Table of Contents
Introduction:
There is nothing more frustrating than a slow iPhone!
As iPhones get older and start to accumulate more apps and data, they can begin to slow down. This can be frustrating for users who rely on their phones for daily tasks. If you’re experiencing slower performance on your iPhone, there is one setting that you can change to help improve the speed of your device.
The one setting to change to make your iPhone run faster
The setting in question is the “Background App Refresh” feature. This feature is designed to keep your apps updated in the background so that when you switch back to them, they are ready to go. However, this constant refreshing of apps in the background can put a strain on your phone’s resources and slow it down.
To turn off Background App Refresh on your iPhone, follow these steps:
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Open the Settings app.
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Tap on “General.”
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Tap on “Background App Refresh.”
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Toggle the switch next to “Background App Refresh” to the off position.
You can also turn off Background App Refresh for individual apps by scrolling down on the same screen and selecting the app from the list.
After turning off Background App Refresh, you can expect to see an improvement in the overall speed and responsiveness of your iPhone. Your apps will still be able to receive updates, but they will only refresh when you open them. This can help to free up your phone’s resources and reduce the strain on its processor.
Additionally, turning off Background App Refresh can help to conserve battery life on your iPhone. Since your apps will no longer be constantly refreshing in the background, they will consume less power, which can help to extend the amount of time that you can use your phone on a single charge.
While turning off Background App Refresh is not a guarantee of improved performance, it can certainly help in some cases. Before turning off this feature, consider the apps that you use most frequently and whether they require background updates in order to work effectively. If you do turn off Background App Refresh, you can always turn it back on if you notice that your apps are not functioning as they should.
There are several ways to speed up a slow iPhone and improve its performance.
While we think the setting adjustment above to be the most effective in speeding up slow iPhones, we also went ahead and created a list of other tips and tricks that should help improve your overall iPhone’s performance.
Here are some additional tips for how to make iPhone faster:
Update to the latest iOS version
Apple regularly releases software updates to its iOS operating system that can include performance improvements and bug fixes. Updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS can help to improve its speed and stability.
Here’s a step by step guide on how to perform a software update:
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Connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network.
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on General.
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Tap on Software Update.
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Tap on Download and Install if an update is available.
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Wait for the update to complete.
Clear cache and temporary files
Over time, your iPhone’s cache and temporary files can accumulate, taking up valuable storage space and slowing down your device. Clearing these files can help to free up space and improve performance.
Follow these steps to clear cache and temporary files:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on Safari.
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Tap on Clear History and Website Data.
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Confirm the action by tapping on Clear History and Data.
Disable visual effects
Turning off visual effects like transparency, motion, and animations can help to improve speed, especially if you have an older iPhone model.
To turn off visual effects, follow these steps:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on General.
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Tap on Accessibility.
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Tap on Reduce Motion.
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Toggle on the switch next to Reduce Motion.
Disable automatic downloads
If your iPhone is set to automatically download new updates, apps, and other content, this can slow down your device and consume precious storage space. Disabling these automatic downloads can help to improve performance.
Do this to disable automatic downloads:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on iTunes & App Store.
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Toggle off the switch next to Music, Apps, Books & Audiobooks, or Updates under the Automatic Downloads section.
Disable Siri Suggestions and Spotlight Search
Siri Suggestions and Spotlight Search are convenient features that use your personal data to suggest apps, contacts, and other information. However, these features can also consume resources and slow down your iPhone. Disabling these features can help to improve performance.
Here’s how to turn them off and help make your iPhone faster:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on Siri & Search.
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Toggle off the switch next to Siri Suggestions and/or Spotlight Suggestions.
Limit the number of background apps
Closing background apps can help to free up resources and improve the performance of your iPhone.
You can close background apps by double-clicking the Home button and swiping up on the app preview cards.
Uninstall unused apps
If you have apps on your iPhone that you no longer use, it’s a good idea to uninstall them. These apps can consume valuable resources, including storage space and processing power, even if you’re not using them.
