Android users, please stop these 5 bad habits

Stop sabotaging your experience with habits that do more harm than good.

Android users, please stop these 5 bad habits

[Back of the Google Pixel 9 Pro.]

Credit: Hannah Stryker / MakeUseOf

Pankil Shah

Mar 1, 2026, 12:00 PM EST

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer from Ahmedabad, India. As a long-time Windows and Android user, he has extensive knowledge of both operating systems and specializes in creating how-tos and troubleshooting guides.

Pankil has been writing about Windows, Android, and iOS since 2021. He has written over 1200 articles across reputable publications like MakeUseOf, GuidingTech, and TechWiser.

Outside of his writing endeavors, Pankil is an avid football fan and loves to plan his international travels with his wife in his free time.

Even if you’ve been using Android phones forever, there’s a good chance you’re still doing a few things wrong. It’s not really your fault. Features change, hardware improves, and Android gets smarter with every update. Yet, you stick to some of the old habits, and they end up ruining your experience without you realizing it.

Things like clearing every app from the recents menu as soon as you’re done using it, sideloading APKs without thinking twice, or ignoring storage warnings and battery health can all affect your phone’s performance. What may feel like a harmless routine to you can actually work against the way Android is designed to function.

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Clearing the recent apps menu all the time

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The myth of freeing up RAM

[Android phone showing recent apps]

Pankil Shah/MakeUseOf
Credit: Pankil Shah/MakeUseOf

The recent apps menu on Android makes switching between apps a breeze. But a lot of people have a habit of clearing it as soon as they leave an app. Their main reason, of course, is to free up RAM. And while closing background apps does free up memory, you still shouldn’t do it unnecessarily.

There are a couple of reasons why. First, Android itself is great at managing RAM on its own. Even when you’ve dozens of apps sitting in the recents menu, your phone won’t slow down just because they are there. Second, and more importantly, when you remove an app from the recents menu and reopen it, Android has to load it from scratch. That actually uses more resources and power than simply resuming it, which means you’re actually making things worse by removing apps from the recents menu frequently.

So, instead of using that Close all button to keep the list spotless, it’s actually better to remove only the apps you don’t plan to use any time soon.

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Sideload apps from untrusted sources

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Freedom comes with risks

[Google Play Protect setting menu.]

Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf
Credit: Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf

Android is all about freedom, and one of the best ones is the ability to sideload all those cool apps that aren’t available on the Play Store. But you know as they say, with great freedom comes great responsibility.

When you sideload apps from untrusted sources, you’re actually skipping the security checks that the Play Store normally does. Official apps go through automated scans, malware detection, and ongoing security reviews. But when you download random APK files from unknown websites, you lose that safety net.

Don't get me wrong. Sideloading apps isn't bad, and most of the times you won't run into any issues. But there’s always a risk. A malicious APK can infect your phone with malware or steal sensitive data. If you really need to sideload, it’s best to stick to reputable sources and trusted Play Store alternatives like F-Droid.

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Never reviewing app permissions

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To many apps, too much access

[Kvaesitso launcher Android permissions page.]

Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf
Credit: Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf

If you are like most people, you probably allow an app all the permission it needs while setting it up, often without thinking. And the thing is, you’re unlikely to ever go back and review those app permissions. That means those apps can end up having full access to things like your contacts, location, storage, and sometimes even your microphone.

Sure, not every app might have malicious intent. But if you’ve installed a flashlight or a wallpaper app, it probably doesn’t need to read your contacts or listen to your microphone. This is why it’s important to review app permissions from time to time.

Head to Settings > Security and privacy > More privacy settings > Permission manager. Go through each category to see which apps have access to sensitive things like your calendar, location, microphone, and storage. Then, disallow permissions for apps that have no business using them. Don’t worry, most apps will still work fine after that. And if something breaks, the app will simply ask for permission again the next time it actually needs it.

[Woman using a phone with an uninstall app interaction box.]

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Ignoring storage warnings

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Let your phone breathe

The thing about storage is that it’s never enough. No matter how much internal storage your phone has, you’re likely to end up filling it at some point. And when that happens, most people only free up a few gigabytes and move on.

But Android has a storage rule you should never ignore. According to Google, you should keep at least 10% of free storage on your phone all the time. Once it drops below that, your phone might run slow, experience crashes, or reboot randomly. That’s because Android needs that free storage for temporary files, cache, and background processes. When the free storage drops, Android has to constantly find space and erase old storage blocks, which causes extra strain and ruins the performance.

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The tricky part is that when these issues pop up, you’ll probably never connect them to low storage. You might blame a buggy update or aging hardware. So instead of constantly living on the edge, treat free space as essential breathing room for your phone.

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Not following the 20-80 charging rule

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Your battery hates extremes

[Pixel 9a fast charging on a white sofa]

Sanuj Bhatia / MakeUseOf
Credit: Sanuj Bhatia / MakeUseOf

Charging your phone is something you do every day, and the way you do it matters more than you think. Modern Android phones use lithium-ion batteries, and they prefer moderation. The 20-80 rule is simple. Try to keep your battery level between 20% and 80% as much as possible. Dipping below 20% too often and charging the battery above 80% puts extra stress on the battery and speeds up wear.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you can never charge to 100% or let your phone die. But doing that consistently reduces the battery health faster. The fix is simple. Enable the battery charging limit on your phone and try to plug it in before it drops below 20%.

Breaking these habits shouldn’t be difficult, and the results are absolutely worth it. You’ll notice smoother performance, better battery longevity, and stronger overall reliability. Sometimes, it’s not about installing new apps or tweaking advanced settings, but about avoiding small bad habits that hurt your experience over time.

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