Fix Nexus 7 lag in 7 easy steps.
Looking for how to fix Nexus 7 lag? Is your Google Nexus 7 lagging after Kit Kat update? Is your Nexus 7 exhibiting lag after an update in general? Then read on! In this post you’ll see how to speed things up a bit with a short and simple trick to speed up your Nexus 7. 
Being a very happy owner of a Nexus 7 (1st Generation), in my opinion the best 7 inch tablet out there (superseded only by the 2nd and 3rd generation Nexus 7’s), I was getting frustrated with a noticeable slow-down of my device. Having gone through several Android OS updates in recent weeks (most recently Kit Kat 4.4.2) ,
About Screen screenshot showing latest Kit Kat 4.4.2 installed
I could only really attribute the slowdown to these as nothing else major had changed such as new apps or launchers etc. which could otherwise explain such a drastic slowdown. After a little research, it turns out that OS updates in general leave behind certain temporary files in a cache which can bog the new operating system down. These files are OS system files such as logs and temporary caches etc. There is no personal or settings data stored in these files so it is safe to purge them. In particular, after an update it gives the new operating system a clean-slate (no pun intended) to operate with. To do this you have to undertake a little trick called “Wipe Cache Partition”. Once I had done this, it seems to have immediately made my device zippy and responsive again! Woohoo! 🙂 How to Wipe Cache Partition on Google Nexus 7
Disclaimer: This is not guaranteed to make your device faster, nor do I take any liability whatsoever for any issues that arise from following the below procedure which is here purely as a suggested solution to fix Nexus 7 lag.
The steps below can be a bit tricky/finicky to get right so I suggest you read through them a couple of times first before attempting them. Also apologies for the quality of the screenshots (taken on my digital camera) but there is no method of capturing screenshots in the state Android is in below as it’s before the OS has properly booted. 1. Power off your tablet. 2. Now press and hold Power + Volume Down until you see this screen:-
Now use the Volume keys to select Recovery (press Volume Down twice), until your screen looks like below and then press Power to select.
3. You should now see the Google logo for 5-10 seconds before you see an otherwise blank screen with our little Android buddy looking worse for wear and the text “No command.”
4. Now press the Power Button and the Volume Up button at the exact same time and also count a full 3 seconds (1 one-thousand, 2 one-thousand…) before releasing the Volume Up button. That should land you at the screen below. n.b. some users have reported issues with this step so you can try the version outlined by google themselves (While holding down the Power button, press the Volume Up button) https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4596836?hl=en-GB
5. Again here, use the Volume buttons to move the cursor up or down. Press Volume Down 3 times to highlight “wipe cache partition” then press Power to select. (Be careful not to select “wipe data/factory reset”).
6. By now your cache should have been wiped clean, it took about 1~2 seconds on my Nexus. You will then have a confirmation message in the bottom left of the screen like the screen below:
7. Press the Power button with “reboot system now” selected (which should be selected by default) and your Nexus will boot up and hopefully be much more responsive and snappy! Hope that helps some others of you who are getting bugged by the lagging of the Nexus 7 after KitKat update. Did this fix Nexus 7 lag for you? Then please leave a comment to let others know your feedback and whether it helped you as much as it did me!
I get thirsty typing!
If this helped and saved you time and or headaches, show me your appreciation and perhaps buy me a coffee! 😉
Hey, thanks. It worked. During the step 4, I’ve got stuck once with no turn on and black screen. In order to turn it back on, you need to plug it, and wait, then press power button for at least 15 seconds. Then try from step 1 again. During step 4, you need to press Volume Up for “more” than 3 seconds, close to 5 seconds. Now it’s working. Thanks again.
Worked great on 4.4.4
This really works for me! I almost gave up and was thinking about buying a new nexus, but this fixed the problem. Many, many thanks Rob!!!! Good job!
Thanks very much! Worked for me though I did have to use the google instructions on no4. Speedy V1 N7 now :o)
Tnx!
N1! This one worked awesome for me. At step 4 i had to do the google method (power hold then short up volume)
Now its running smooth again like on the 1st day!
I did it and it has worked great so far. Thank You.
Thanks! For making a great tablet snappy again.
Great stuff, thanks! Was just about to do a factory reset but it’s running great now again.
Does this gonna affect anything? Coz after i did the thing.. I also update to 4.4.4 from 4.2? Should i wipe it again second time around?
Yes you should do this after each update 😉
Wow, what a difference.
Wonderful! I had to do step 4 twice but once I managed that the steps were easy. The lagging and freezing were getting really annoying but now my tablet is really zippy again. Makes me wonder how many people have bought new tablets without needing to.
Tks.
This one worked awesome for me. At step 4 i had to do the google method (power hold then short up volume)
Now its running smooth again like on the 1st day!
Like Jap says.
Worked great for me too. Thanks this saved me having to buy a new tablet.
Brilliant.
Thanks for this tip. It worked perfectly and my Nexus 7 is actually usable again. Much appreciated.
