How to Beat App Clutter on Your Phone

Are you constantly receiving storage warnings on your phone? If so, you are not alone. Many people struggle with phones that are cluttered with a variety of apps. There are many reasons for this. First, let's be honest, many of us download apps and then we forget about them. Some are games we lose interest in, and others are apps we thought would be useful to us but simply were not. Then there are the apps we download to get freebies. Of course, some of the most frustrating apps cluttering your phone are often the ones that come pre-downloaded when you purchase your phone. Even worse, you can't use many of them because even though they are on your phone taking up space, you have to purchase them in order to make them work.

Here's where things get even worse. Apps don't just cause clutter and take up storage space. They can be a serious danger to your phone's security and to your privacy. This is why it is best to delete apps whenever possible, and keep only those that you are actively using. Just remember to check for updates on the apps you do keep. Sometimes these updates provide important security patches. Check out the following tips for cleaning up all of the apps you don't need and that could be putting you at risk.

Check For Zombie Apps

When Google Play or the App Store discovers that an app poses a security risk, the delete that app so that people can no longer download it. Unfortunately, they don't have any method of warning people that they might have an unsafe app installed on their phones. This means it is up to you to identify these apps yourself. You can do this by keeping a list of the apps you have installed and comparing them to the list of available apps on Google Play or the App Store. If it is no longer available, you should probably delete it from your phone.

Set a Time Limit

If you haven't used an app within a predetermined amount of time, you should probably delete it. Some people use 6 months as a benchmark. However, if you prefer a year is fine as well, as long as you don't have pressing storage issues. The point is to keep your phone clear of apps that you no longer use.

Think Before You Download

If you download an app in order to receive a discount or a freebie, take a moment to explore that app. If you do not believe that you will have any use for it in the future, delete it immediately after you have earned your benefit. Better yet, take the time to consider whether or not it is worth downloading the app in the first place. However, a small discount or special pricing on a mobile tool or gadget might be worth the hassle for you.

Downgrade Your App's Permissions

Many apps request access to your camera, your contact lists, your files, and a variety of other permissions. If you actively use an app, and it has legitimate reason to access these permissions, that's fine. However, many of the apps that you use do not need all of those permissions. Consider deleting these apps, or rolling back the permissions you have given them. Unfortunately, many app developers will make a blanket request for access to a variety of things up front. In some cases, this is because they have future updates planned that may require these permissions. Unfortunately, in other cases, this is an attempt to access data or invade your privacy. Also, if you download a new app, think about the permissions that are being requested. If they don't make sense to you, don't grant them. Don't be afraid to delete an app that tries to force you to give access that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Pay Special Attention to Your Financial Apps

There are many apps available that you can use to connect your bank and credit card accounts, and manage your finances. If you change banks, you might find yourself changing to the app that your new financial institution recommends. You might also change apps simply because you find a financial app that works better for you. Whenever you do these things, be sure to delete the old apps. You don't want to forget about an old money management app on your phone only to have it become a financial security issue later on. Also, if you do use money apps, be sure to keep them upgraded to the latest versions so all security patches are kept up to date.

The less cluttered your phone is, the more storage you will have for the apps that you actually do use. You will also have much less to worry about when it comes to security and privacy.