Before you start: read this
First I need to give you the standard warning.
Overclocking your CPU comes with some risks.
Increasing the clock speed of your CPU generates more heat and drains more power.
It isn't likely to set your phone on fire or kill your battery, but excess heat production can create instability and affect your battery life.
The key is to take your time.
Don't try to jump to a 30 percent increase in clock speed straight away.
Take it slowly and evaluate how stable the system is with each increase.
If Android runs fine, your phone's heat and battery life are acceptable and there are no crashes or odd behavior, you can try increasing your clock speed further.
If things get weird, back off to the last stable clock speed.


Getting the right kernel for overclocking
Happy with that? Let's proceed.
The only thing you need to tweak the CPU settings of your Android phone is a kernel that supports overclocking.
Overclocking is a staple of the modding community, so there is no shortage of good kernels to choose from.
You just need to get the right kernel for your particular phone model.

First, find the model number of your phone.
Go to Settings > About Phone and take a look.
You'll also want to make a note of the version of Android you're running.
Your phone will also need to be rooted in order to overclock your CPU.
Naturally, this process is not covered under warranty, so proceed at your own risk.
You'll also need a custom recovery installed.

Replacing the kernel and overclocking takes no time at all, but it's worth investing some time into finding the right kernel.
Sites like XDA Developers are an awesome place to start.
There are four things you're looking for in a kernel: that it supports overclocking, that it's compatible with your phone model, that it works on your current Android version and that it has a good reputation.
The more popular a kernel is the easier it will be to get help from the community if you need it or to track down some suggested settings (if you'd rather learn from others' efforts rather than do the figuring out yourself).
The more feedback there is on a kernel, the more informed a decision you can make.


Software for your kernel
Some kernels come with dedicated software that's tailored to helping you get the most out of the kernel.
This can involve a simple overclocking slider, CPU governor settings, undervolting options and more.
If the kernel you choose has a companion app, use it.
If it doesn't, search around the Play Store for a generic overclocking or CPU manager app with a good rating and positive comments

Once you've got the kernel for your particular model of phone, and have ensured it works with your version of Android and supports overclocking, you're good to go.
For this tutorial we're overclocking a rooted Nexus 6 running stock Android 6.0 Marshmallow using the ElementalX kernel.

Many custom ROM kernels already support overclocking however, so if you are using a custom ROM, read up on it to see if you even need to change your kernel.


How to overclock your Android
Your phone needs to be rooted in order to flash a custom kernel.
You'll also need a custom recovery installed (because you can't flash kernels using stock recovery).

1.Make sure you have a backup of your data.
You can do this through your custom recovery or with any number of apps or PC-based solutions.


2.Once you've chosen the kernel you want to use, download it (and any software it might have come with) onto your Android (you can leave it in the Downloads folder).
You can also download the kernel to your computer and copy the zip file to the root directory of your phone if you prefer, but it's just as easy to just do it on your phone through recovery.


3.Turn off your phone and enter fastboot.
This is usually achieved by pressing Power and Volume Down but some manufacturers have a different button combination.

4.On the fastboot screen, use the volume buttons to highlight Recovery mode and press the power button to select it.

5.You will now enter your custom recovery.
We're using TWRP.

6.Tap the Install button (or 'Install zip' in CWM recovery) and navigate to the location where you saved the kernel zip file.

7.Flash the kernel zip file and wait for a success message.
Some kernels (like Elemental X in our example) will run you through a series of screens like the Install Wizard on your computer.

Some kernels will allow you to set the CPU clock speed during installation.
You can make changes then and there or later through the CPU manager app you installed. See below for instructions on the latter.

8.Wipe the cache once the kernel has been flashed successfully.

9.Go to the Advanced settings in recovery and tap 'Fix Permissions.

10.Reboot your system.


Changing your CPU clock speed
If you didn't change the CPU settings during installation of your custom kernel you can now launch your CPU manager or kernel app.
If you haven't already installed compatible software for your kernel you'll need to find an app in the Play Store.
There are plenty that work well, but I'm using a free app called Kernel Adiutor.
You'll need to grant your kernel app root permission and you might be required to install BusyBox as well (which will also require root privileges).


Look for the settings that control CPU clock speed.
Depending on the app you're using, you can choose a max CPU speed from a drop down menu or use a slider.
Remember, take it slowly and try each clock speed out for a while to see how it affects stability, battery life and heat.
Start at around 10 percent more than your current clock speed and work your way upwards.


Don't be surprised if your CPU speed doesn't instantly jump up to that new setting.
What you're doing when you overclock is changing the CPU's maximum speed, so it will be able to deliver higher performance when necessary.

While you can also change the minimum clock speed, that just puts unnecessary strain on your processor and battery.
After all, there's no need to be maxxing out your CPU just to read emails.

If you encounter any instability with your new settings just go back and drop your max clockspeed a little and see how you go.

If you encounter any problems
you can simply re-flash the original kernel your device came with.

Possibly Related Threads…
How To Block Ads On Youtube In Rooted Android