As the years of continued use go by, many iPhone units will inevitably start slowing down and not work as fast as they used to be. However, this doesn't mean that you'll need to replace the phone as this issue can still be remedied with a few tricks. Here are some maintenance tips to help your iPhone's performance improve.
Turn off your device
While turning it off means you won't have a smartphone to use for a while, this actually allows the phone to technically "rest." When turned off, the phone clears out its memory, and the component stress of using it goes away. In turn, the removal of the component stress allows the iPhone to run better when it is turned on again. Make sure to give the rest some time for better effect.
Know your apps
Speaking of memory, apps use up memory even when they're not being used in your phone. Just double tap your home button, and it should show you the list of running apps in your iPhone. The best option is to flush your running apps every now and then. If you have to use many apps at the same time, keep it to around three to five apps running. Try not to let your phone run more than 10 apps at the same time.
Delete unused apps
The feeling of having many apps may allow you to feel secure as it's equipped with every downloaded tool and nifty gadget for everyday life. However, this is not good as filling up your phone's storage to the brim actually slows it down. The phone needs free storage to be able to run its processes on it. Without the free space, you're limiting the phone to only be able to use what little storage it can muster to run your apps. If you have any apps that you have not used for a long time, it's for the best to remove them from your phone to give way for faster phone processing.
Update iOS
While updating seems to be a bother as you never know how long it takes, it's usually for the best. The iOS upgrades tend to fix problems in your phone and improve your phone's performance with new features loaded in. If possible, try to stay updated with iPhone's latest iOS version to keep your phone healthy.
Clear cache and app data
If you want to maximize your phone's speed, you also have to delete internet history and app data every now and then. You don't need to delete internet history because you want to hide something. You need to actually do it because history data also takes up space in your phone. To get rid of those, open your settings, find and tap Safari, scroll down for the Clear History and Data option, and you've saved some space for your iPhone again.
For the app data, this mostly applies to apps with personalized settings or offline game apps with save file and progression. If you're not using them anymore, it would be best to boot them out your phone's system fast. To do this, tap Settings then General and iPhone storage. Once you're in the iPhone storage screen, you'll see your installed apps and the memory they use up in your phone. Prioritize those you want out first, and then those apps with a huge file size, around 500MB and above. Click on those apps to find the Delete App button. If you just need to clear its large file size, you can re-download it again from the App Store and leave it if you don't want it anymore.
This article was first published in IBTimes US. Permission required for reproduction.
