Phone expert reveals common mistakes that makes handsets run slow and how to fix them

A phone expert has shared the most common mistakes that can slow down a phone - and explained some tips on how to fix them.

Kewin Charron, senior lead refurbishment operations manager at BackMarket.com, said many apps run "stealthily", slowing down people's devices.

It means that people often do not even realise that apps are running - which can be a problem in the long run.

Mr Charron said phone users should check their settings menu to check which apps can and which cannot run in the background.

Adjusting settings can stop apps running in the background, which should have an immediate effect on phone speed, he said.

The expert has explained how you can fix your phone's most common issues (androidauthority)

Apps running in the background may make mobile phones slower (Apple)

He added that both Android phones and iPhones have battery optimisation features that can make your handset faster and more efficient.

Mr Charron said: "The increasing computing power of our phones, combined with an ever-rising number of apps available to download, means phone users today use more apps than ever before."

The expert has also urged people to delete old applications, especially games, as well as videos - or move them to cloud storage - as they can take up a lot of space and slow a phone down.

He said that when a phone's storage is nearly full, the device has less memory to play with, which means its performance can slow down.

He told Mail Online: "Phones need roughly 10 percent of available storage to store cache and temporary files, which enable apps to run smoothly on your device.

"Having available storage will also mean you can keep the phone's software up to date."

Mr Charron added that battery issues are also a common cause of a phone running slowly.

He said checking your battery health in the settings section - if you have an iPhone - is a good idea to know if your phone needs to be repaired.

The expert explained that a typical Apple battery should maintain up to 80 percent of its original capacity - but this percentage can decrease over time.

Android users will need to download an app such as 'AccuBattery' to check the status of their battery - and Mr Charron suggested replacing it if it is not working well.