X

7 common iOS problems and how to fix them (pictures)

A guide for troubleshooting some of the most common and frustrating error messages seen on your iPhone or iPad.

Dan Graziano
Dan Graziano is an associate editor for CNET. His work has appeared on BGR, Fox News, Fox Business, and Yahoo News, among other publications. When he isn't tinkering with the latest gadgets and gizmos, he can be found enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City.
Dan Graziano
ios-problems-01.jpg
1 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Let's face it, our phones aren't perfect. They can be slow, have trouble powering on, and suffer from terrible battery life.

These are some quick fixes for some of the most common problems iPhone and iPad owners face.

This slideshow was originally published on June 20, 2014, and has been updated to include new information on iOS 8.4.

ios-problems-02.jpg
2 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Battery drain

Poor battery life is a problem every user must deal with. Disabling background apps from refreshing, changing location services and removing faulty apps can greatly improve battery life.

The Background App Refresh option can be turned off by going to Settings, clicking on General and selecting Background App Refresh. You can choose to disable the feature all together, although you may be better off just turning it off for the apps that don't need to be refreshed as frequently.

Next, head to Settings, click on Privacy and select Location Services. Scroll down and choose System Services. While some of these options are designed to improve your experience, some can actually dramatically drain your battery life. I recommend disable Location-Based iAds, Popular Near Me and the Frequent Locations feature.

You can also head to General > Usage > Battery Usage to see which apps are taking the biggest toll on your battery life.

ios-problems-03.jpg
3 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Frozen or slow user interface

Is your iPhone or iPad running slowly or poorly? Go to Settings, select General, click on Usage, followed by Manage Storage.

Devices typically begin to slow down as their internal storage fills up. If you have a lot of unused apps or old photos, delete them or move them to the cloud. An iOS app can be deleted with a long press on the home screen.

I also recommend disabling the parallax wallpaper -- it's the feature that makes it seem like the background on the home screen is moving when you tilt the phone. To disable it, click on General in the settings menu, followed by Accessibility and turn on the Reduce Motion option.

ios-problems-04.jpg
4 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Connectivity issues

If you are having a problem connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or your cellular network, enable Airplane mode for 30 seconds, toggle it off and try connecting again. Sometimes simply toggling the specific connection can also solve the problem.

Still having issues? Try repairing or setting up your Bluetooth device or Wi-Fi network again. Go to Settings, click on General, select Reset, followed by Reset Network Settings.

ios-problems-08.jpg
5 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Failed text messages

Having trouble with iMessage or test messages? Ensure you are connected to the Internet either through Wi-Fi or cellular, click the red exclamation point next to the message, and click the "try again" option.

If the problem continues, try force restarting your device by holding the Home and Power buttons.

ios-problems-05.jpg
6 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Syncing problems

Syncing problems can be frustrating. Before we begin to troubleshoot, ensure that you are connected to the Internet via either Wi-Fi or cellular. You should then test to make sure your connection is working. Try opening the Facebook app or go to Google.com on your device's Web browser.

If the Internet is working and you are still having problems syncing, make sure you are on the latest version of iOS. To check and see if there is a software update available, head to Settings, click on General and select Software Update.

If syncing problems continue, try removing the specific account from your device and adding it again. Many of your accounts can be accessed in the Mail, Contacts, Calendars option in the device's settings menu.

ios-problems-06.jpg
7 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

App crashes

If there is an update available for your iPhone or iPad, accept and install it. You can check for software updates by going to Settings, clicking on General and selecting Software Update.

You should also keep your apps up-to-date in the App Store. An easier way to ensure that apps are always up to date is to turn on Automatic Updates. This can be done by going to Settings, clicking on iTunes & App Store and toggling the Updates switch to on.

If an app is unresponsive or has crashed, you should double-tap the Home button, swipe the specific app away and try reopening it.

ios-problems-07.jpg
8 of 8 Sarah Tew/CNET

Unresponsive screen

You may want to throw your phone against the wall when it begins to malfunction, but there isn't a need to panic. Most problems are fixed with a simple restart.

If your phone has completely locked up, press and hold the power button and Home key at the same time until you see the Apple logo. This will reboot your device.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos