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Apple offers so many different settings — many of which are incredibly helpful when it comes to offering ways for you to conserve battery power and get the most out of your device. But every so often you will come across a setting that is mystifying — why is it even there? Is it actually helpful or should you disable it to ensure your phone is running at its best? There are a few settings that you should have on your radar because they can slow your phone down to a snail’s pace. This is the one setting Apple doesn’t want you to know is slowing your iPhone.
Significant Locations
Significant Locations tracks the locations that you visit most frequently, thus invading your privacy, says David Attard, web designer at CollectiveRay.com. This hidden setting collects data on you every time you move and it is being used in apps like Maps, Optimized Battery Charging, and even Photos. Even though this data is encrypted and can’t be read by Apple, it makes sense that you may prefer that your phone NOT be collecting such information (if your phone falls into the wrong hands, all of that information is available).
Attard suggests going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations > Turn Off Significant Locations to protect yourself.
And that’s not the only setting that tech experts say should be considered.
High Performance Settings
Another iPhone setting that several experts said to keep your eye on is High Performance Settings.
“iPhones have earned their crown as ruler of high-performance phones,” says Olivia Tan, co-founder of CocoFax. “But some of these high-performance settings can prove too much, and actually slow your phone down. Some of the settings behind these severe iPhone slowdowns can actually be an annoyance for some people, so messing around with these settings may actually improve how you enjoy your iPhone as a whole.”
Thankfully, there are ways to correct these settings.
“There are some graphic settings on certain models that can be altered to increase performance speed – but don’t worry, your iPhone will still have the amazing display you’re used to,” Tan says. “One of the most useful settings you can change is the Motion setting. By going to ‘Settings’ and then ‘Accessibility’, you can see whether your phone has the ‘Reduce Motion’ option set to on or off. If it’s off, try turning it on to speed up your phone. This setting alters that cute little animation your iPhone does when swiping screens or opening apps, which helps speed up the phone by using less resources. For some, it’s also a lot easier on the eyes.”
