Does your iPhone keep crashing? Here’s how to refresh and speed up your iPhone or iPad

We’ve all experienced that time when our iPhone or iPad has stopped responding, has become very slow or an app just won’t load properly – there’s nothing more frustrating when you urgently need to use your phone.

Trying to fix the issue can be a minefield in itself, too, and the threat of an overly-expensive invoice from your local iPhone repair shop will inevitably loom large.

Thankfully, there are a few simple steps that you can take when disaster inevitably strikes. Along with upgrading your iPhone’s operating system and updating your apps, we’ve outlined one simple trick you can use to refresh and speed up your iPhone or iPad.

Here’s our step-by-step guide on how to sharpen your iPhone or iPad’s performance.

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1. Upgrade iOS

Let’s start, of course, with the usual route of attack. You can upgrade iOS (when a new update is available) by launching “Settings”, going into “General”, and tapping “Software Update”. This should ensure a generally slicker running of your device.

2. Update your apps

The same applies for apps: update them regularly to keep them running clean as a whistle. Meanwhile, buggy apps, or those that don’t run smoothly, are usually flagged up in the App Store thanks to the angry wrath of disgruntled users.

Look out for those low ratings and steer clear accordingly. If an app repeatedly crashes or freezes, it can be deleted – simply hold down the home button, wait for the apps to jiggle, and tap the “X” above the problem app – and reinstalled at no charge.

3. If all else fails…

However, while quitting all apps or restarting your device can usually fix the issue, this is often a long-winded way of getting your device working again properly. Fortunately, there’s a better way using a trick built into all iOS devices.

This trick completely refreshes your iPhone or iPad’s memory, giving it a new lease of life. In my experience using this tactic has improved the speed of my iPhone and fixed any apps that simply refused to load and it will work with all version of iOS, right up to iOS 12 and beyond. Here’s how you do it.

How to refresh your iPhone

First, make sure that your phone is unlocked, as this trick will not work if it’s not.

Next, you need to press and hold the power button for a few seconds until you get the Slide to Power Off screen. You’d normally use this to switch your phone off, so you can turn it back on and reboot it. However, this time, don’t touch the slide and, instead, take your finger off the power button.

Now, press and hold the Home button and keep it depressed. After a few seconds, your phone will jump back to the iOS home screen. It may feel as though not much has happened, but your phone or tablet will have refreshed its memory and any broken apps or slowdowns should be fixed.

Note, if when you pressed the home button down you just got the Siri prompt, this is because your device was locked when you held down the power button. Unlock your phone and repeat these instructions and you’ll be able to get it working.

Should you find that this little tip doesn’t fix your problems, then you’ve still got the usual methods to try. You can hold down the power button, slide to shut down and then power on your phone again to reset it.

If that doesn’t fix an app, you can double-tap the home button to bring up the task switcher, swiping up on an app to close it; try reloading the app.

If that doesn’t work, you can uninstall an app (press and hold the icon on the home screen, then tap the cross) and reinstall it. My guess is that you won’t have to do any of that, as the memory refresh takes care of most problems.