How to Free up Space When Your iPhone Slows Down

iPhone users everywhere understand how vital phone connection and functionality can prove. For many of us, our iPhones provide the keys to our lives — our calendars, to-do lists, Internet connection, email access, photos, contacts, and more live inside of our pocket-sized smart devices, and we would be lost without them.

When your iPhone slows down and loses functionality, you may be apt to panic and wonder if you’ll lose the data stored on your phone forever. But do not fear — often, you just need to free up storage space if your iPhone slows down. Simple steps can have your phone working seamlessly in no time.

Discover how to troubleshoot issues with your iPhone, warning signs that your phone is slowing down, how to free up space on your iPhone, and the cybersecurity risks a slow phone can present.

Troubleshooting solutions for your slow iPhone

Before you trade in your expensive iPhone, or drop it off with tech services, there are ways to troubleshoot your phone’s issues. You may be able to diagnose and solve any issues with your iPhone without having to spend a dime.

Here are some troubleshooting tips from Apple Support to understand why your iPhone is slowing down:

Battery health: As your battery ages, it will lose some functionality and its optimal performance levels will decrease. Under Settings, click on Battery, and then Battery Health. iPhones have a unique suggestion feature which will alert you if your battery needs to be replaced. Apple sells new batteries for a relatively reasonable price, and they are easy to replace.
Device temperature: If your iPhone gets too hot or too cold, you may need to wait to use it until it has cooled down or warmed up. You might find that once its temperature evens out, your phone will function well. Using your iPhone in extreme temperatures could damage your phone, so try to avoid using it in these conditions.
Limited storage space: Your iPhone can hold an incredible amount of data and files. However, if you don’t occasionally clear out storage space, you may experience reduced functionality speeds. As your storage fills, your phone’s abilities decrease. Check your storage space under Settings > General> Device Storage. Once you’ve opened your storage, your iPhone will recommend apps and files that you can delete. It may be wise to manually free up storage space — you should see instant results.
Network issues: When your iPhone slows down, you should check on your network connectivity right away. If you’re connected to a public Wi-Fi network or your network is overwhelmed with numerous users, it could cause your phone to slow down and experience connectivity issues. Try connecting via another network or moving your phone to another location to see if your speeds increase.
Unresponsive apps: If you have an app running in the background, or have left an application tab open, and any of these apps become unresponsive, your iPhone could experience considerably slower speeds and functionality. Close any unresponsive apps to increase your phone’s speed.

Signs your iPhone is slowing down

How can you tell if your iPhone is slowing down, or has another issue? If your phone is slowing down, there are often telltale signs. Signs that your iPhone is slowing down include:

Apps take longer to open than ever before
Battery no longer holds a charge
Connectivity issues
Diminished speaker volume — even on the highest volume setting
Disabled camera flash
Inability to install new apps or take photos
Inability to update your iOS (iPhone operating system)
Longer screen loading time when you’re scrolling through websites
Reduced call quality

Differences between storage and memory space on an iPhone

You may find that although you have a lot of memory space available on your iPhone, your storage space is filling up (or vice versa). Both memory and storage take up space on your phone, and both will impact your iPhone speed in significant ways.

Memory

Your iPhone’s memory is where the processing functions of your phone live. If your memory space is full, you might find it’s difficult to open websites, send texts and emails, and attempt any other transfer of data.

Imagine that you have an important daily to-do list that you keep in your head rather than writing it down. The more you add to that list, the more apt you are to forget important tasks and accomplish nothing.

Your iPhone’s memory works the same way — the fuller it gets, the less likely it is to be able to accomplish important tasks. iPhone memory also works in real time, so the amount of free memory space your phone has may vary throughout your day.

Storage

Storage refers to the space allowed for the important personal data you keep on your iPhone. It’s the space that allows you to hold onto your vacation photos, loving text messages, and the apps you want to ensure remain accessible on your phone. It also stores your iOS.

When your iPhone’s storage space fills up, you may find that you’re unable to save anything new. Your phone’s speed will show a significant reduction as well.

3 steps to take to free up space

The good news is that you may be able to free up space on your iPhone and restore its speed and functionality without the assistance of tech savvy experts or costly repairs. Here are three easy steps you can take that might help free up needed space on your iPhone.

Check your storage settings

If you look at your iPhone storage settings, you’ll see a breakdown of what files are taking up the most space. Apple will include suggestions on what apps or files you could consider deleting to free up space.

Delete unused apps

You may have apps that you downloaded and then either outgrew, or chose not to use. Uninstalling these pesky ghosts will free up a fair amount of storage space. To delete these apps, scroll under Settings. Open General. Click on iPhone Storage. A list of your stored apps will appear and you can select which apps you want to delete.

Optimize your photo storage

It’s hard to part with photos, especially when they’ve captured amazing memories. However, your photo gallery is the biggest culprit when it comes to filled storage space. If you notice your iPhone is running low on storage space, you may want to consider deleting your photos.

You can also save your original photos as smaller files that take up less space. Don’t worry — your iCloud will still contain your originals, and you can access it at any time.

Cybersecurity risks of a slow iPhone

If your iOS is outdated, or you have limited access to storage space, you may be open to significant cybersecurity risks. Cyber criminals may target the system vulnerabilities that occur when these issues arise, and hack into your iPhone.

A cyberattack could lead to the installation of unwanted malware (or even ransomware) or give these bad actors access to any sensitive and confidential information stored on your iPhone. Slow functionality and limited space can also lead to an inability to install vital security updates, which poses a further cybersecurity risk.

It’s easy to free up space when your iPhone slows down and ensure your phone has the correct security updates. Remember to follow the above steps and if you still have speed and storage issues, contact the official Apple Support Team.

Visit What Is My IP Address for additional cybersecurity tools, and check out our blog for the latest in cybersecurity insights, tips, and trends.