How to fix Samsung Galaxy Note 9 that’s running slow

When a high-end smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 started running slow, you can almost expect it to be a firmware problem. That has been the case with some owners last year who have encountered this issue. Just recently, an update was rolled out for the Note 9 and it seems like the problem started to manifest again for some users. Clearly, it’s an issue with the firmware and you can fix it on your own without bringing the phone to the store or shop.

In this article, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy Note 9 that’s now running slow or has a serious performance problem. We will consider every possibility and then rule them out one by one until we can determine what caused it and hopefully fix it. So, if you’re one of the owners of this phone and are currently being bugged by the same issue, continue reading as this article may be able to help you.

Before we move on to our troubleshooting, if you happen to find this post while looking for a solution to a different problem, then visit our Galaxy Note 9 Help Guides page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this device. We may have already published articles that could help you fix your problem. Find issues that are similar with yours and feel free to use our solutions.

Fixing Galaxy Note 9 that’s running slow

I have encountered this problem with all devices I used and I can say that it’s normal for the phone to run slow after several weeks or months of use depending on how extensive of a user you are. Assuming that your phone doesn’t have any signs of physical or liquid damage, here are the things you need to do to make your Galaxy Note 9 that’s running slow run faster again…

First solution: Force restart your phone first

If this problem just happened and there’s no apparent reason or cause, then it’s probably just a minor issue with the firmware. You should perform the Forced Restart first to refresh your phone’s memory as well as reload its apps and services. Here’s how it’s done on your Galaxy Note 9:

  1. Press and hold the Volume Down button and don’t release it yet.
  2. While holding down the volume button, press and hold the Power key as well.
  3. Keep both keys held down together for 15 seconds or until the Galaxy Note 9 logo shows on the screen.

Once your phone has rebooted, observe carefully to see if it’s still running slow. If it does, then move on to the next solution.

ALSO READ: Fix Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with “Settings has stopped” error

Second solution: Isolate the problem by running it in safe mode

It is imperative that you perform this procedure because it will tell you immediately if your apps have something to do with this problem. You may have already experienced using an app that made your phone to act crazy. That’s very much possible here; some of your apps may be causing your phone to run slow and sluggish. This is how you restart your phone in safe mode:

  1. Press and hold the Power key until options show.
  2. Tap and hold the Power off option until it changes into Safe Mode.
  3. Tap the Safe mode icon to restart your device.
  4. Once the reboot is successful, you should see ‘Safe mode’ at the lower-left corner of the screen.

While in safe mode, continue using your phone to know if it is still running slow. You don’t have to do complicated procedures to know. But assuming that your phone is actually running normally while in this mode, then restart it in normal mode and try to look for apps that cause the device to run slow. Launch all apps that you often use one after another until the device starts to become sluggish again. Once you determine which app is causing the problem, you may uninstall it.

On the other hand, if your phone is still running slow even in safe mode, then move on to the next procedure.

Third solution: Reset all settings

Before troubleshooting the firmware, it’s best to bring all settings of your phone back in factory defaults because it’s possible that the cause of this problem is just a setting or two. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to pull the notification panel down.
  2. Tap the Settings icon on the upper-right corner.
  3. Scroll to and tap General management.
  4. Touch Reset.
  5. Tap Reset settings.
  6. Tap the Reset settings button.
  7. If prompted, enter your PIN, Password or Pattern.
  8. Finally, tap Reset.

If your Galaxy Note 9 is still running slow, then it’s time to troubleshoot the firmware.

ALSO READ: What to do if your Samsung Galaxy Note 9 won’t turn on after Pie update

Fourth solution: Delete the system cache so that it will be replaced

Deleting the system cache will be your next plan of action if your phone is still sluggish. We are now troubleshooting the firmware and if you delete the system cache, you’re actually having it replaced with a new one. It’s a pretty effective procedure as far as firmware troubleshooting is concerned and you don’t have to backup your files and data as they won’t be touched. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Turn off the device.
  2. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Galaxy Note 9 logo shows, release all three keys.
  4. Your Galaxy Note 9 will continue to boot up into the Recovery Mode. Once you see a black screen with blue and yellow texts, proceed to the next step.
  5. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight wipe cache partition.
  6. Press Power key to select.
  7. Press the Volume down key to highlight yes, them and press the Power key to select.
  8. When the wipe cache partition is complete, Reboot system now is highlighted.
  9. Press the Power key to restart the device.

After doing this procedure, try to observe your phone closely to know if your device is still running slow. If it still does, then move on to the next solution.

Fifth solution: Backup your files and reset phone

Now, here’s the ultimate solution to this kind of problem. If the device is running slow just because of a firmware problem, then a reset will be able to fix it. At this point, you don’t have much of a choice so create a copy of your important files and data especially ones that are saved in your phone’s internal storage. After the backup, remove both your Google and Samsung accounts so that  you won’t be locked out of your device after the reset. Once everything is in order, follow these steps to reset your phone:

  1. Turn off the device.
  2. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Galaxy Note 9 logo shows, release all three keys.
  4. Your Galaxy Note 9 will continue to boot up into the Recovery Mode. Once you see a black screen with blue and yellow texts, proceed to the next step.
  5. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
  6. Press Power button to select.
  7. Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes’ is highlighted.
  8. Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
  9. When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
  10. Press the Power key to restart the device.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix your Samsung Galaxy Note 9 that’s running slow. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

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