How do I fix my iPhone apps from freezing and crashing?

Having iPhone apps freeze or crash can be incredibly frustrating. It interrupts your workflow and wastes your time. Thankfully, there are several ways you can try to fix these issues on your own before taking more drastic measures like resetting your iPhone.

Why Do iPhone Apps Freeze or Crash?

There are a few common reasons why iPhone apps may freeze or crash:

• Buggy app code – Apps may have bugs or glitches in their programming code that causes them to malfunction.
• Too many background apps – Having many apps running in the background can overload your iPhone’s memory and CPU, causing apps to freeze or crash.
• Outdated app – Apps that haven’t been updated in a while may have compatibility issues with newer versions of iOS.
• Outdated iOS – An outdated operating system can cause compatibility issues and glitches.
• Low storage space – If your iPhone is low on storage space, apps may freeze or crash as they run out of room.
• Jailbroken iPhone – Jailbreaking your iPhone and installing unsupported apps and tweaks can lead to stability issues.
• Extreme temperature – Very hot or cold temperatures can sometimes cause processor issues leading to app crashes.

Quick Fixes to Try

If your iPhone apps are freezing or crashing, here are some quick troubleshooting steps you can try:

Close All Apps and Restart Your iPhone

Closing all open apps and powering down your iPhone resets the phone’s memory and clears out any glitches. Here’s how to do it:

1. Double click the Home button to bring up your recently used apps.
2. Swipe up on all open apps to force close them.
3. Hold down the power button until the “Slide to Power Off” prompt appears.
4. Swipe to power your iPhone off. Wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.

Force Quit the Problem App

You can force quit just the app that’s having issues by following these steps:

1. Double click the Home button.
2. Swipe up on the app preview to force quit it.
3. Try reopening the app to see if the issues persist.

Check for App Updates

Apps that are out of date may have bugs or compatibility issues. Follow these steps to update your apps:

1. Open the App Store app.
2. Tap your profile icon at the top right.
3. Scroll down to see any available app updates and tap “Update” next to each one.

Update Your iPhone Software

An outdated iOS version can cause freezing and crashing. Here’s how to update your iPhone’s software:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General > Software Update.
3. Download and install any iOS updates available.

Free Up Storage Space

Low storage space can cause performance issues. Free up space by:

• Offloading unused apps
• Deleting old messages
• Storing photos/videos in iCloud
• Deleting music or media you no longer need

Reset All Settings

Resetting all settings won’t delete your data but can fix software glitches. Here’s how:

1. Go to Settings > General > Reset.
2. Tap “Reset All Settings.”
3. Enter your passcode if prompted.
4. Your iPhone will reset settings and restart.

Troubleshooting Steps for Specific App Issues

If you’re having issues with a particular app freezing or crashing, here are some tips for common apps:

Safari

• Clear history and website data in Settings > Safari.
• Disable content blockers temporarily.
• Ensure all web pages and tabs are closed before quitting.
• Check for Safari updates in the App Store.

Camera

• Clear up storage space on your iPhone.
• Check that the camera lens is clean and not obstructed.
• Restart your iPhone and retry the Camera app.
• Try resetting all settings.

Messages

• Reset Network Settings in General settings.
• Disable notifications for the Messages app.
• Unpair and repair Apple Watch if you have one.
• Try disabling iMessage syncing on any linked devices.

Mail

• Remove and re-add your email accounts.
• Increase your iCloud storage if needed.
• Turn off “Load Remote Images” in Mail settings.
• Delete old emails and attachments to free up space.

Maps

• Make sure your iPhone software and Maps app are updated.
• Reset Network Settings.
• Toggle Location Services off and back on.
• Clear cached Maps data in Settings.

Instagram

• Unlink and relink your Instagram account in iPhone Settings.
• Log out then log back into your Instagram account.
• Delete and reinstall the Instagram app.
• Check for app updates in the App Store.

Facebook

• Log out and back into your Facebook account.
• Update to the latest version of the Facebook app.
• Delete and reinstall the Facebook app.
• Check device storage space and clear cache.

YouTube

• Force quit the YouTube app before relaunching.
• Update the YouTube app in the App Store.
• Sign out then sign back into your YouTube/Google account.
• Clear browser history and website data in Settings.

When to Reset Your iPhone

Resetting your iPhone erases all of your data and settings and restores it to factory default settings. This should fix any software related issues causing apps to crash or freeze. Consider resetting your iPhone if:

• None of the above troubleshooting steps worked
• Your iPhone is still persistently freezing or crashing
• Your iPhone has slowed down significantly
• You keep getting error messages
• Apps take a long time to open
• Your iPhone won’t power off/on correctly

Before resetting your iPhone, be sure to backup your data either to iCloud or iTunes. Then follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > General > Reset.
2. Tap “Erase All Content and Settings.”
3. Enter your passcode if prompted.
4. Tap through the warning prompts until your iPhone resets.
5. Go through the setup process until your iPhone is restored.
6. Restore your data from your iCloud or iTunes backup.

When to Take Your iPhone to Apple

If resetting your iPhone and the other troubleshooting steps don’t resolve your apps freezing or crashing, it’s probably time to take it to Apple. Make a Genius Bar appointment at your local Apple store. Be prepared to explain:

• When the issues started happening
• Which specific apps are affected
• How often the crashes/freezes happen
• What troubleshooting you’ve tried so far
• Whether the issues happen after a certain duration of use

Based on these details, an Apple technician can run diagnostics tests, check your iPhone’s hardware, and determine if you need a repair or replacement device.

Preventing App Freezing and Crashing

Here are some tips to help avoid iPhone app crashes happening regularly in the future:

• Close unused apps – Don’t leave apps running in the background that you’re not using. This helps prevent memory issues.
• Update apps regularly – Install app updates as soon as they become available.
• Free up storage space – Offload unused apps and delete old data to keep at least 5GB free.
• Back up your data – Use iCloud or iTunes to regularly back up your iPhone.
• Avoid extreme temps – Don’t leave your iPhone in very hot or cold environments.
• Restart occasionally – Power your iPhone off and on every few days for better performance.

Conclusion

Apps freezing and crashing on your iPhone can be incredibly frustrating. However, there are many troubleshooting techniques you can try yourself before resorting to resetting your iPhone or taking it into an Apple store. Start with simple fixes like closing apps, updating software, freeing up storage and restarting your iPhone. If issues persist, reset and restore your iPhone to factory settings. And if all else fails, have an Apple technician examine your device for hardware or software issues needing professional repair. With proper care and maintenance, you can minimize app crashes and keep your iPhone running smoothly.