Question
Issue: How to Speed Up a Slow iPhone?
My iPhone has got really slow. I use all apps installed on it. No games or other lots of memory-taking programs are running on it. Could you please tell me what can I do to speed up my iPhone at least a little bit?
Solved Answer
It’s a fact that people already got used to fast and smooth performance of the iOS. There are many reasons why people often select to use Mac devices running OS or iOS on them even if they cost twice as much as a device running Windows,[1] but will not expediate on this topic on this article.
The truth is that the performance of any device depends on how its owner maintains[2] it. Regular updates, removal of cache, complete uninstall of unnecessary files, regular optimization, and similar measures can help the device to stay fast.
Since we have already posted an article on how to speed up a slow PC and Mac, in this post we will provide a couple of useful tips on how to speed up a slow iPhone.[3]
If you have noticed that your iPhone got really sluggish, you should consider why. If the device is old, that may be a problem and you may need to change the device itself. Nevertheless, more often the culprit of slowdown is related to insufficient memory, cache,[4] junk, or useless apps.
To boost your Apple device’s performance, we would recommend you to delete useless app data, free up the memory, clear up Safari cache, download a reliable optimization utility, check if the iOS is up-to-date, and several other tips.
Free up some memory
Too many apps lead to low memory, which is one of the main reasons of the iPhone’s slowdown. First of all, you should check, which apps are taking the most space. For this purpose, you should:
- Open Settings -> General -> Storage & iCloud Usage.
- Find Storage section and tap the Manage Storage button.
- Check the list of installed apps and see how much space each of them takes. If you see some apps taking lots of memory, but you are not using them, tap on the app name and select Delete App.
TIP: each time you notice that the device is slower than it used to be, let’s say a couple of hours ago, check how many applications are currently opened and close all of them. For this purpose, double-click on the Home button and swipe upwards to close them.
Restart the device
Restarting iPhone on a regular basis is crucial to keep the memory clean. Therefore, we would recommend doing so regularly:
- Press and hold the Sleep button option emerges, swipe it.
- When the device fully powers down, press and hold Sleep button to turn it on.
Stop automatic background processes
This option is useful not only for the speed of your iPhone, but also the lifetime of the battery.
- Tap Settings and select iTunes & App Store.
- Now turn off Automatic Downloads and Background App Refresh processes.
- Then open Settings -> General -> Background App Refresh.
- Turn off the Background App Refresh process.
These three processes use comparatively lots of iPhone’s memory, while, in fact, they are not necessary. Thus, stopping these processes will not negatively influence system’s performance.
Reduce the graphics
Since iOS 7, the system offers a variety of new visual effects. If your iPhone is running fast, you don’t have to turn down the graphics. Otherwise, it may help:
- Tap Settings and open General.
- Select Accessibility and open Reduce Motion section.
- Set the Reduce Motion to ON.
Remove cache from Safari
Before clearing the cache, make sure that you remember the login information for all websites that you’ve signed into. Otherwise, you may have difficulties in signing into them after the clearing.
- Open Settings and scroll down to find the group of apps that contains Mail app at the top.
- Tap on Safari and scroll down to find Clear History and Website Data option.
- Tap Clear History and Data.
Reset your iPhone
If the tips on how to speed up a slow iPhone listed above did not improve the speed of your device, we would recommend you to reset it. Before that, you’ll have to transfer all personal information into another device or external SD card because resetting will wipe data and customized settings.
- Press and hold the Home and Sleep buttons simultaneously.
- Hold the buttons until Apple logo appears.
- When the logo shows up, release the buttons and let the system to restart.
Finally, we would strongly recommend you to install an optimization utility that supports iPhone and iPad. DO NOT trust third-party tools offered for free on shady download sources because you may accidentally install a rogue, scam or even virus.
Update iOS
If you are using an older iPhone version, installing the latest iOS version may work in contrast to the expected.
Currently, the latest iOS version is 11, which has been released on September, 2017. To check if your device is running it, you should:
- Go to Settings -> General -> Software update.
Optimize your system and make it work more efficiently
Optimize your system now! If you don't want to inspect your computer manually and struggle with trying to find issues that are slowing it down, you can use optimization software listed below. All these solutions have been tested by ugetfix.com team to be sure that they help improve the system. To optimize your computer with only one click, select one of these tools:
Happiness
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Malware attacks, particularly ransomware, are by far the biggest danger to your pictures, videos, work, or school files. Since cybercriminals use a robust encryption algorithm to lock data, it can no longer be used until a ransom in bitcoin is paid. Instead of paying hackers, you should first try to use alternative recovery methods that could help you to retrieve at least some portion of the lost data. Otherwise, you could also lose your money, along with the files. One of the best tools that could restore at least some of the encrypted files – Data Recovery Pro.
Olivia Morelli is a young, but a perspicacious IT expert who is currently just a year away from a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Systems. Her primary passion is cyber security, however, thanks to her detailed understanding of computer networks, operating systems and hardware, she can find a fix for any PC or Mac issue...
- ^ Karen Haslam. Mac vs PC. Macworld. Essential tips and buying advice for Apple users.
- ^ 8 Tips to Keep your Mac Happy, Healthy, and Safe. SecureMac. Computer security news.
- ^ Ashleigh Macro. Home News iPhone News iPhone X news: release date, price, new features & specs iPhone X news: release date, price, new features & specs. Macworld. Essential tips and buying advice for Apple users.
- ^ Leo A. Notenboom. What’s a browser cache? How do I clear it? Why would I want to?. Ask Leo. Making Technology Work For Everyone.
