You pull out your trusty iPhone to text a friend only to find the screen has frozen, again. Annoyed by the inconvenience you try turning it off to fix the problem. You turn your phone back on, and everything is working fine.
If your iPhone screen keeps freezing, it could be a sign that there’s a bigger problem.
A constantly freezing phone screen is more than an inconvenience. It makes it difficult for you to stay in touch with friends, family, or work. It can also be dangerous if you can’t call for help in an emergency.
The good news is you don’t need to go to your local Apple store or cell provider and get a new phone. You, or a professional, can fix many of the issues causing your screen to freeze.
If you’re tired of your freezing phone, then you must check out these five reasons why your iPhone keeps freezing and how to fix them!
1. Too Many Active Background Apps
The latest iPhone updates let you keep apps running in the background to make multitasking between them quick and easy. Most iPhone users, however, have a habit of leaving their apps running all the time.
The problem with leaving your apps running in the background is they can cause issues when you run a different app. Updating to a newer software can cause many background apps to crash or freeze if they’re not properly closed.
The Solution
If your iPhone screen keeps freezing on certain apps, you can force close apps to fix the problem. There are two ways to do this.
On an iPhone X or newer, navigate to the Home screen and swipe up from the bottom of the screen. All your open apps should show up on the screen. Scroll through and close the one you that froze by swiping it up.
If you use an older iPhone equipped with a Home button, you will have to double-click the button to view your open apps. Find the app or apps that keep freezing and swipe up to close them. Restart your iPhone after you’ve closed the background apps.
If your screen froze to the point where you can do nothing, you’ll need to force restart the phone. iPhone X users will need to:
- Press and release the volume up button
- Press and release the volume down button
- Press and hold the side power button until the Apple Logo appears.
iPhones with a home button will need to press and hold the volume down and Sleep/Wake side buttons at the same time. Release them when the Apple logo appears.
2. An Outdated iOS
iPhone iOS updates keep your phone secure and running smoothly. Unfortunately, many people are hesitant to update their operating systems due to bad experiences in the past. Outdated iPhone software can lower your phone’s performance and be the reason your iPhone screen keeps freezing.
Apple adds system improvements to prevent freezing and helps your iPhone run better than before. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to update your iPhone’s iOS.
The Solution
Navigate to the Settings app on your phone and select “General” to find “Software Update.” Press “Install Now” to install the latest available iOS. This process may take several minutes, and your phone will need at least 50% battery.
Another option is to connect your phone to your computer and update it through iTunes. A summary menu for your iPhone will appear where you can select “Update.”
3. Low Storage Space Available
Apps, photos, media, and more can quickly fill your iPhone’s storage space. Your iPhone will slow down and freeze when the storage space becomes too low. Check your iPhone’s available storage by navigating to “Settings,” “General,” and selecting “iPhone Storage.”
The Solution
If your iPhone storage is low, you’ll need to remove some media or apps to make more space. Your phone shows you a breakdown of what app or media is using the most space. Click on the app/s you rarely use and offload them to the Cloud or delete them.
4. Uninstall Buggy Apps
Buggy apps could be another reason your iPhone screen keeps freezing. Apple reviews and tests every app for quality and to ensure it meets developer guidelines before sending it to the App Store. Sometimes, Apple might miss a few smaller bugs.
If your iPhone only freezes when using a particular app, it’s likely the app is causing the problem.
The Solution
Your first option is to look for a new update for the app. Updating the app to the latest version should fix the problem. If the screen continues to freeze, try deleting the app and downloading it again from the App Store.
In some cases, the app can have a serious bug causing persistent screen freezes. You will need to delete the app completely and look for a different app offering similar features.
5. Low Battery Life
Keeping your phone’s battery charged will help prevent a freezing screen. When the phone battery gets too low, usually around 10%, your iPhone may freeze on a blank screen. This will sometimes happen before your phone shows the low battery image.
The Solution
Charge your iPhone. Connecting it to a power source will unfreeze your phone. Depending on the battery, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to over 20 minutes for your phone to work like before.
My iPhone Screen Keeps Freezing, What Else Can I Do?
Have you tried the above tips and tricks but still have issues with a freezing iPhone? The problems could be more complex.
Sometimes there are bugs in Apple’s iOS updates. Report the problem to Apple Support or your wireless carrier. Apple will fix most bugs in the next available software patch or a new version of the software.
Downloading a system monitor to your phone can help you watch for performance issues, memory usage, and system logs. You’ll be able to find what exactly is causing a problem and fix it. You’ll also be able to free up memory throughout the system monitor.
Don’t Struggle With a Freezing iPhone
If your iPhone screen keeps freezing, there are several great tips to fix it. Try any of the tips above to prevent your iPhone screen from freezing.
Are you still having problems with your iPhone screen continually freezing? Let us know! We have the knowledge and skills to get your iPhone working like new.
