Is Your iPhone Lagging? Here Are 13 Tips to Make It Less Laggy

Is your iPhone moving in slow motion while you’re just trying to do, well, anything? Apps take forever to open, scrolling stutters, and even typing lags like you’re back on dial-up. If that sounds familiar, we’ve got you. We’ve rounded up thirteen (yes, 13!) fixes that have been tested by us, countless iPhone users, and time itself. Ready to speed things up?

Why Your iPhone is Lagging

The iPhone, lauded for its sleek design and advanced features, generally offers a seamless user experience thanks to its highly optimized iOS. However, no device is perfect, and even iPhones can suffer from occasional performance lags. These disruptions can also diminish the overall functionality and enjoyment of the device. When you know the various causes of iPhone lag issues, you can more effectively diagnose and address the root of the problem, restoring the device’s optimal functionality.

• ⚙️ Outdated software. Older versions of iOS can lead to compatibility issues and decreased performance as applications are often optimized for the latest system updates.
• 🗜️ Full storage. iPhones with nearly full storage capacities have less room to allocate temporary files and data, which are important for smooth operation.
• 👾 Background processes. Apps running in the background consume system resources, making iPhones laggy.
• 📱 Outdated iPhone. Apple occasionally slows down older iPhones through software updates to extend battery life as the device ages.
• 📶 Unstable Internet connection. Certain apps, especially online games, require a stable connection to function smoothly. An inconsistent connection can cause these applications to lag.
• 🪫 Power saving mode. This mode conserves the battery by reducing the iPhone’s performance.
• 🔥 Overheating. High resource demand from certain apps can cause the iPhone to overheat. The device may throttle performance to protect its components, resulting in a laggy iPhone.
• 🔋 Low battery capacity. As the iPhone’s battery ages and diminishes in capacity, performance can degrade when its life falls below 80% of its original capacity.

13 Tips to Fix a Lagging iPhone

Now, let’s get to practice. We’ve got 13 ways to fix iPhone lag. Different methods target different issues—some free up resources, others tweak settings, and a few go deeper—but ALL of them will make your iPhone more responsive and smooth. Here’s how to fix iPhone lag:

1. Close Active Apps

One of the simplest ways to fix iPhone lagging is to close active apps running in the background. These apps can consume system resources and slow down your device. By regularly closing apps, you can free up RAM and improve performance.

1. Unlock your iPhone and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the App Switcher. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-click it instead.
2. In the App Switcher, you’ll see a carousel of open apps. Swipe left or right to browse through them.
3. To close an app, swipe it up and off the screen. This action will terminate the app’s activity.
4. Repeat this process for each app you want to close. Focus on apps that you are not actively using.

Although Apple claims that closing open applications does not impact iPhone performance, it actually helps make an iPhone less laggy.

2. Restart iPhone

Yes, it sounds obvious. Yes, it actually works. Restarting your iPhone can help resolve temporary glitches and refresh system processes. It’s a simple yet effective way to improve performance and fix laggy iPhone issues. A restart clears the memory and stops all ongoing tasks, providing a fresh start for your device.

• iPhone X and Later: Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off the phone. Wait for about 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
• iPhone 8 and Earlier: Press and hold the top (or side) button until the slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off the phone. After about 30 seconds, press and hold the top (or side) button until the Apple logo appears.

3. Manage iPhone Storage

A nearly full iPhone is a slow iPhone. When storage is packed, your device struggles to create the temporary files it needs to run smoothly. Although Apple doesn’t provide an exact number on how much free space you need, in our experience, it’s best to keep 10-20% of your storage free for optimal performance. Drop below 10%, and you’ll start running into all kinds of problems—app crashes, slow response times, and yes, lag.

Time to tidy up your iPhone’s storage.

Note. To see what’s eating up your storage, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Here, you’ll get a breakdown of your used and available storage, plus recommendations on what to clear. If your storage bar is mostly full, it’s time to act.

