Why Is My iPhone 7 Plus Slow? Here's The Real Fix!

David Lynch

AUGUST 10, 2017

I'm often asked, "Why is my iPhone 7 Plus slow?" The iPhone is a powerful device, so it's natural to be frustrated when it's not working quickly. In this article, I'll explain why your iPhone 7 Plus is slow and recommend seven tips that will help speed it up!

Why Is My iPhone 7 Plus Slow?

There are many reasons why your iPhone 7 Plus is slow, most of which are software related. Although the iPhone 7 Plus is the most powerful iPhone Apple has ever launched, we can't rule out the very slight possibility that your iPhone is defective.

The first seven steps below are tips that you can use to try an speed up your iPhone 7 Plus. If your iPhone 7 Plus is still slow a little while after implementing these tips, you may want to visit your local Apple Store to get a diagnosis.

 

How To Fix A Slow iPhone 7 Plus

8 Steps Total
1.

Turn Your iPhone Off And Back On

When you turn off your iPhone, the operating system shuts down all the little background programs that keep your iPhone running. When you turn your iPhone back on, all those little background programs start fresh, and sometimes that’s enough to fix a simple software glitch.

How Do I Turn My iPhone Off And Back On?

  1. Press and hold the power button (iPhones without Face ID) or the side button and either volume button (iPhones with Face ID) until "slide to power off" appears on the screen.
  2. Use your finger to swipe the red power icon across the screen from left to right.
  3. Wait for your iPhone to turn all the way off. This may take up to 30 seconds.
  4. To turn your iPhone on again, press and hold the power button (iPhones without Face ID) or side button (iPhones with Face ID) again until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
  5. Let go of the power button or side button and wait for your iPhone to turn on.
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2.

Close Out Of Apps You Aren't Using

When you don't close out of your apps, they stay loaded in the background so they'll be ready to go as soon as you open them back up. Problems really begin when one of those apps you have open in the background crashes, which can make your iPhone battery drain fast and possibly cause other apps to malfunction as well.

Apps left on in the background of your iPhone can also still send and receive data, which may slowly drain the amount of data your iPhone can use.

How Can I Check If One Of My Apps Has Crashed?

If you're ever wondering if an app is crashing on your iPhone, you can look for confirmation in the Settings app. Tap Privacy -> Analytics -> Analytics Data and check to see if any apps underneath LatestCrash.  If there are any apps listed here, then there may be a problem with those apps which is making them crash.

How Do I Close Out Of Apps You Aren't Using?

  1. Double-press the Home button to activate the App Switcher on your iPhone, which will display all the apps you currently have open.
  2. Using your finger, swipe up on the apps you want to close out of.
  3. You'll know the app has been closed when it's no longer displayed in the App Switcher.
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3.

Update Your iPhone Software In Settings

Apple puts out new software updates to improve efficiency, fix bugs, and introduce new features. Updating iOS can fix problems with your iPhone's software.

How Do I Update My iPhone Software In Settings?

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. Tap Download and Install or Install Now.
  5. Enter your passcode if prompted.
  6. The update will begin once it has been verified.
  7. The update is complete after your iPhone restarts.
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4.

Turn Off Background App Refresh

Leaving Background App Refresh on for many apps can significantly drain your iPhone's battery life because the apps will use your connection to Wi-Fi or data network to constantly download new data or information.

I recommend going through your apps one-by-one and determining which ones you want to allow to download new content even when you're not currently using it.

How Do I Turn Off Background App Refresh?

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Background App Refresh.
  4. Tap the switch next to the apps that you want to turn off Background App Refresh on. You'll know Background App Refresh is off on a particular app when its switch is gray and positioned to the left.
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5.

Free Up Storage Space On Your iPhone

When your iPhone is low on available storage, it may operate slowly. You also may not be able to download more apps, music, pictures, or software updates. Freeing up storage space on your iPhone can be a fix for both of these problems!

How Do I Free Up Storage Space On My iPhone?

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap iPhone Storage.
  4. At the top of this menu, you'll see how much storage space is available. If you have less than 1 GB of space available, it may be making your iPhone slow.
  5. To quickly free up some storage space, tap Enable next next to some of the features under the Recommendations submenu (see image 2).
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6.

Clear Safari History and Website Data

When your iPhone has saved a lot of data from the Safari app, your iPhone's speed may slow down significantly. By clearing Safari history and other website data, you can increase your iPhone's speed when it's slow.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and tap Safari.
  3. Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data.
  4. Tap Clear History and Data when the confirmation alert appears at the bottom of your iPhone's display.
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7.

Reset All Settings

Many iPhone problems are caused when Settings isn't set up correctly or by corruption within individual Settings app files. Restoring the Settings app back to factory defaults doesn't fix every iPhone software problem, but it is a go-to fix for Apple technicians because it does solve a lot of problems that would be very difficult to to track down by hand.

How Do I Reset All Settings?

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Transfer Or Reset iPhone.
  4. Tap Reset.
  5. Tap Reset All Settings.
  6. Enter your passcode, if prompted.
  7. Tap Reset All Settings again to confirm your decision.
  8. Your iPhone will shut down, complete the reset, and turn itself on again will automatically turn back on when the reset finishes.
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8.

Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you're looking to save some money you're not covered by Apple's warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple?

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple's Mail-In Service

  1. Visit Apple's support website to begin the online mail-in repair process.
  2. Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

  1. Visit Apple's website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don't have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor's note: I'm a former Apple tech and we're not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)
  2. When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.
  3. Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you're under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you're not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.
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Your iPhone: Once A Tortoise, Now A Hare!

You've followed the seven tips above and now your iPhone is as fast as a hare! Next time someone asks you, "Why is my iPhone 7 Plus so slow?", you'll know exactly what to tell them! Thanks for reading and let me know how these tips worked for you in the comments section below.

  1. Turn Your iPhone Off And Back On
  2. Close Out Of Apps You Aren't Using
  3. Update Your iPhone Software In Settings
  4. Turn Off Background App Refresh
  5. Free Up Storage Space On Your iPhone
  6. Clear Safari History and Website Data
  7. Reset All Settings
  8. Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Applies To: iPhone 7 Plus

AUTHOR

David Lynch

David Lynch is an expert on cell phones, cell phone plans, and other tech. After using a flip phone into his early 20s, he learned the ropes about iPhones and Androids from a former Apple employee. Today, his articles and videos are read and viewed by millions, and he has been cited by major publications including Reader's Digest, Wired, CMSWire, Consumers Advocate, and more.

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Willson Rai
Willson Rai
2 years ago

My iPhone 7+ recently updated to iOS 15.0.1. It’s now lagging and heating up more. I need solutions. I have not been able to play a game properly since I updated to iOS 15.

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Roger Allan Birch
Roger Allan Birch
2 years ago

Thanks muchly. The reset all settings made it all work.

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Liam Shotwell
Liam Shotwell
2 years ago
Reply to  Roger Allan Birch

That’s great! I’m glad we could help

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