Best Free Cleaners for Android Tablets: Why you don’t need them!

For a long time, people thought Android Cleaner apps were essential for making Android devices work better. But now, it all seems like a narrative that barely holds any ground. Google made Android powerful enough at multitasking, so you might not need these cleaner apps as much.

But, if you have an Android tablet, you might be wondering if it’s a good idea to use a cleaner app. Well, the answer is, yes, you can! These apps can help tidy up your tablet by removing files you don’t need and clearing out the junk that takes up space. But, be careful about fancy features that cleaner apps promise to make everything super optimized—they might not always do what they say.

To make things easier for you, we picked out the three best cleaner apps from the Play Store. These apps can help you keep your Android tablet clean and running smoothly without falling for tricks that might not actually help.

3 Best Cleaner Apps for Android Tablets

Before getting into nitty gritties of the best Android cleaner apps, it’s important to understand the raw truth about these apps. While they may seem like an easy solution to free up storage space and boost performance, it’s worth noting that most Android devices are already equipped with built-in features that handle multitasking effectively. Android devices are designed to manage their storage and memory efficiently, making regular maintenance unnecessary for most users. However, having any of the cleaner apps listed below lends a helping hand in identifying junk files and getting rid of duplicate media. 

1. Files by Google

One of the best Android cleaner apps worth considering is Files by Google. Developed by Google itself, this app offers easy-to-use tools to identify and remove unnecessary files from your device. Upon opening the app, you’ll find a Clean tab that provides options to clear out junk files, duplicates, old screenshots, and unused apps. This automated cleaning process efficiently identifies and removes the biggest space hogs on your device.

This application not only suggests files for deletion, including old memes and unused apps but also serves as an efficient file manager. Going the extra mile, Files by Google offers an ad-free experience and includes a fast offline file transfer service. 

What sets Files by Google apart from other cleaner apps is its simplicity and lack of unnecessary extras. Unlike some apps that bundle in RAM optimizers and other features you don’t really need, Files by Google focuses solely on cleaning and organizing your device’s storage. It’s an easy and free app that effectively gets the job done without any bloat.

Download: Files by Google (Free)

2. CCleaner

CCleaner, a well-known desktop app for reclaiming disk space, also has an Android version. While the desktop version of CCleaner has faced some controversies, the Android app offers a reliable solution for cleaning and optimizing your device. CCleaner’s cleaning feature wipes cache data, purges empty folders, and deletes various histories, effectively freeing up storage space.

In addition to its cleaning capabilities, CCleaner also features an App Manager that allows you to uninstall multiple apps with ease. The System Info page offers insights into your device’s resources, such as CPU and RAM usage. While the free version of CCleaner is sufficient for most users, a Pro subscription is available for those who wish to unlock additional features.

However, it’s important to note that CCleaner has faced criticism for displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without consent. But that’s been the case with some of the major social media apps too, it’s not a coincidence how you talk about something and Instagram shows you a “relatable” reel within a few minutes of scrolling followed by “targeted” ads. Almost every app on our device is mining for data and CCleaner of any other cleaner app is no less. 

Download: CCleaner (Free, subscription available)

3. SD Maid

SD Maid brands itself as the “digital cleaner” for your Android tablet. This app offers a range of features to clean up your device and optimize its performance. The CorpseFinder tool searches for and erases orphaned files or folders left behind after deleting an app. SystemCleaner identifies and deletes common files and folders that SD Maid deems safe to remove.

To unlock all the features of SD Maid, you can upgrade to the Pro version, which provides access to additional features such as AppCleaner and database optimization tools. The Pro version allows you to further optimize your device’s storage and improve its overall performance. Overall, it serves as a great alternative for CCleaner. But we think you’ll be more than sorted with the free version. All the premium features seem to be an overkill. 

Download: SD Maid (Free)

Are Android Cleaner Apps Really Necessary?

After exploring the best Android cleaner apps available, you might wonder if they are really necessary for your tablet. The truth is, for most Android users, these cleaner apps are not essential. Android devices including tablets are designed to handle storage and memory management effectively, minimising the need for manual cleanup.

Read: A Beginners Guide To Using Your Android Tablet

Many popular cleaner apps often include unnecessary features and bloat, such as RAM boosters and task killers. These features claim to optimize performance but can actually have a bad impact on your device’s standard functionality. Android devices are already optimized to manage RAM effectively, and interfering with this process can create more harm than good.

If you find that your Android tablet is running slow or experiencing storage issues, there are alternative methods to free up space and improve performance. Android offers built-in options for storage management, allowing you to easily identify and remove unnecessary files. Additionally, upgrading to a device with more storage capacity can solve the problem in the long run or if your tablet supports a microSD card then you can shift some apps to external storage and free up the internal storage to handle tasks easily. 

Why You Don’t Really Need Any Cleaner App

Contrary to what many people think, using cleaner apps on your Android tablet is often not a good idea. Here’s why you might want to avoid them:

Android Takes Care of Memory Efficiently

Android is smart when it comes to managing memory. It knows how to handle apps and processes, shutting down the ones you’re not using to free up memory. Cleaner apps that claim to make your tablet faster by clearing up memory are usually not needed because of Android’s built-in system.

Also Read: Best Apps for Android Tablets

Cleaner Apps Can Use a Lot of Resources

It’s an irony that cleaner apps themselves can use up a lot of your tablet’s resources like memory and battery. Some of them might slow down your device because they’re constantly running in the background. As we mentioned earlier, most of these apps pack unnecessary features that take up extra space and use your device’s power for redundant functions.

Junk Files Aren’t Always Harmful

Cleaner apps often target “junk files” like cache and temporary data. But many times, these files are harmless and can even help apps work faster. Android already has tools to manage these files, so you don’t need an extra app for it.

Security Risks

Some cleaner apps might actually be harmful, containing malware or spyware that can harm your tablet or steal your data. It’s important to only download apps from sources you trust.

Bloatware and Redundant Features

Cleaner apps sometimes come with extra features like antivirus, app management, and battery optimization. However, your Android tablet probably already has similar features built in, so using a cleaner app for these might be unnecessary and confusing.

Instead of using cleaner apps, here are some better ways to keep your Android tablet running well:

Uninstall Apps You Don’t Use

Regularly check your apps and remove the ones you don’t use. This frees up space and can improve performance. For example, my Samsung tablet and phone send me notifications about apps going to sleep as they have not been used even once in the past 30 days or so. This gives me a clear idea whether I need that app or not. 

Clear App Cache

You can clear the cache of individual apps to free up space. Keep in mind that this might make the app take a bit longer to start the next time you use it.

Manage App Permissions

Review and limit app permissions to stop them from accessing unnecessary data or resources.

Use Built-in Tools

Android has tools to check your storage and find big files or ones you can delete.

Enable Automatic Updates

Make sure both your Android system and apps are up to date. Updates often include improvements that can make your tablet run better.

By following these tips, you can keep your Android tablet running smoothly without the need for potentially harmful and unnecessary cleaner apps.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Android cleaner apps may seem like a convenient solution for optimizing your device’s performance, they are often unnecessary. Android devices are designed to handle storage and memory management effectively, minimizing the need for manual cleanup. Instead of relying on cleaner apps, focus on adopting good device maintenance habits, such as regularly removing unnecessary files, optimizing app usage, and keeping your software up to date. By following these tips, you can keep your Android device clean and optimized without the need for additional apps.

So, do you really need Android cleaner apps? The answer is no, but adopting good device maintenance habits is definitely a yes!