Has your iPhone or iPad been feeling a bit sluggish since updating to iOS 17 or iPadOS 17? You’re not alone, this happens to many users after major system software updates. Normally, updating should make your device faster, but not right away, especially if you have an older device, or you have tons of stuff stored on your iPhone or iPad.
If your device feels slow after updating to iOS 17 or iPadOS 17, don’t worry. We’ll explain why and provide some tips to speed up your iPhone or iPad again.
1. Have Patience After Updating to iOS 17 / iPadOS 17
• After a major update, your device performs background tasks to index the content including things like photos, contacts, files, videos, and other media. It also scans through your photos to identify objects, people, pets, and more. All of these background tasks can make your iPhone or iPad feel slower than expected. This is temporary and normal.
• These background tasks can also drain the battery faster, but it will return to normal once they’re done.
• Be patient and let your device finish these indexing tasks. Leaving it plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi overnight is a good solution, sometimes it takes a night or few to complete.
2. Update Your Apps
• Some apps may not work as smoothly as expected with iOS 17 until they’re updated by the developer.
• Go to the App Store, tap your profile icon, and select “Update All” to update your apps.
3. Disable Background App Activity
• Apps running in the background can slow down your iPhone or iPad. Turning off Background App Refresh can help.
• Go to Settings -> General -> Background App Refresh and set it to OFF.
4. Clear Up Storage
• iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 need free space to perform well. Aim for at least 5GB of free storage, but more is better.
• Go to Settings -> General -> iPhone/iPad Storage to remove unneeded apps or large files.
5. Check Battery Health
• Poor battery health can affect your iPhone performance.
• Go to Settings -> Battery -> Battery Health for any messages about battery degradation. Replacing the battery can help improve performance considerably.
6. Disable the Animations
• Older devices can feel much faster with animations disabled. Enable Reduce Motion to remove unnecessary animations and reduce eye candy on the device.
• Go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Motion -> Reduce Motion and turn it on.
7. Force Reboot Your iPhone
• Many performance issues and glitches can be fixed by force restarting your device.
• For Face ID iPhones and iPads, press volume up, then volume down, and hold the side/power button until you see the Apple logo. For devices with home buttons, hold the power and home buttons simultaneously until you see the Apple logo.
8. Install Future iOS/iPadOS Updates When They Arrive
• Most performance issues are not related to bugs or defects in software, but if they are, Apple will address them quickly with software updates to iOS and iPadOS. Therefore, keep on top of available updates to iOS and iPadOS.
• Install any system software updates if you see them available. You can always check in Settings > General > Software Update.
–
These tips are focused primarily on iPhone with iOS 17 that feels slow after updating, but can also apply to iPads facing sluggish performance after updating to iPadOS 17.
Give them a try, and your device should feel smoother and faster.
Share your experiences with iOS 17 in the comments below!
Related
FAQs
Lack of control over more demanding features: New features introduced in iOS 17 might be resource-intensive, and if not managed properly, they can slow down your iPhone. Software bug: Sometimes, bugs in the new iOS update can cause performance issues. These bugs are usually fixed in subsequent updates.
Why is my phone taking so long to update iOS 17? ›
If the download takes a long time
You need an internet connection to update your device. The time it takes to download the update varies according to the size of the update and your internet speed. You can use your device normally while downloading the update, and your device will notify you when you can install it.
Why is my iPhone lagging after iOS 17? ›
There could be several reasons why iPhone laggy issue happens after downloading and installing iOS 17 update. Tips 1 Your iPhone storage is too low to carry iOS 17 beta. Tips 2 Too many open apps. Tips 3 Your iOS 17 settings aren't optimized, such as motion and display brightness.
Should I update to iOS 17 or wait? ›
Bottom line: If your phone is compatible, you should almost certainly update to iOS 17. There's very little downside, and you get a lot.
How can I make iOS 17 faster? ›
To boost Haptic Touch speed in iOS 17, simply head to the Accessibility menu in Settings, select Touch, Haptic Touch, then Fast (touch duration will automatically be set to Default once iOS 17 is downloaded).
Is it good to download iOS 17? ›
iOS 17.0.
This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.
Is iOS 17 stable? ›
The verdict is in and it's a good one. Apple finally gets iOS 17 to a point where most things are working for most people. I try to install a new iOS release as soon as it hits Apple's download servers.
Will iOS 17 be a big update? ›
New features in iOS 17 include contact posters, NameDrop, StandBy, Live Voicemail, FaceTime video voicemail, a whole new Siri voice recognition model, huge improvements to autocorrect and dictation, and a lot more. It's almost like getting a new iPhone without paying a penny.
How much storage does iOS 17 take up? ›
Storage Requirements for Updating to iOS 17
You need about 11GB of storage to install the software. When you get the iOS 17 more storage required alert, you should free up more iPhone storage.
How to downgrade iPhone iOS 17 to 16? ›
There is no downgrade. Restore your backup from prior to the installation of the beta. If you don't have a backup from prior to loading the beta, then you're either going to be starting over from a reset device, or are committed to the continuation of the beta. There is no iOS downgrade.
Common Reasons for iPhone Slowing Down
Additionally, after an iOS update, some apps may not be optimized for the new software version, resulting in slower performance. It's also possible that a force restart may be necessary to resolve any temporary software glitches causing the slowdown.
When was iOS 17 released? ›
It was announced on June 5, 2023, at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference alongside watchOS 10, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma. It was made publicly available on September 18, 2023, as a free software update for supported iOS devices (see the supported devices section).
What will iOS 17 do? ›
You can turn your iPhone into a bedside clock, view photos, control music, and more. See Use StandBy to view information at a distance while iPhone is charging. Interactive widgets. Widgets on your Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy are even more useful with interactivity.
Does new iOS slow down iPhone? ›
It might happen that a new iOS version will slow your phone down a little because each new version needs more resources to work smoothly and new versions of iOS might be optimized for faster phones than yours. However, sometimes new iOS might actually speed things up too.
Do iOS updates make your phone slower? ›
While this is not the number one cause of slowdown, it should be considered as a factor. The cause of the slowdown is linked to your apps having to adapt to the new technical standards of the major update. This means some of them won't work as intended on older software versions and will cause your devices to lag.
