How to Fix Freezing on iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

If you're experiencing freezing on your iOS device, this guide will help you resolve the issue.

Make sure to test your device after performing each one of these steps. Any one of these steps may individually resolve your freezing issue altogether. If you feel like a particular step has resolved your issue, feel free to skip to the end of this guide.

2. Restart

To restart your device:

iOS devices with side buttons pointed out

Restart your iPhone X

Press and hold the Side button and either volume button until the slider appears.
Drag the slider to turn your iPhone X completely off.
After your iPhone X turns off, press and hold the Side button again until you see the Apple logo.

Restart your iPhone 8 or earlier, iPad, or iPod touch

Press and hold the Top (or Side) button until the slider appears.
Drag the slider to turn your device completely off.
After the device turns off, press and hold the Top (or Side) button again until you see the Apple logo.

With iOS 11 or later, you can also turn off your device by going to Settings, then General, then Shut Down.

3. Disable Background Processes

To turn off Automatic Downloads:

Select Settings.

Select iTunes & App Store.

Settings with iTunes and App Store highlighted.

Turn off ALL automatic downloads.

iTunes and Ap Stores settings ith Automatic Downloads highlighted.

To turn off Background App Refresh:

Select Settings.

Select General.

Select Background App Refresh.

General settings with Background App Refresh highlighted.

Select Background App Refresh again.

Background App Refresh settings with Background App Refresh highlighted.

Background App Refresh can be completely turned off.

Background App Refresh options with Off highlighted.

These processes do not need to be going on in the background and may gain you a noticeable increase in performance if you stop them.

4. Clear Safari Cookies and Data

Select Settings.

Select Safari.

Select Clear History and Website Data.

Safari settings with Clear History and Website Data highlighted.

Select Clear History and Data on the confirmation screen.

Safari Clear History and Data prompt with Clear History and Data highlighted.

This action may make browsing the web less convenient for a while. Safari will have forgotten the URLs you've been visiting so it will not suggest them as you type, unless they had been previously bookmarked. These will build back up over time.

5. Close Running Applications

Double press the Home button rapidly.

You will now see a list of apps that are currently open. Swipe up on any of the apps to close them.

Recent programs screen with arrows indicating to swipe up on an app

6. Update

To check and see if updates are available for your iOS device:

Select Settings.

Select General.

iOS Settings highlighting the general option.

Select Software Update.

iOS general settings menu highlighting software update.

Your iOS device will perform a search for available iOS updates.
If no update is available, it will display your current version of iOS and inform you that your software is up to date.

iOS Software update menu displaying update status.

If an update is available, it will be displayed.

iOS Software update menu displaying an available update, highlighting download and install.

Select Download and Install to begin the update process.
If prompted, enter your passcode to proceed.

7. Introduction

Factory resetting your iOS device is something that should only be considered or attempted if all other troubleshooting options fail.

Performing a factory reset on your iOS device completely erases the device. Be sure all appropriate data has been backed up before proceeding further.

8. How to Factory Reset Your iPhone

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