You’re about to land the winning shot in your favorite mobile game. Your finger taps the screen. Nothing happens. Two seconds later, your character finally moves—but it’s too late. You’re dead.
Sound familiar? Lag and high ping ruin more gaming moments than anything else. But here’s what nobody tells you: your phone isn’t the problem. It’s the settings you’re using.
I’ve spent years testing mobile games on dozens of Android devices. Today, I’m sharing every trick that actually works—no gimmicks, no “magic apps” that make things worse.
What Lag and Ping Really Mean (Simple Version)
Let’s clear this up fast because most articles confuse people.
Lag is when your game freezes, stutters, or moves in slow motion. You tap the screen, but nothing happens for a second or two.
Ping is the delay between your action and the server’s response. Think of it like shouting to someone far away. Low ping (under 50ms) means they hear you instantly. High ping (over 100ms) means they hear you three seconds later.
You need to fix both for smooth gaming.
Why Your Games Are Lagging Right Now
Your Android isn’t broken. It’s just doing too many things at once.
Every app running in the background steals power from your game. Your phone is trying to:
- Check emails
- Update apps
- Sync photos
- Download stuff you forgot about
- Run widgets and animations
All of this while you’re trying to play. No wonder it lags.
The 5-Second Fix That Works Immediately
Before you do anything else, try this:
Restart your phone.
Yes, really. Just turn it off and back on.
This clears your RAM (temporary memory) and stops background apps from hogging resources. I do this before every gaming session, and my ping drops by 20-30ms instantly.
Takes 30 seconds. Fixes half your problems.
Turn On Game Mode (If Your Phone Has It)
Most newer Android phones have a built-in Game Mode. Samsung calls it “Game Launcher.” Xiaomi calls it “Game Turbo.” Different names, same idea.
Here’s how to find it:
For Samsung:
- Open Settings
- Search for “Game Launcher”
- Turn it on
- Open any game
- Swipe in from the edge to see Game Tools
- Enable “Performance Mode”
For Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:
- Open Security app
- Find Game Turbo
- Toggle it on
- Open your game and it activates automatically
For OnePlus:
- Settings → Utilities
- Find Gaming Mode
- Turn on “Performance Mode”
For other phones:
- Settings → Search “Game Mode”
Game Mode does three important things:
- Blocks notifications (no pop-ups during clutch moments)
- Prioritizes gaming apps over everything else
- Limits background activity
My ping in PUBG Mobile dropped from 80ms to 45ms just by enabling this.
Close Every Background App (The Right Way)
Most people do this wrong. Swiping apps away from the recent apps screen doesn’t actually close them completely.
Do this instead:
- Open Settings
- Go to Apps
- Tap See all apps
- Pick apps you don’t need (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
- Select Force Stop
Do this for:
- Social media apps
- Streaming apps (Netflix, YouTube)
- Music apps
- Any app you’re not using right now
Your phone will feel faster immediately.
Pro tip: Don’t force stop system apps. Only stop apps you downloaded yourself.
Switch to Your 5GHz WiFi Network
This is huge and most people miss it.
If you’re using WiFi, you might be on the wrong frequency. Most routers broadcast two networks:
- 2.4GHz Slower, gets crowded easily
- 5GHz Faster, less interference
Check your WiFi list. If you see your network name twice (like “Home_WiFi” and “Home_WiFi_5G”), connect to the 5GHz one.
The difference? I went from 120ms ping to 35ms just by switching.
Note: 5GHz doesn’t reach as far as 2.4GHz. Stay close to your router.
Change Your DNS Server (Advanced but Easy)
Your DNS (Domain Name Server) is like your phone’s GPS for the internet. Sometimes it’s slow and outdated.
Switching to Google’s DNS or Cloudflare’s DNS can lower your ping dramatically.
Here’s how:
For WiFi:
- Long-press your WiFi network
- Tap Modify Network
- Show Advanced Options
- Change IP settings to Static
- Scroll to DNS 1 and DNS 2
- Enter these:
- DNS 1: 8.8.8.8 (Google)
- DNS 2: 8.8.4.4 (Google)
- Save
For Mobile Data:
- Download 1.1.1.1 app from Play Store (made by Cloudflare)
- Open it and tap the big button
- Done
This cut my lag spikes in half. No joke.
Disable Automatic Updates During Gaming
Nothing kills your game faster than your phone deciding to update apps mid-match.
Stop this nonsense:
- Open Google Play Store
- Tap your profile picture
- Go to Settings
- Select Network Preferences
- Choose Auto-update apps
- Pick Don’t auto-update apps
Also turn off system updates during gaming:
- Settings → System
- System Update
- Tap the gear icon
- Turn off Auto-download over WiFi
Now updates only happen when YOU decide.
Lower Your Graphics Settings In-Game
I know. You want maximum graphics. But here’s the truth: fancy graphics eat your phone’s power like crazy.
What to change in most games:
- Set graphics to Medium or Low
- Frame rate to Medium (30-40 FPS)
- Anti-aliasing to Off
- Shadows to Low or Off
You might think it looks worse, but honestly? You won’t notice during intense gameplay. And your ping will thank you.
PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Free Fire—all these games have graphic settings in their options menu. Lower them.
Use Mobile Data When WiFi Sucks
This sounds backwards, but sometimes your WiFi is the problem.
If your WiFi ping is consistently over 100ms, try switching to mobile data (4G or 5G). Mobile networks sometimes have better routing to game servers.
I tested this with Mobile Legends. WiFi gave me 85-110ms ping. 4G gave me steady 45-50ms.
Important: Check your data plan first. Gaming uses data, but not as much as you think. Most games use about 50-100MB per hour.