For most people, Photos take up the most space. Those thousands of memes, screenshots, duplicates, and 4K videos from last summer’s vacation? They add up fast. If Photos is your biggest storage hog, give it a thorough clean. You could do it manually—scrolling and trashing everything you don’t need—but why do all that work yourself, maybe there’s an app for it?

Of course, there is. We’ve tested plenty, and we took a particular interest in free apps (you can check out our ranking of the best free iPhone cleaners). Hands down, the best free cleaner app we tested was Clever Cleaner: AI iPhone Cleaner App. This app automates the cleanup process down to just a few taps. In our tests, we were able to clear out half a gigabyte of near-duplicate photos and nearly a dozen gigabytes of other unnecessary files from our media library—in just minutes.

The app focuses entirely on your media library, with 4 key cleaning features that tackle different types of clutter:

• Similars. Detects and cleans all those exact copies and similarly looking images that every library accumulates. While the Photos app has a built-in Duplicates album (detector), it only works for exact copies. This app goes further, using AI algorithms to scan, detect, and group similar shots—then automatically selects the best one to keep and cleans the rest. Of course, you can always review the groups and make your own selections if you prefer.
• Screenshots. Deletes all unnecessary screenshots in one go.
• Lives. Converts Live Photos into still images to save storage—something surprisingly rare, and a feature we haven’t found in most other competitors.
• Heavies. Lists all your photos and videos, sorted from largest to smallest, so you can quickly remove the biggest storage hogs. Shockingly, the Photos app (as of iOS 18) still doesn’t have this feature.

Clever Cleaner is pretty intuitive, but let’s still walk through a quick demonstration. Here’s how to clean duplicates and similar photos with the app:

1. Search for “Clever Cleaner” in the App Store or download it directly here. Once installed, launch the app and grant it permission to access your photos. This is only needed to scan your library. As stated on the official Clever Cleaner: Duplicate Cleaner webpage, “Clever Cleaner does all the processing locally on your device … no photos or personal data get uploaded to the cloud.”
2. Go to the Similars tab. This section scans for both exact duplicates and similar photos, even those taken days apart.
3. Tap Smart Cleanup. AI will analyze your photos, select the best ones, and mark duplicates and near-duplicates for deletion.
4. Prefer manual selection? Tap on a group, review images, and manually pick what to delete or keep. If you don’t want to remove anything, just tap Skip All.
5. Slide to Delete. Then, confirm the cleanup once more. And that’s it.

Use all the features—they’re all unrestricted and unlimited. We didn’t encounter any paywalls, locked tools, or even ads—not before, during, or after cleaning. Honestly, that impressed us just as much as the app’s actual cleaning capabilities.

One last step: after cleanup, don’t forget to empty your Recently Deleted in the Photos app. Clever Cleaner graciously reminds you that all deleted files go there (for up to 30 days) before being permanently removed. So, go there now and clear it out to instantly free up space.

Your photo library isn’t the only place that might need a cleanup, check out our guide on how to free up storage on your iPhone without deleting anything important for smart ways to reclaim space without sacrificing your files.

4. Check iOS Update

Keep your iPhone’s operating system updated for optimal performance. Updates often include bug fixes, security patches, and performance enhancements that can help fix a laggy iPhone. Regularly check for iOS updates to make sure that your device benefits from the latest improvements.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap General.
3. Select Software Update. Your device will check for available updates.
4. If an update is available, tap Download and Install. Check that your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi and has sufficient battery life or is connected to a power source.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Your device may restart during the process.

Regular updates can fix issues that cause an iPhone to lag, but as we mentioned before, the opposite can also be true. Updates often bring bug fixes, but they can also introduce new ones.

Before updating, it’s always a good idea to do a quick search like “iOS [version] problems” to see if others are reporting issues. This way, you can decide whether to update immediately or wait until Apple rolls out a more stable version.

