. Tap “App” and look for the specific app you want to wipe the cache. Click “Clear Cache”
4. Enter safe mode
Booting your phone into a safe mode is also one of the most recommended ways to fix incompatible issues. Some apps are not designed to work with some models which may cause issues to your device.
You can find out the suspects by booting into safe mode. Follow the below steps to temporarily enable safe mode on your phone.
- Press and hold the “Power Button” until the options menu appears. For some brands, you may need to press and hold the power button and volume up simultaneously.
- Tap the “Safe mode option” to restart your device which will then boot into safe mode. UI may look unfriendly, understand it is just temporary as you can always go back.
- The usual suspects are usually newly installed apps, uninstall them one by one to find the real suspect.
5. Check your external storage
Your memory card may be what is causing issues on your device. If you have a phone that has an SD card in it, you can try removing or unmounting the SD card. You should always switch off your phone before removing the card to avoid corrupting the SD card.
Sometimes, it may be you are using your memory card as the default storage. Attempt changing it to your internal memory. To continue using your memory card, you can copy your important downloaded files into your other storage and format your card. This way, you will be able to clear anything causing optimizing app issues.
6. Carry out a factory reset
If you have tried almost everything and still cannot get the issue fixed, a factory reset will without an iota of doubt resolve the “Android Is Starting Optimizing App” issue.
A factory reset will simply put back the phone the way it was when you first got it. All images, videos, audio, and other downloaded or installed apps will be cleared. Before using this method, you should back up your phone to avoid losing important data.
If you have a PC, you can store your data on it. Another way is into a memory card with enough space. Still, ensure that the memory card is original and very okay to avoid losing important files.
You can perform Factory Reset on your Android smartphone by following the step-by-step instructions below:
- Navigate to “Settings” on your device.
- Tap “About Phone”
- Click “Factory Reset”
- Click “Erase all data”
Note: The guide may be different depending on your phone. For some OS, you will need to navigate to General & Backup and reset before you can reset or perform factory setting on your device.
