Got a frustratingly slow iPhone and not sure what to do with it? If you’re minutes away from tossing your slow phone out the window and dropping three or four figures on a new device, hang on just a little bit longer. The culprits behind your lagging phone could be fixable. Everything from your settings to some of your iPhone charging habits could be to blame for why your phone isn’t working up to speed these days.
Before you spend money or give up completely, try these top four ways to fix your iPhone’s slow performance.
Delete, Delete, Delete
One of the top reasons why phones are slow is because they lack storage space. This is one of those problems that sneaks up on you: neglect deleting files and media for too long and your storage space suffers. Before you know it, you receive an annoying pop-up on your device letting you know your space is full and then you’ll have to hustle to clear away big files and attachments.
There’s a better way to do this. First, change your Messages setting so that it automatically deletes old files after 30 days. Next, go through your Podcasts and Music apps and delete any old files that you no longer listen to or enjoy. Finally, make it a point to go through photos and videos on a weekly basis and upload any you want to save to iCloud. Delete the rest to clear up space on your phone.
Delete Old Apps
Old apps that you no longer use are taking up space on your iPhone and could be contributing to a slower device. These apps may also be outdated and their developers may not have issued new updates, and using them could be putting your phone at risk for viruses and bugs. The simple solution: delete them all and move on.
Clear Your Cache
When was the last time you cleared your browser cache? If it’s been a minute, take time to do this because it will help speed things along. Open the Safari app, tap Clear, and clear your browsing history.
Adjust Visual Effects
Your iPhone offers a number of cool visual effects, most of which take up battery power and can slow down your device. Although these are great to have and provide a visually compelling experience, if they’re compromising your phone’s performance they may have to go. Open Settings > Accessibility > Motion > turn on Reduce Motion.