5. Disable Background App Refresh

Your iPhone works hard—even when you’re not using it. Many apps constantly update in the background. This feature can consume resources and cause your iPhone to become laggy. Disabling Background App Refresh for apps that do not need it can help improve your phone’s performance and battery life.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap General.
3. Select Background App Refresh.
4. Tap Background App Refresh again and choose Off to disable it entirely or disable it for individual apps.

Disabling this feature for apps that don’t need to update in the background constantly can make your iPhone less laggy and conserve battery power. This simple adjustment can lead to noticeable improvements in speed and responsiveness.

6. Update Apps in the App Store

Outdated apps can be another hidden cause of lag—especially if they aren’t optimized for the latest iOS version. Developers frequently release updates to fix bugs and improve the user experience. Updating apps can help fix a laggy iPhone by addressing issues that cause slowdowns.

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone.
2. Tap your profile icon at the top right corner of the screen.
3. Scroll down to see a list of available updates. You can update apps individually by tapping Update next to each app or selecting Update All to update all apps at once.
4. Wait for the updates to download and install.

7. Disable Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode conserves battery life by reducing performance and limiting background activities. While this feature helps extend battery life, it can make your iPhone feel slow. Disabling Low Power Mode can enhance your iPhone’s performance when you need speed over battery savings.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Battery.
3. Toggle off the Low Power Mode switch. The battery icon in the status bar will change from yellow to white, indicating that the Low Power Mode is off.

If you disable Low Power Mode, your iPhone can operate at full performance capacity, which can help reduce lag and improve responsiveness. Consider disabling this feature when using resource-intensive apps or when you don’t need to conserve battery life. Keep in mind that Low Power Mode automatically turns off when your iPhone charges to 80% or more, restoring full performance.

8. Reduce Motion

The iPhone’s motion effects, such as parallax and animations, can strain system resources and contribute to a laggy experience. If you’ve noticed your iPhone screen lagging when switching apps or scrolling, turning off these animations can make a big difference. This is especially useful for older iPhone models that might struggle with these visual effects.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Select Motion from the list of options.
4. Toggle on the Reduce Motion switch. This action will minimize the animations and visual effects.
5. Optionally, toggle on Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions to further simplify the visual effects.

Reducing motion can make your iPhone less laggy by minimizing the processing power needed for animations. This can lead to a smoother user experience, especially if you prefer a simpler interface without the extra visual flair.

9. Check Internet Connection

A poor or unstable internet connection can make your iPhone appear laggy, especially when using apps that require internet access. Slow loading times and interrupted services often stem from connectivity issues rather than the device itself. Checking and improving your internet connection can help make your iPhone less laggy.

1. Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network with a strong signal. If necessary, move closer to the router or remove any obstacles that may weaken the signal.
2. Use an app or website like Speedtest by Ookla to check your internet speed. Compare the results with your expected speeds from your internet service provider.
3. If the connection is slow or unstable, try restarting your Wi-Fi router. Unplug it from the power source, wait about 30 seconds, and then plug it back in.
4. If Wi-Fi issues persist, consider using cellular data for a faster connection. Go to Settings > Cellular and toggle on Cellular Data.
5. Resetting network settings can resolve persistent connection problems. Navigate to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and select Reset Network Settings. This action will erase saved Wi-Fi passwords, so reconnect afterward.

If you resolve internet connectivity issues, you can reduce the perceived lag and improve your iPhone’s performance in online apps. A stable connection allows apps and services to function smoothly without unnecessary delays.

10. Turn Off Location Services

Your iPhone constantly tracks your location for apps like Maps, Weather, and social media—but do all your apps really need access to your whereabouts 24/7? Not only does this lead to a laggy iPhone, but it also drains battery life. Turning off Location Services can free up resources and speed things up.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
3. Select Location Services.
4. Toggle the switch next to Location Services to disable it entirely. Alternatively, scroll through the list of apps and toggle off location access for specific apps that do not need it.
5. For apps that require location data only when actively in use, choose While Using the App to limit their access.

