Is iOS 17 Slow on Your iPhone? Here’s the Fix

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.

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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!