Simple tips to speed up your iPhone

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  • Introduction

    Introduction

    OK, so your old iPhone is feeling a little sluggish. Before you go to the Apple Store to buy a new one – and sacrifice the old one on the alter of Apple's dismantling robot, Daisy – here are some simple things you can try to give it a new lease of life. 

    Depending on your iPhone, and how you use it, some of these tips might help, while others might not. The good thing is that they are all quick and simple – except for the nuclear option – and any apps I recommend are free.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Free up RAM using an app

    Free up RAM using an app

    People keep asking me if there's a RAM booster for iOS, along the lines of what you find for Macs and PCs. 

    Yes, yes, there is. 

    One is Battery Booster. I've been using this one for some time now, and while I wouldn't say that it's like flipping a turbo button, it does feel like it eliminates some of the sluggishness I encounter on older devices.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Free up RAM by rebooting

    Free up RAM by rebooting

    Another way to free up RAM is to reboot the device. Quick and simple. It's also a good thing to do if you feel something isn't working right.

    A quick and simple problem solver!

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Close unnecessary apps

    Close unnecessary apps

    This one is controversial. 

    Sometimes I feel like closing unnecessary apps offers a little performance boost in return - especially if you're not going back to those app - while other times I feel it does nothing. 

    Either way, you've nothing to lose by giving it a try.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Update iOS

    Update iOS

    Keep iOS updated. Head over to Settings > General > Software Update to see if you need to apply an update. 

    On the later versions you can have this done automatically if you want.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Switch on Reduce Motion

    Switch on Reduce Motion

    I find turning on Reduce Motion to be handy if you feel that the iPhone is stuttering in use.

    To do this go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Switch off Background Refresh

    Switch off Background Refresh

    Not only can apps running in the background have a detrimental effect on battery life, but they can also have an effect on performance.

    Be aware, disabling background Effect will have a big effect on how apps work, and will mean that you don't get notifications and the like, so you might want to disable this on an app-by-app basis.

    This setting lives in Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Clear browser history

    Clear browser history

    Browsers build up a lot of detritus, so clearing it can help both with performance and free up storage space.

    Settings > Safari

    If you use a different browser, this setting will be elsewhere, so you'll have to go look for it.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Delete your message backlog

    Delete your message backlog

    Here's another space and memory hog. If you want to save every message for eternity, then this will become a bigger and bigger problem as time goes on. 

    Settings > Messages > Keep Messages

    This is another one of those settings that may or may not make a big difference. On some devices I've seen it make a big difference. However, bear in mind that once you choose to delete old messages, they are gone.

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • The nuclear option! Do a complete reset

    The nuclear option! Do a complete reset

    This is the nuclear option, and should only be done if you are aware of the consequences. 

    Settings > General > Reset

    Here you have a few options

    • Reset All Settings - This will only wipe system settings, and no data should be lost (a backup is still advisable)
    • Reset All Content and Settings - Takes your iPhone back to factory settings

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

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Today I'm tackling a question that comes my way on a regular basis – what can you do to speed up a sluggish iPhone (they also work for the iPad).

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Introduction

OK, so your old iPhone is feeling a little sluggish. Before you go to the Apple Store to buy a new one – and sacrifice the old one on the alter of Apple's dismantling robot, Daisy – here are some simple things you can try to give it a new lease of life. 

Depending on your iPhone, and how you use it, some of these tips might help, while others might not. The good thing is that they are all quick and simple – except for the nuclear option – and any apps I recommend are free.

Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

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Related Topics:

iPhone Apple Mobility Smartphones Hardware Reviews

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