11. Prevent Overheating

If your iPhone gets too hot, iOS automatically throttles performance to protect its internal components. That means lag, stuttering, and sluggish response times. Overheating can happen for many reasons—gaming for long periods, high-res videos, or charging your phone in direct sunlight. The fix? Keep your iPhone cool. Here are some tips to prevent overheating:

1. Keep your iPhone out of direct sunlight, especially during hot weather, as prolonged exposure can raise its temperature quickly.
2. Remove the case while charging to allow heat to dissipate more efficiently.
3. Regularly close apps not in use. Running too many apps simultaneously can increase the processor’s workload, generating heat.
4. Tasks like gaming or video streaming can heat your device. Limit these activities if you notice your iPhone getting warm.
5. When not needing connectivity, turn on Airplane Mode to reduce heat from cellular and Wi-Fi activities.

12. Reset All iPhone Settings

If nothing else has worked, your iPhone might just need a fresh start—without deleting your data. Resetting all settings restores system defaults, clears out any misconfigured settings, and can fix deep performance issues that may be causing iPhone lag.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Reset and choose Reset All Settings.
5. If prompted, enter your passcode and confirm the action. Your iPhone will restart, and all system settings will revert to default.

This reset will not delete your apps, photos, or other personal data, but it will reset settings like Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, and privacy settings. It can help resolve issues with your iPhone being laggy by clearing up any conflicting settings or misconfigurations.

13. Replace the Battery with a New One

Sometimes, the answer to “Why is my iPhone lagging so much?” might be simpler than you think—your battery health is too poor to handle tasks at full power. Apple considers a battery at 80% or higher to be in good condition. Once it drops below that, your iPhone may start throttling performance to prevent sudden shutdowns.

If your battery health has dipped below this threshold and other troubleshooting steps haven’t resolved the lag, a battery replacement could be the solution. Apple offers official battery replacement services to make sure your iPhone gets a genuine battery.

To check your battery health, open the Settings app, tap Battery, and select Battery Health & Charging. If the maximum capacity is significantly lower than 100% or if you see a message about service, it may be time to replace the battery. Visit the Apple Support page to explore battery replacement options. You can schedule an appointment at an Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider.

Replacing the battery can significantly improve performance and resolve lag issues, making your iPhone feel like new. Regular battery health checks can help you anticipate when a replacement might be necessary.

Why Can Your iPhone Lag in Specific Applications?

Lag in specific apps on your iPhone can often be traced back to the app’s requirements or settings. Two common reasons are high resource demands or settings optimized for newer models that older iPhones can’t handle efficiently.

Many applications, especially games, allow users to adjust graphics settings. High-quality settings can lead to significant lag, as they demand more processing power and memory. Lowering these settings can improve performance and reduce lag. Another factor is that some apps are designed with the latest hardware in mind. Developers might optimize their applications for the newest iPhone models, which can unintentionally degrade performance on older versions. This disparity can result in lag when your device does not meet the app’s optimal hardware requirements.

If an app consistently lags, check for any available updates. Developers often release patches that improve compatibility with a wider range of models or optimize performance. If the issue persists, consider contacting the app developer for more specific advice or to report the problem, as they may not be aware of issues on older models.

Closing Notes

To say that iPhone lag is one of those eternal issues wouldn’t be an exaggeration. No matter how powerful the latest models with A18 chips are, technology is never perfect. And if history has taught us anything, it’s that there has never been an iOS version where users didn’t report lag—especially right after release. If your iPhone is lagging on iOS 18, you’re not the only one (just check this Reddit discussion).

That being said, our experience shows that these methods are usually enough to bring an iPhone back to normality. We’ve structured this guide in a way that makes the most sense— the simplest, most effective fixes first and the more complex/expensive solutions toward the end. If you follow the list from top to bottom, you’ll likely fix your iPhone’s lag without much hassle and in no time.

If the issue isn’t hardware-related, your chances of fixing the lag quickly are very high. So go ahead, try these fixes, and enjoy a smoother, more responsive iPhone!