Disable Battery Saver Mode
Battery saver mode kills your gaming performance. It limits your CPU power, lowers screen brightness, and restricts background data.
Make sure it’s OFF:
- Settings → Battery
- Turn off Battery Saver
If your battery is low, charge your phone instead of using battery saver during gaming.
Clear Your Cache Weekly
Your game stores temporary files called cache. Over time, these files get corrupted or bloated, causing lag.
Fix it:
- Settings → Storage
- Tap Cached Data
- Clear it
Also clear individual game cache:
- Settings → Apps
- Find your game
- Tap Storage
- Hit Clear Cache (NOT Clear Data)
Do this once a week for smooth performance.
Turn Off VPNs (Unless You Need Them)
Some people use VPNs thinking it helps ping. Usually, it makes things worse.
VPNs route your connection through extra servers, which adds delay. Only use a VPN if:
- You need to access blocked servers
- You’re connecting to a different region
Otherwise, turn it off for better ping.
Forget Game Booster Apps (They’re Mostly Garbage)
Here’s an unpopular truth: 99% of “game booster” apps on the Play Store are worthless.
They promise to:
- Lower ping by 50%
- Boost FPS to 120
- Fix all lag
What they actually do:
- Show you ads
- Run in the background (using more resources)
- Drain your battery
- Sometimes contain malware
The only “booster” you need is the one built into your phone (Game Mode). Everything else is marketing hype.
Exception: Apps like “1.1.1.1” for DNS are legitimate and actually work.
Position Your Router Correctly
If you’re using WiFi, your router’s position matters more than you think.
Bad positions:
- Inside cabinets
- Behind walls
- Near microwaves or other electronics
- On the floor
Good positions:
- Central location in your home
- Elevated (on a shelf)
- Away from metal objects
- In the same room you’re gaming
I moved my router from my bedroom closet to my desk. Ping dropped from 75ms to 40ms. Zero cost, huge improvement.
Use Wired Connection (For Serious Gamers)
This is the nuclear option, but it works.
Get a USB-C to Ethernet adapter (costs about $15-20). Connect your phone directly to your router with an ethernet cable.
Your ping will be the absolute lowest it can possibly be. I tested this for competitive gaming and consistently got 20-25ms ping.
Obviously, you can’t move around. But for serious ranked matches? Worth it.
Airplane Mode Trick for Mobile Data
If you’re using mobile data and experiencing lag spikes, try this:
- Turn on Airplane Mode for 3 seconds
- Turn it back off
- Reconnect to your network
This forces your phone to grab a fresh connection to the nearest tower. Sometimes your phone holds onto a weak tower signal when a stronger one is available.
Do this between matches, not during gameplay.
Check Your Server Selection
Most online games let you pick which server region to play on. Don’t just pick the default.
Golden rule: Choose the server closest to your physical location.
If you’re in Asia, play on Asian servers. Europe? European servers. USA? North American servers.
Playing on a server across the world adds 100-200ms of ping automatically. No amount of tweaking will fix that.
In PUBG Mobile, I accidentally played on European servers while in Asia. My ping was 280ms. Switched to Asia server—40ms. Same phone, same WiFi.
The Ultimate Pre-Game Checklist
Before you start any gaming session, do this routine:
5 minutes before gaming:
1. Restart your phone
2. Connect to 5GHz WiFi or good mobile data
3. Force stop background apps
4. Turn on Game Mode
5. Disable battery saver
6. Make sure you’re on the right server region
During gaming:
1. Don’t download anything
2. Tell family not to stream videos (if sharing WiFi)
3. Keep your phone cool (overheating causes lag)
4. Stay close to your router if using WiFi
This routine dropped my average ping from 85ms to 35-40ms. Every. Single. Time.
What If Nothing Works?
If you’ve tried everything and still have terrible lag, the problem might be:
Your internet plan is too slow:
- Gaming needs at least 3-5 Mbps download speed
- Upload speed matters too (at least 1 Mbps)
- Run a speed test at fast.com
Your phone is too old:
- Phones older than 4-5 years struggle with modern games
- Not enough RAM (need at least 4GB for most games)
- Old processors can’t keep up
Game server issues:
- Sometimes the game servers are overloaded
- Check Reddit or Twitter to see if others have the same problem
- Nothing you can do except wait
Your internet provider sucks:
- Some ISPs have terrible routing to game servers
- Consider switching providers if this is consistent
Common Mistakes That Make Lag Worse
Before you go, avoid these traps:
❌ Closing apps constantly — Android manages RAM automatically. Obsessively closing apps actually makes things slower.
❌ Keeping 50 apps installed — More apps = more background processes. Uninstall what you don’t use.
❌ Never restarting your phone — Your phone needs a fresh start occasionally. Restart it at least weekly.
❌ Gaming while charging — This heats up your phone, which causes thermal throttling (automatic slowdown). If possible, charge fully, then unplug and play.
❌ Using “RAM cleaner” apps — These are snake oil. They don’t help and often make things worse.
Your Games Will Run Smooth Now
You’ve got every tool you need. Start with the quick fixes—restart your phone, enable Game Mode, close background apps. Those three alone will solve most of your problems.
Then work through the advanced stuff when you have time. Change your DNS, switch to 5GHz WiFi, lower graphics settings.
The difference will shock you. What used to be a laggy, frustrating mess will feel smooth and responsive.
Your next step? Pick three fixes from this guide and apply them right now. Start with the easiest ones. Your enemies won’t know what hit them.
Still experiencing lag after trying everything? Drop a comment with your phone model, game, and current ping/FPS. I’ll personally help you troubleshoot. And if this guide helped you finally get smooth gameplay, share it with your squad—they’re probably suffering too.
