BlackBerry Slow? Basic Tips to Make Your BlackBerry Run Faster

You may find your BlackBerry running slowly and often times this can be resolved with a few simple steps. I’ve taken the time to write out these tips that should get your BlackBerry back up to speed. Remember, your BlackBerry is more like a computer than a phone, and it needs similar best practices for memory management and performance.

Clear Out the Event Log

Your BlackBerry tracks absolutely everything it does in order to help with debugging and troubleshooting in what is called an “Event Log.” It helps your BlackBerry run smoother and faster if you periodically clear out this log.

From your Home Screen of icons, press and hold the ALT key and type “LGLG” (Do not press the SHIFT key at the same time) to bring up the Event Log screen as shown. Press the MENU key and select “Clear Log”. Then select “Delete” when it asks you to confirm and finally press the ESCAPE key to get back to your Home Screen.

Close Unused Applications

Want to see what apps you’re running? Hold the menu key or press “alt” + ESC. If you find some apps in this list that you aren’t using, open them and close the app. Remember, an app is still running unless you open the app, press menu and select “close” or “exit”.

Web Browser Running Slowly? Clear out the Cache

You can make a dramatic increase in the speed of your Web Browser by clearing out the cache. Start your browser by clicking on the icon. Inside the Browser, click the MENU key and select “Options”. Select Cache Operations. Click “Clear History,” then click all the “Clear” buttons below. Answer “Yes” when it asked about clearing ‘pushed content.’ When done, press the Escape key a few times to return to the Browser. This will usually speed up your browsing speed significantly.

Automatic Memory Cleaning – Keep It Running Smoothly

One thing that may help keep your BlackBerry running smoothly is to utilize the automatic “Memory Cleaning” feature. Although your BlackBerry has lots of built in memory, all Smartphones are prone to “Memory Leaks” which can cause the device to really slow down, programs to hang or not work properly.

Start your Options icon and click on “Security Options.” Glide down and click on “Memory Cleaning” Change the “Status” to “Enabled.” Once enabled, you will see more options. I recommend leaving the first two as “Yes” and adjusting the Idle Timeout down from 5 minutes to 1 or 2 minutes. Finally, if you want, you can “Show Icon on Home Screen.” Save your changes.

If you selected to show your Icon, you will see it in the Applications folder as shown. When you click the Memory Cleaner icon, you will see the cleaning happen.

Looking for more basic BB tips? Made Simple Learning have some good BlackBerry guides worth checking out.




© Kyle for BlackBerry Cool, 2010"