Here’s how to remove unused apps:
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Go to the Home screen.
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Locate the app that you want to remove.
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Press and hold the app icon until it starts wiggling.
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Tap the “x” that appears in the top left corner of the app icon.
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Confirm the action by tapping Delete.
Reduce the number of widgets
Widgets are small apps that run on your iPhone’s home screen and provide information and shortcuts to other apps. While they can be useful, having too many widgets can slow down your device. Reducing the number of widgets that you use can help to improve performance.
Follow these steps to remove widgets:
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Go to the Home screen.
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Swipe right to access the Today View.
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Scroll to the bottom of the Today View and tap Edit.
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Tap the minus sign (-) next to the widget that you want to remove.
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Confirm the action by tapping Remove.
Disable location services for unnecessary apps
Some apps require access to your location data in order to function, but others may not need this information. Disabling location services for apps that don’t need it can help to conserve battery life and improve performance.
Here’s a quick step by step on how to do this:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on Privacy.
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Tap on Location Services.
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Scroll through the list of apps and toggle off the switch next to any app that doesn’t need access to your location.
Reduce the number of email accounts
If you have multiple email accounts set up on your iPhone, this can slow down your device, especially if you receive a lot of email. Reducing the number of email accounts that you use can help to improve performance.
Turn off automatic app updates
If your iPhone is set to automatically update apps in the background, this can slow down your device and consume valuable processing power. Disabling automatic app updates can help to improve performance.
Do this to turn off automatic app updates:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on iTunes & App Store.
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Toggle off the switch next to Updates under the Automatic Downloads section.
Reduce the number of notifications
Notifications from apps can be distracting and can slow down your iPhone by consuming processing power. Reducing the number of notifications that you receive can help to improve performance.
Here’s how to do this:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on Notifications.
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Tap on the app for which you want to adjust notifications.
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Toggle off the switch next to Allow Notifications.
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Adjust other notification settings as needed, such as sound, badge app icon, and lock screen appearance.
Disable low power mode
Low power mode is a setting that helps to conserve battery life by reducing the performance of your iPhone. If you’re experiencing slow performance, turning off low power mode can help to improve the speed of your device.
It is worth noting that it is not always recommended to disable low power mode if you don’t need it, as doing so can consume more power and reduce battery life. If you are using your iPhone frequently and don’t have access to a charger, it may be more beneficial to keep Low Power mode enabled.
Here’s a quick guide on how to disable low power mode to achieve peak performance:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap Battery.
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Toggle off the switch next to Low Power Mode.
Reset your iPhone
If all else fails, resetting your iPhone to its factory settings can be a last resort to improve performance. This will erase all data and settings, so be sure to back up your device before resetting.
Follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone:
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Go to the Settings app.
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Tap on General.
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Scroll down and tap on Reset.
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Tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
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Enter your passcode (if prompted).
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Confirm the action by tapping Erase iPhone.
By implementing these tips, you can help to speed up your iPhone and improve its overall performance. However, it’s important to keep in mind that over time, all devices will slow down as they accumulate more data and apps. If you’re experiencing slow performance on your iPhone, trying these tips can help, but ultimately, it may be time to consider upgrading to a newer model.
Final thoughts:
In conclusion, turning off Background App Refresh is a simple and effective way to improve the performance of a slow iPhone. This feature can slow down your phone by constantly refreshing apps in the background, but turning it off can help to free up resources and improve overall speed and battery life. If you’re experiencing slower performance on your iPhone, consider turning off Background App Refresh to see if it makes a difference for you. Older iPhone models suffer the most with slow speeds.
If this doesn’t help, the other tips we provided on how to make iPhone faster should really improve things. If all else fails, you might consider buying a new iPhone. You can check this blog post out on when would be the best time to buy a new phone.
If you have any other tricks you’ve used to speed up your iPhone, please let us know in the comments below.