Let’s get your iPhone into shape. Maybe you’ve had your iPhone for a few years or are new to it. We tend to install apps without a thought. Photos, Videos, music, and podcasts can take up space. The more data you’ve installed, the less likely your iPhone is running like it did when you first bought it. So, let’s look at some tips to speed up your iPhone, like new ones.
Offload Unused apps
The Offload app feature has existed since iOS 11, but you may not be familiar with it. When you offload an app, you remove it from your iPhone but keep all of the data and settings intact to pick up where you left off should you need to install it again.
It’s a much safer way to remove your apps just in case you need them again. You can manually Offload each app, which could be tedious if you have installed many apps. An easier way is by turning on a setting to automatically offload any app you haven’t used in 12 days. To do this:
- Open Settings
- Tap on App Store
- Toggle on Offload Unused Apps
It’s a great way to keep your iPhone clutter-free.
Install the Updates To Speed Up Your iPhone
Apple releases updates to iOS that you need to be made aware of. Some cover security, and others add additional features to your iPhone. It’s essential to keep your software up to date. Now is the time to check for software updates and maybe change a few settings.
- Open Settings
- Tap on General
- Select Software Update
If you want to install updates automatically:
- Tap Automatic Updates
- Toggle on Automatically Install iOS Updates
- Toggle on Security Responses and System Files
If you toggle on iOS Updates to automatically install iOS Updates under Automatically Download, it will toggle on.
Locating Your iPhone Quickly
Although this tip isn’t about speeding up your device, it will help you locate it quickly. If you often need help finding your iPhone, there’s an easy way to locate it. The FindMy app, if set up with location sharing turned on, can make a sound and vibrate your iPhone so you can find it. However, you’ll need another device to access the FindMy app.
Now, if you own an Apple Watch, there is even a quicker way to locate your missing iPhone.
- Press on the Side Button
- Tap on the top right icon
A sound will play on your iPhone, making it easy to locate in your home. It’s much quicker than the FindMy feature, but either will work.
Turn Off Live Photos To Speed Up Your iPhone
Live Photos record what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take the photo. This allows you to pick the perfect shot from that time span and avoid people closing their eyes. It’s a great idea, but each image takes up approximately 7MB of space. So turn off this feature, which is on by default, and use it only when you deem it necessary.
- Open the Camera app
- Select Photo
- Look in the top right corner of the screen; you’ll see an icon with three circles.
- Tap the Live Photos icon and the feature will be turned off.
If you find that the feature keeps returning to on:
- Open Settings
- Tap Camera
- Select Preserve Settings
- Toggle on Live Photo
Now, the settings you enabled will be preserved, and the action will be automatically reset to off.
Restart Your Apps
Many people have heard that closing all your apps will speed up your iPhone. It won’t. It’s a myth. The apps you see open when you swipe up from the bottom of your screen are frozen in time, not running in the background, just waiting for you to engage with them again.
However, if you have an app that is giving you trouble or has stopped functioning normally, then locating that app and swiping it up and away to close it often fixes whatever problems are occurring. So when you reopen that app, you’ll get a fresh start. Give it a try the next time you’re having an issue with any app.
To close and restart an app:
- Swipe half-way up your screen from the bottom
- Locate the app
- Swipe the app up and away
Restart Your iPhone
Sometimes, your iPhone behaves erratically. It may refuse to connect to WiFi or Bluetooth or not operate properly. If you notice this behavior, try a hard restart. You shouldn’t have to do it often, but it’s a lifesaver in certain situations.
- Push and hold on to the volume up button while pushing and holding on to the side button.
- You’ll see the “Slide to Power Off” option appear. Keep holding.
- The screen will go dark; keep holding
- When you see the white Apple logo appear, release the buttons.
It may take your iPhone a minute or two to restart completely. However, whatever was not working before will now work perfectly.
Manage iPhone Storage to Speed up your iPhone
I’ve saved the best for last. It’s better to do some housekeeping on our iPhones than to run out of space, and you will likely run out of space. To Locate your iPhone Storage:
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Select iPhone Storage
You’ll see a graph of how much space is being used on your device.
Beneath the graph, you’ll see Recommendations that help you easily remove things like videos and apps you’ve downloaded.
Below Recommendations is a listing of each app and how much space it is using. Scroll through and delete any app you’re no longer using, or use the Offload Unused app feature to clean it up automatically.
Conclusion
Maintaining optimal iPhone performance involves various steps, such as offloading unused apps, installing updates, utilizing FindMy for quick device location, disabling Live Photos to save space, selectively restarting problematic apps, performing occasional hard restarts, and managing storage efficiently. Following these tips can help ensure your iPhone operates smoothly and remains clutter-free.
Need help with your device? I’m always available for a Free Consult.
Like Video instead? Head to my YouTube channel for more great tips.
