If your iPhone or iPad is running slow

If your iOS or iPadOS device freezes or has performance issues, try these tips.

Check your network conditions

Many apps require an internet connection for their content and other functionality. If the network you're connected to is congested — for example, at an event with many people using the same network — apps may take a while to open or display their content. Your device can also seem slow as it repeatedly reconnects to new cellular towers when you're in a moving vehicle.

Even if your device indicates a strong signal, you might need to wait, try again in a different location or use available Wi-Fi. If you continue to experience issues with cellular data speed, availability or performance in multiple locations, contact your carrier.

Find out more about mobile data

Close an app that's not responding

If an app stops responding or freezes, you might need to force it to close and then open it again.*

1. From the Home Screen of iPhone X or later or iPad, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen. On iPhone 8 or earlier, double-click the Home button to show your most recently used apps.

2. Swipe right or left to find the app that you want to close.

3. Swipe up on the app's preview to close the app.

Find out what to do if an app repeatedly stops responding

Make sure that you have enough storage

If your device is low on storage, iOS or iPadOS will automatically free up space while installing an app, updating iOS or iPadOS, downloading music, recording videos and more. iOS or iPadOS only removes items that can be downloaded again or that aren't needed anymore.

You can check your device's storage in Settings > General > [Device] Storage. For best performance, try to maintain at least 1GB of free space. If your available storage is consistently less than 1GB, your device may slow down as iOS or iPadOS repeatedly makes room for more content.

If you need to free up some space, follow these steps to turn on the storage-saving recommendations built in to iOS or iPadOS:

1. Go to Settings > General > [Device] Storage and read the recommendations that iOS or iPadOS may provide.

2. Tap Enable to turn on a recommendation, or tap a recommendation title to review the content that you can delete.

If you can't see any recommendations — or if you need to free up even more space — you can review the apps on your device. They're listed on the same [Device] Storage screen along with the amount of space that they use.

Tap an app, then choose from the options:

• Offload the app, which frees up storage used by the app, but keeps its documents and data.

• Delete the app, which removes the app and its related data.

• Depending on the app, you may be able to delete some of its documents and data.

Find out more ways to optimise your storage

Turn off Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode is an iPhone and iPad feature that extends battery life by reducing the amount of power that your device uses. In Low Power Mode, some features are turned off and some tasks might take longer to complete. If your battery icon is yellow, Low Power Mode is turned on.

Consider leaving Low Power Mode off if you need your iPhone or iPad to function without low-power restrictions. You can turn Low Power Mode on or off in Settings > Battery.

Find out more about Low Power Mode

Keep your device from getting too hot or cold

iOS or iPadOS adjusts your device's performance if it becomes too warm due to external conditions, like being left in a hot car or used for an extended time in direct sunlight. Move your device to a cooler location and let its temperature adjust.

Very cold temperatures can also slow your device. If your device runs slowly after being exposed to cold, move it to a warmer location.

Find out more about acceptable operating temperatures

Look at your battery health

All rechargeable batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they chemically age. Over time, the rechargeable batteries in all iPhone and iPad models will diminish in their capacity and peak performance and will eventually need to be replaced. iOS can show battery health and recommend if an iPhone battery needs to be replaced. Go to Settings > Battery and tap Battery Health. Battery Health is available only on iPhone.

Check your iPhone battery

Get more help

A touchscreen that responds to taps incorrectly can make your device seem slow. If you think that your touchscreen isn’t responding correctly, try restarting your iPhone or iPad. If that doesn’t work, and the issue occurs in the same area of the screen in multiple apps, you may need to contact Apple Support.