Budget smartphone Honor 9A often encounters slowdowns after a year of active use. The limited amount of RAM and the not-so-powerful MediaTek processor require a competent approach to managing system resources. Users often notice that the interface begins to slow down, and launching applications takes too much time.
In this article we will analyze exclusively working methods optimizing performancethat will help restore the device to its former speed. We will not recommend dubious “accelerators” from the Play Market, as they often only worsen the situation. Instead, we will focus on setting up the shell itself Magic UI and properly cleaning up system garbage.
Even without receiving root access you can achieve a significant increase in performance. The main thing is the sequence of actions and understanding which processes really consume your phone's resources. Let's start with the basic settings that give an instant visual effect.
Clearing the system cache and memory management
The first step to speeding up is to free up RAM from unnecessary processes. The shell Honor has a fairly aggressive task manager built into it, but it sometimes needs help. Go to the menu Settings → Storage and see which applications take up the most space.
You should not rely only on the “Clean” button in the phone manager. It is much more efficient to manually go into the settings of each heavy application and clear its cache. This is especially true for social networks and instant messengers, which over time grow to gigabytes of temporary files.
⚠️ Attention: When clearing application data (not to be confused with the cache), you will lose the entire history of correspondence and logins within that particular application. Be careful and select the “Clear cache” item.
For deep cleaning, it is recommended to use the built-in utility Phone Manager. It finds duplicate files and leftovers from deleted apps. Regular maintenance at least once a week prevents the accumulation of a critical mass of garbage that slows down the operation flash memory.
The menu interface and item names may vary slightly depending on the firmware version Magic UI. If you do not find the specified item, use the search in the settings by entering the keyword “Memory” or “Storage”.
Disable animations through the developer menu
The most effective way to visually speed up the interface is to reduce the animation time. By default, the system spends resources on smooth transitions between windows, which feels like a delay on a budget processor. To change this, you need to activate the hidden menu.
Go to the section Settings → About phone and find the “Build number” item. Click on it quickly 7 times in a row. The system will inform you that you have become a developer. After this, a new section will appear in the main settings menu System and updates → For developers.
Inside this menu, find three parameters responsible for the rendering speed:
- 🎞️ Animation windows
- 🎞️ Transition animation
- 🎞️ Animation duration
Change the value of each of them from standard 1x to 0.5x or completely disable (No animation). This will cause the windows to open instantly, creating a feeling of high performance. However, keep in mind that the interface will become less smooth and a little “jerky.”
If after disabling animations the interface becomes too sharp, return the value to 0.5x - this is the ideal balance between speed and visual comfort for the Honor 9A.
Removing pre-installed software (Bloatware)
Smartphones Honor often come with a large number of pre-installed applications that run in the background and consume resources. Even if you don't use them, they can run synchronization services or show notifications. Removing such software is a mandatory optimization step.
Go to Settings → Applications → Applications. Scroll through the list and take a closer look at the apps you didn't install yourself. Often there are games, partner services, or duplicates of standard utilities. If the “Delete” button is active, feel free to delete it.
For system applications that cannot be deleted in the usual way, you can use the “Disable” function. This will prevent them from running and updating. Here is a list of types of apps that can often be safely disabled:
- 📦 Demo videos and tours
- 📦 Third-party antiviruses (if another is installed)
- 📦 News and weather applications from partners
⚠️ Attention: Never disable system components from names like Android System, Phone, Settings or services Google Play. This may cause your phone to become unstable or be unable to make calls.
Setting power saving for maximum speed
Power saving modes often limit the processor frequency to extend battery life. If your goal is maximum speed and not battery saving, these settings need to be reconsidered. In the menu Settings → Battery select the “Performance” mode.
In this mode, the system allows the processor to operate at maximum frequencies without throttling. Of course, energy consumption will increase, but the system response will become noticeably faster. It's also worth checking the settings for specific applications in the "Launch Applications" section.
Turn off automatic launch control for those apps that you use regularly. Allow them to run in the background, secondary launch and associated launch. This will prevent applications from constantly reloading each time you switch between them, which greatly saves processor resources.
Settings → Battery → Operating mode → Performance☑️ Quick optimization checklist
Reset settings to the factory ones as a radical method
If software methods did not help, the system may have accumulated critical errors or file conflicts. In this case, the only correct solution is a complete reset. This will return the phone to the state it was in immediately after purchase.
Before starting the procedure, be sure to back up all important data. Photos, contacts and documents will be deleted permanently. Use cloud storage Honor Cloud or copy the files to your computer via a USB cable.
The reset process is as follows:
- Go to
Settings → System and updates → Reset. - Select “Reset phone settings.”
- Click “Reset phone settings” at the bottom of the screen and confirm with the password.
After rebooting, the phone will be clean. Do not restore all applications from a backup copy at once, as you may also restore the cause of the brakes. Install apps gradually, observing the operation of the system.
What to do if the phone does not turn on after a reset?
If after resetting the settings, the device is stuck on the logo, try to force a reboot by holding the power button for more than 10 seconds. If this does not help, you may need to reflash it through your computer.
Processor mode comparison table
Understanding how different modes affect the hardware will help you choose the optimal balance. Below is a comparative description of the available power settings for the model Honor 9A.
| Operating mode | Impact on speed | Battery consumption | Case heating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy saving | Strong reduction | Minimal | Absent |
| Normal (default) | Average | Average | Weak |
| Performance | Maximum | High | Noticeable |
| Ultra-economy | Critical decline | Extremely low | Cold |
The "Performance" mode is most effective for games and heavy tasks, but for everyday use (calls, instant messengers) the normal mode with animations disabled is sufficient.
Additional tips for maintenance
Do not forget about the physical cleanliness of the device. Overheating is a common cause of throttling, when the processor artificially lowers frequencies to avoid burning out. Dust in the connectors and cases with poor heat dissipation can interfere with cooling.
Also keep an eye on the free space on the internal drive. If the memory is more than 90% full, the speed of writing and reading data drops significantly. Try to keep at least 3-5 GB of space free for the system swap files to work correctly.
Check regularly for system updates. Engineers Huawei/Honor often release patches to correct memory optimization errors. Go to Settings → System and updates → Software update and click “Check for updates”.
⚠️ Attention: Do not install third-party launchers with heavy graphics on Honor 9A. The standard Magic UI shell is best optimized for the hardware of this device.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will installing third-party accelerator apps (Clean Master and analogues) help?
In most cases, no. Such applications themselves consume a lot of resources, show ads and aggressively unload applications from memory, forcing the system to waste energy on re-launching them. The built-in tools of Honor 9A are quite sufficient.
Is it possible to overclock the processor on Honor 9A?
Technically, this is only possible if you have root access and install a special kernel, but for this model this is extremely risky. There is a high chance of getting bricked or overheating, and the performance gain will be minimal due to the architectural limitations of the chip.
Why does the phone slow down immediately after updating Android?
After a major update, the system indexes files and optimizes applications in the background. This process can take from several hours to a couple of days. Usually, it is enough to let the phone work overnight on charge, and the speed will be restored.
Does the memory full of photos affect the speed of operation?
Yes, directly. When the internal memory is full, the system has no place to create temporary files for applications to run. This leads to severe freezes. It is recommended to transfer the photo to a memory card or to the cloud.
Is it worth disabling Google Play Services to speed up?
Strongly not recommended. Disabling Google services will result in most apps, syncing, and notifications not working. It is better to limit their background activity in the battery settings than to disable them completely.