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How to fix extreme lag after updating your ASUS Nexus 7 to Android 4.2

jelly bean small - for some reason we don't have an alt tag hereSo, you’ve updated your ASUS Nexus 7 to the latest version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.2. You love the new features, but you’re disappointed at how slow your tablet seems to have become. Previously, it was extremely fast – buttery smooth – but now, it’s nothing but lag.

Don’t despair, as there are several things you can try to bring your tablet’s performance back up to where it should be.

Method 1: Give it some time to “settle in.”

I thought this was bogus, but I’ve noticed that on the Nexus 7, it really does help if you give your tablet a few hours to adjust to the new update. I’m not sure why, but when I set it down for a few hours and returned to it later, the performance was notably better.

Method 2: Clear your caches.

Reboot your tablet into the bootloader by turning it off, and then pushing the volume down + power buttons at the same time. Then, use your volume buttons to select the recovery. If you’re on a stock recovery, wait until you see the Android with the red exclamation point, and press volume up + power at the same time. Select the option to clear your tablet’s cache, and then wait for it to reboot.

If you’re on a custom recovery, simply navigate to the appropriate options, and clear all your caches that way.

Method 3: Delete multiple user accounts temporarily if you’re rooted.

This is ultimately what fixed the lag problem for me. If you’re rooted, and you’ve set up multiple user accounts, this is probably what will help you the most, as well.

First, navigate to SettingsUsers, and delete any additional users you’ve set up (don’t worry – you can set them up again later). Then, make sure Voodoo OTA Rootkeeper is installed, and that a root backup as been created. Next, uninstall your Superuser app (in SuperSU, select the option to “Reinstall: Cleanup for reinstallation from Google Play”). Reboot your tablet.

Once it has booted up again, reinstall your Superuser app from Google Play, open it, and ensure that the correct binaries are installed. Then, open Voodoo OTA Rootkeeper and select the option to “Temp. un-root.” At this point, while the device is temporarily unrooted, you can re-add all of your multiple user account. Then, after this is done, you can enter Voodoo and restore root.

Apparently, there are currently issues with Superuser access and multiple accounts that are in the process of being resolved, and that appears to be the source of lag for many rooted users. Like I said, this third method is ultimately what gave me the best results, but as always, your mileage may vary.

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I’m still experiencing a bit of lag here and there, which didn’t previously exist, but after trying all of these methods, my experience with the latest update has been much better. Be sure to try this out yourself, and let us know how it works out for you!

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John F

John was the editor-in-chief at Pocketables. His articles generally focus on all things Google, including Chrome and Android, although his love of new gadgets and technology doesn't stop there. His current arsenal includes the Nexus 6 by Motorola, the 2013 Nexus 7 by ASUS, the Nexus 9 by HTC, the LG G Watch, and the Chromebook Pixel, among others.

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