The short answer: about once a week is a good habit
There is no rule that fits every phone.
Android is built to run for long periods, so a phone that has not been restarted for a while is not necessarily in trouble. Still, many people find that a restart about once a week keeps a phone feeling fresh, and it lets some updates finish installing.
For shared or kiosk devices a fixed routine, such as "restart at the end of the week", is easier to follow than "restart when it feels slow".
Temporary glitches
A restart clears background processes and can help with problems that are only temporary.
Pending updates
Some system updates only finish installing after a restart.
A simple routine
A regular moment, such as Sunday evening, is easy to remember.
When to restart sooner
- After the phone asks for a restart to finish an update.
- When one app, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth suddenly misbehaves.
- Before you contact support, because "have you tried restarting it?" is usually the first question.
A restart is not a cure for every problem. If an issue keeps coming back, contact your device manufacturer or your IT support.
How to remember it
Let the phone remind you, instead of keeping track yourself.
RebootMonitor shows when your phone last restarted and how long it has been running. If you like, it also shows a reminder after 3, 7 (the default) or 14 days without a restart. You choose the interval, or turn the reminder off.
Everything stays on your device. See also how to check when your Android phone was last restarted.
Frequently asked questions
Is it bad to never restart an Android phone?
Not by itself. Android is designed to run for long periods. But some updates only finish after a restart and temporary glitches can build up, so an occasional restart is a good habit.
Does restarting delete my data or apps?
No. A normal restart keeps your data and apps. A factory reset is something different and does erase data.
How can I remember to restart my phone?
RebootMonitor can show an optional reminder after 3, 7 or 14 days without a restart. You can turn it off at any time.
How do I see when my phone last restarted?
Open RebootMonitor to see the last restart and the current uptime. Our guide on checking your last Android reboot shows other ways as well.
Try RebootMonitor
Free, ad-free and private: your reboot data stays on your device.