How to Fix iOS 16 Performance Issue on your iPhone (Works on 16.6 or Higher)

Apple has finally started rolling out the official stable iOS 16 software update to its eligible iPhone models worldwide from September 12, 2022. IOS 15 users can now visit Settings > General > Software Update to check for the available updates respectively. This time, iOS 16 brings plenty of visual changes & improvements apart from lock screen features. However, plenty of users seem to be facing iOS 16 Performance Issues on their iPhones.

As more and more iOS users install the latest iOS 16 stable update on their iPhones, a wide range of performance-related issues are coming into the light. Though most issues or bugs are common among iOS users, Apple hasn’t fixed all bugs from the beta build. We’re expecting that the company will soon investigate all known issues and try to resolve them as early as possible. There are a couple of issues as per reports.

Why iPhone Gets Slow After the iOS 16 Update?

To be precise, the performance issue includes slow app launching, app crashes, system interface lag, automatic restarts, battery draining, overheating, home screen widgets not loading, connectivity issues, and more. If you’re also one of the victims to encounter such an issue, then make sure to follow this troubleshooting guide completely to fix it. Well, even if you’re using the iPhone 12 or 13 series, you may experience similar kinds of problems whatsoever.

Sometimes a couple of specific performance issues may become quite difficult for several users to cope with because they might be related to the hardware or the installed iOS version/build. If the following workarounds didn’t work for you, you should downgrade the iOS 16 version to the previous generation iOS 15 version easily. Otherwise, make sure to contact Apple Support or visit your nearest Apple Authorized Store for further assistance.

So, here are some of the common possible reasons that can trouble you a lot with the iPhone’s performance. Make sure to take a quick look at them.

• Problematic Bloatware or other junk files present on your iPhone
• Using an outdated build or iOS 16 [Or using the iOS 16 Beta]
• Issues with the poor internet connection or cellular network signal
• Your iPhone gets overheated or cold due to the extreme environment
• Some Settings on your iPhone should be optimized [For example; Motion, Display Brightness, Location Services, etc]
• Plenty of background running applications in the Recents panel
• Weaker battery health status
• Temporary glitches with the networking or device settings

How to Fix iOS 16 Performance Issue on your iPhone

Luckily, there are some possible workarounds mentioned below that should come in handy. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Force Reboot your iPhone

iPhone users can easily force restart their device by following the steps below to fix any kind of temporary system glitch or cache data issues.

• Your iPhone should be turned on and unlocked.
• Now, quickly press the Volume Up (+) key and release, then quickly press the Volume Down (-) key and release, then quickly press & hold the Power (side key) button for a few seconds until the Apple boot logo appears on the screen.
• After the Apple logo appears, you can release the Power (side key) button.
• You’ll need to wait for your iPhone to boot to the system.
• Once done, your iOS 16 running iPhone should run smoothly.

2. Check for Software Updates

You should also check for the available software updates on your iPhone. Even if you’re running on the iOS 16 version, Apple releases monthly patch updates or new build version updates for its iOS. Installing the latest update should fix multiple bugs or crashes in most cases. To do so:

• Go to the Settings app on your iPhone > Tap on General.
• Tap on Software Update > Make sure to select Automatic Updates to On for your convenience.
• At the same time, the system will automatically start checking for the available software update.
• If available, it’ll notify and then you can tap on Download and Install. [It’ll also ask you to enter the device passcode]
  • If there is no update available, you’ll see the ‘iOS is up to date’ notification on the screen.

3. Check your Internet Connection

The chances are also high that somehow your internet connection becomes poor or unstable and your iPhone can’t connect to the iCloud properly to sync all of your saved data. Cross-check with the internet connection no matter whether you’re using mobile data or Wi-Fi. If in case, you’re facing any app-related issues such as the app not loading or infinitely trying to connect to the internet then you should ensure your internet connection is running well.

4. Ensure to Turn On Wi-Fi or Mobile Data

Sometimes issues with the temporary networking glitch or cellular network issue can cause multiple conflicts. It’s better to turn off the Wi-Fi or mobile data manually and then turn it on to ensure that it’s working or not. Just swipe down the screen from the top-right side of your iPhone to open Control Panel and then turn on mobile data or Wi-Fi accordingly.

5. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

If in case, your iOS 16-running iPhone is unable to load any online application or the app itself fails to connect to the network that means there is still a connectivity glitch. It’s also worth recommending to turn on the Airplane Mode on your iPhone and then turn it off by following the steps below to refresh the connectivity glitch of iOS 16. Sometimes installing the latest software update can initially trouble you a lot due to the cache data or glitches.

Additionally, issues with Bluetooth or NFC connectivity can also occur a lot after installing the latest software update on the iPhone. So, turning on and then off Airplane Mode can come in handy. Several affected users did find this trick helpful.

• Open the Settings app > Tap on Airplane Mode.
• Make sure to Turn On the toggle and wait for a few seconds.
• Then Turn Off the toggle again and check for the issue.

6. Set Correct Date and Time on iPhone

Sometimes incorrect time and date settings on your device may start conflicting with the system as well as the cellular network. Whereas some webpages and some online services may also start showing you some errors due to the incorrect time & date. Additionally, issues with the region or timezone settings can also trouble you a lot. To set the correct date and time, you can follow the steps below.

• Open the Settings app > Tap on General.
• Tap on Date and Time > Set the correct TimeZone.
• Turn on Set Automatically > Restart the iPhone to apply changes.

7. Allow Required Permission to All Apps

Whatever application you’re using on your iPhone, if you don’t give enough permissions to that app then it may start conflicting with the launching as well as performance. Whereas some iOS apps may not even launch or are stuck on the initial loading screen if the necessary permissions aren’t granted. So, make sure to allow the necessary app permissions whenever you launch an application for the first time. Otherwise, you can follow the steps below to do so:

• Open the Settings app > Scroll down to the specific app.
• Now, tap on the particular app > Enable the specific access (required one) toggle. [For example; WhatsApp requires contacts and camera permission]
• Once done, reboot the iPhone, and check for the issue again.

8. Update the Problematic App

Well, you should also try updating the problematic application on your iPhone because almost every day you will find a new update for any of your installed apps & games. So, it’s always a better idea to install the latest update for all of your installed apps to get a smoother experience.

• Just tap and hold the App Store icon on the home screen.
• Select Updates > Now, pull down the screen to refresh the list of available app updates.
• We’ll recommend you tap on Update All so that all pending updates complete automatically. [You can tap on Update for the problematic app only if you want]
• Now, wait for the app updating process to get completed.
• Check for the issue once the specific app is updated to the latest version.

9. Disable Location Services

Some of the affected iOS 16 users have claimed that the background running location services on the iPhone did trouble them in optimal performance. Whereas some users faced battery draining or overheating issues because of the location services turned on. You should turn off the location services by following the steps below:

• Open the Settings app > Go to Privacy & Security.
• Tap on Location Services > Turn Off the Location Services toggle.
  • You can also disable the location services option for any specific application. Still, we’ll recommend you disable it completely.
• Whenever any app asks you to enable the location services, make sure to set the While Using the App option.
• Otherwise, you can also head over to the Location Services settings to adjust the permission accordingly for the particular app.

10. Try Reducing Motion Settings

You can also try reducing the motion settings option on your iPhone to improve the iPhone’s performance to some extent. It includes the parallax effect of wallpapers, and apps, screen transitions, Siri animations, etc. You can follow the steps below to do so:

• Open the Settings app > Go to Accessibility.
• Select Motion > Turn ON or OFF any of the following controls according to your preference:
  • Reduce Motion: Reduces the user interface’s motion, including the icons’ parallax effect.
  • Auto-Play Message Effects: It allows the Messages app to automatically play full-screen effects. If you turn this setting off, you can still manually play effects by tapping Replay below the message bubble.
  • Auto-Play Video Previews: Allows apps such as the App Store to automatically play video previews.
  • Limit Frame Rate: Limits the maximum frame rate of the display to 60 frames per second (For ProMotion displays like iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max).
• Once done, you can force reboot your iPhone to check for the issue again.

11. Adjust Display & Brightness Settings

You can easily adjust display brightness and color temperature on your iPhone according to your preference so that your eyes won’t get hurt unnecessarily. Additionally, you can enable or disable the True Tone mode, Dark Mode, etc options. Lowering the Brightness level, enabling Dark Mode, and turning off Raise to Wake can eventually reduce the battery draining issue on your iPhone. To do so:

• Tap on the Settings app > Go to Display & Brightness.
• Reduce the screen brightness level by dragging the slider to the left side.
• Make sure to Turn On the Dark Mode theme for your system globally.
• Next, you should Enable True Tone > Disable Raise to Wake to save some battery juice.

12. Turn Off Content and Privacy Restrictions

It’s also recommended to turn off the content and privacy restrictions feature on your iPhone under the Screen Time option. If in case, you’ve enabled screen time restrictions for any of your apps, you may definitely face some issues.

• Tap on the Settings app > Tap on Screen Time.
• Tap on App Limits and check if any apps are added. [If added, remove apps]
• Now, Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
• Make sure to Turn Off the Content & Privacy Restrictions toggle.
• Finally, force reboot your iPhone and check for the issue again.

13. Try Using Still Wallpaper (No Live Wallpaper)

Avoid using animated gifs or live wallpapers on your iPhone because such dynamic images on the lock screen or the home screen may reduce battery juice drastically. Some iOS 16 users are also reporting that after installing the update, the device becomes quite warm in moderate usage. So, you should set a still (non-moving) wallpaper on your iPhone to avoid additional battery draining.

14. Do Not Charge iPhone Overnight

It’s also highly recommended not to overcharge your iPhone for the whole night or more than 1-1:30 hours. Excessive time of battery charging won’t make any improvement in battery juice but it will eventually affect your battery health badly. Try charging your device sufficiently and unplug the charging cable when the battery level gets full or before making it full.

15. Do Not Expose iPhone under Extreme Condition

Ensure not to expose or keep your iPhone for a longer period of time under extreme conditions like direct sunlight, inside the car while parking, direct snowfall, etc. Keeping your iPhone in suitable weather or environment will keep your device working fine. Otherwise, excessive heat or cold can damage the battery physically. This method is really helpful for those who are already dealing with battery draining and overheating issues on iOS 16 or older.

16. Turn Off Attention-Aware Features

You can also disable the attention-aware features on your iPhone using the Face ID unlock option. It’ll reduce the battery draining to some extent because the Face ID sensor won’t be going to run in the background to check if you’re using your iPhone. Attention-Aware Features help your iPhone to check for attention before going dim the display, expanding a notification when locked, or lowering the volume of alerts. To do so:

• Tap on the Settings menu > Tap on Face ID & Passcode.
• Now, enter the device passcode to proceed.
• Turn Off the Attention-Aware Features toggle.

17. Enable Optimised Battery Charging

The chances are high that some iOS 16 users also face the slow battery charging issue for more than 1-1:30 hours which is a typical time to get fully charged. Sometimes the iPhone can also get overheated while charging even if you’re not using it. In that case, it’s better to turn on the optimized battery charging mode on the iPhone to allow the system to do its own job. To do this:

• Open the Settings app > Tap on Battery.
• Tap on Battery Health > Enable the Optimised Battery Charging toggle.

18. Use Low Power Mode Accordingly

You should also try turning on the Low Power Mode on your iPhone according to your preference to save the battery juice until you connect your device to the charging again. This feature basically turns off some background tasks like downloads, mail fetching, notifications, etc to save battery while in an emergency. To do so:

• Open the Settings app > Tap on Battery.
• Now, Enable the Low Power Mode toggle.
• You’re good to go.

19. Turn Off Apps Tracking

Make sure to disable the tracking access to your applications so that any kind of background data fetching won’t happen on your iPhone. Obviously, it’ll save some battery juice and avoid from unexpected data breaches. To do this:

• Open the Settings app > Go to Privacy & Security.
• Tap on Tracking > Turn Off the Allow Apps to Request to Track toggle.

Please Note: Otherwise, you can also keep it turned on but turn off all applications from the list except for the necessary one which won’t work without the tracking access.

20. Disable Personalised Ads of Apple

Apple-Delivered Advertising is an optional mode on the iPhone that users can turn on/off as per their preference. However, it seems that iPhones do come with personalized Apple ads enabled by default. Even after you turn it off manually, it will get enabled sometimes, especially after updating the iOS version. So, you should check the same, and turn it off again. To do that:

• Open the Settings app > Go to Privacy & Security.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page > Tap on Apple Advertising.
• Now, Turn Off the Personalised Ads toggle.

21. Turn Off Lockdown Mode

Apple has recently released the ