If your Nexus or Pixel device is starting to crash, freeze, lag, or reboot randomly and you’re running Android 8.1 Oreo, we have a few solutions to try before contacting Google customer service for a possible replacement.
Android 8.1 Oreo issues are still troubling as the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and Pixel C are nearing the end of software support from Google. Support for Nexus devices ends in November, and none of these devices will be upgraded to Android 9.0 Pie.
We’ve heard about common Bluetooth issues, battery drain, and issues with various first- and third-party apps. We’ve also seen users complain about various performance issues.
Performance issues like random reboots, freezes, and UI lag are extremely common. They pop up every time Google releases a new Android build.
Fortunately, you should be able to fix your Android 8.0 Oreo or Android 8.1 performance issues from your home or office. Most of the time, they can be fixed within a few minutes.
This guide outlines some potential fixes for poor Android Oreo performance on Nexus and Pixel devices. If you’re struggling, try one of these before contacting Google or getting frustrated and throwing your device at the wall.
Restart your device
If you start noticing performance issues on your Pixel or Nexus, the first thing you should do is restart your phone or tablet. Press and hold the power button, turn it off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. This can work wonders if you haven’t restarted your device for a while.
Upgrade to Android Pie
If you own a Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, or Pixel 2 XL, your device is eligible for an upgrade to Google’s new operating system, Android 9.0 Pie.
Android Pie comes with several upgrades and has the potential to fix any bugs or performance issues you see in Android 8.1.
If you haven’t already, consider upgrading.
Clean Up Your Device’s Storage
If you’ve owned your Pixel or Nexus for a while, chances are you’ve accumulated a bunch of files that you no longer need. Your list includes apps you probably no longer use, screenshots you no longer need, and various other files embedded in your device’s storage. Getting rid of this clutter can give you some nice improvements to your device’s performance.
Android Oreo makes it easy to see exactly what’s taking up space on your device’s internal hard drive. Go to your settings and tap on Storage. There, Photos, Music, Games etc. You will get a nice read showing the amount of space reserved for
If you don’t want to do everything manually, you can tap the Free Space button located just below the storage account on the Storage page. Android will put some items in the chopping block for you. For example, if you haven’t used an app for a long time, it recommends deleting it.
If you haven’t already, it might be a good idea to turn on Storage Sense. With Smart Storage turned on, your device will automatically remove photos and videos after 30, 60 or 90 days.
Reset Your Network Settings
If you’re seeing slow downloads on the internet or apps, we recommend resetting your network settings.
To do this go to Settings, System and then Reset. At the top you will see Network settings reset. Tap this. Before you tap on Reset Settings, be aware that this will cause your device to forget Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, so make sure you have your Wi-Fi passwords handy.
Tap Reset Settings at the bottom of your screen.
Update Your Apps
If you’re dealing with poor app performance, it might be a good idea to check the Google Play Store for updates.
Developers are constantly releasing new versions of their apps, and we expect to see a host of support updates with the release of Android 8.1 Oreo.
Before blindly installing an update, be sure to read reviews from other Android Oreo users. While some app updates fix the problems brought by the new operating system, some can make things worse.
Force Background Boundaries
Google’s Android Oreo update comes with a useful new feature that lets you limit what apps do in the background. Apps like Facebook often run aggressively in the background, which can strain your device’s CPU.
If an app supports Oreo, this function is turned on automatically. If an app doesn’t support Oreo, you’ll have to force this feature on your own.
To do this go to your Settings and Battery then tap on an app. If an app doesn’t support Android Oreo yet, you should see a Background activity button under Manage battery usage. Close. This prevents an app from running in the background.
Remember, this will limit what the app can do. For example, you will not receive notifications. It’s a small price to pay to improve poor performance.
Clear Cached Data
Most cached data is fine, but for apps you don’t use, we recommend clearing them. It’s taking up space and freeing up space can improve your device’s performance.
Google has removed the ability to clear cache in Android Oreo in one go. That means you’ll have to go on a per-app basis.
To clear the cache of a single app, you’ll want to go to Settings and Apps & Notifications. When you select App info, you’ll get a list of all installed and disabled apps on your Nexus or Pixel device.
Again, we recommend reviewing apps you rarely or never use. Find them and tap the name. Once inside, select the Storage tab. You should now see two tabs, Clear Data and Clear Cache. Tap Clear Cache to clear the app’s cache.
Again, you can also use the Free Up Storage feature to quickly delete data you no longer need.
Turn Off Auto Update for Apps
Automatic app downloads are extremely useful if you have trouble keeping up with app updates. This can be difficult if you have loads of apps on your phone or tablet.
Android’s Auto-update feature can be useful, but it can also cause your device’s internal components to malfunction, resulting in poor performance or strange battery consumption.
If you’re having trouble manually updating your apps, at least temporarily, try disabling Auto-update on your Pixel or Nexus device.
To do this, tap Play Store. Once there, go to your Google Play Store settings. Now, select Auto-update apps. Change the first option, Don’t automatically update apps.
Limit Your Animations
If you want to enable Developer Options on your Nexus or Pixel, you can fix some of your performance issues in just a few seconds.
If you want to try this, go to your device’s Settings and then go to System. From there, go to About and tap on Build number update constantly, it will ask you to be a “developer”. Agree and return to the System section.
There you will see a new Developer options section that allows you to change many settings. Unless you’re a power user, you’ll want to avoid dealing with these as they can cause major problems.
Scroll all the way down until you find the Drawing section and Windows animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale. Go to each and set the animation to off.
If you decide you want to turn these animations back on, you can go back to your Developer options and turn them back on in seconds.
Switch to Android Nougat
If none of these tips work for you and you don’t mind reverting to Android Nougat (or an older version of Android Oreo), you can try downgrading.
Downgrading to an older version of Android can be time-consuming, especially the first time. If you are not familiar with downgrade or just need to refresh your memory, Take a look at this step-by-step on the Nexus Help Forums.
Factory settings
If that doesn’t work, you can try to factory reset your phone or tablet.
Factory resetting a Pixel or Nexus will restore the device to factory defaults and erase everything stored on it. So, if you choose this route, be sure to back up important files before starting the process.
If you want to factory reset your Nexus or Pixel, take some quiet time and Website for a simple, yet detailed review of Google.