Awesome! Thanks, Rob. Was about to give up on my Nexus.
Brilliant! Thanks very much.
I really think that this helped speed up my first-edition Nexus 7, (android 4.4.4) which had slowed down REALLY badly. I also think it’s interesting that this solution was posted in the past couple of weeks and so many other people found the need to look it up and use it. Something happened.
I liked the solution so much that I figured out how to do the same on my phone: HTC EVO 4G LTE.
Thank you
wittier
http://xeeme.com/wittier
Hi Rob thanks for clear instructions. Took me two attempts but only because I didn’t act fast enough at Stage 4. My lovely Nexus does seem to have speeded up.
Thank you! It worked on my first gen nexus 7.
Thank you! I was so disgusted with my tablet that I was ready to buy a new one. I followed your directions and now my Nexus is working like new again. I am so happy I found your instructions. Thanks for putting them out here.
Hey, thanks for the tip, it works! Great fix for my Nexus 7 🙂
Many thanks for this! My N7 v1 has been sitting there collecting dust for the last 1.5 years… Until now! I didn’t expect the improvement to be this dramatic!
Brilliant. My 1st Gen Nexus7 is like new again. Thanks Rob…
So far so good. Was starting to get very frustrated and pondering need for new tablet. Not any more. 🙂 Thank you so much!!!
Merci ! Je la redécouvre ! ma nexus !
Avec plaisir! 🙂
Merci 🙂
I’d been wondering for quite a while why my nexus was being so slow. This solved everything. Thanks so much for the tip.
Your instructions were so easy to follow and worked perfectly. I too love my 1st gen nexus 7, even more now that it’s running like normal again. Thx
Hi – thanks for this, worked a treat and very easy instructions.
Thanks for this. Worked a treat, I had been blaming various apps and uninstalling them.
I found the 3 second timing on step 4 needed to be accurate or my system merely rebooted.
Thanks a LOT! It worked.
This worked very good, thanks a lot, I wished I had found your site before.
Thank you so much for this!! I have been so frustrated with my tablet lately. Now I can love it again! 🙂
I was getting frustrated with my Nexus until I came across your instructions. It worked! Thanks!!
Awesome tip. My gen 1 Nexus 7 showing considerable improvement.
Thanks very much, worked wonders for me! Everyone with a Nexus 7 should know about this. [I did have to use the Google instruction on step 4]
I did this cache partition and it got me from frozen Google screen to login. But am now stuck on WiFi page, have tried to connect to work wifi and also phone wifi hotspot, but it boots me out each time when I try to add Google account details. Any ideas?
Hi Darren,
It shouldn’t be asking you for Google account details if you followed these steps (unless you’ve done a factory reset before doing these steps?) 😮 but perhaps your google details are wrong? not sure! Perhaps a factory rest will help you which can be done from boot as mentioned here http://www.robschmuecker.com/how-to-boot-into-recovery-mode-nexus-7/ this will however wipe all your data and apps.
Thanks,
R.
It has stopped the lock-ups and has improved the speed. i am not shopping for a new one anymore. Thanks Rob
I was ready to trash my 2012 Nexus 7. Tried your fix. Worked first try. All of the lag, sticky keys and slow response time disappeared. My “high mileage” Nex7 is now just like new! Thanks!
It worked a treat.
At Step 4 I used the second option.
Many thanks 🙂
Thank you Rob! My Nexus 7 (1st gen) was so darn slow after recent updates. Your method snapped it back to its glory days.
After power down and powrr ip using per and +- vol keys. make not to release pwr kry after 3sec or tablrt eill do normal dtartup instead of command mode
Thanks all done , now to put it to the test..At step 3 I had to press the start button tp get the command image ,,This worked for me ,,Regards Shey.
Nice. Thanks for the assist. I was getting annoyed.
It WORKED!!!! It was easy. I had to re-do step 4 once but then it worked exactly as you said. Thank you so much. This 71 year old grandma gets to feel all nerdy.
Worked liked a charm. Thanks, man!
This worked great for me as well! I did have trouble with step 4 too, but got it eventually. Thanks!
That’s great! Like new again! Awesomeness!
Worked great. I too had to do the hold down Power and single tap the volume Up button on step 4. But pretty darn easy.
I still love my Nexus 7 (2012) and any little boost helps. Thanks!
I’m having trouble with Step 4. I can’t get to the screen after No Command. I’ve tried both suggestions and I end up just turning the machine on again. When I kept both buttons pressed down and then release them both I just got a blank screen. When I released just the volume it just turned on the machine.
I just read the reviewer who said it should be exactly 3 seconds. So this time I timed the 3 seconds and got the screen I needed. Things are much faster now. Thanks.
This worked!! My nexus was almost unusable and wouldn’t even to the system update. It kept freezing and operating so very slow. Thanks so much for your easy to follow instructions.
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Fantastic! The lag has definitely gone, at least for now. Thank you so much.
Thanks!! It works with my 1st gen Nexus 7.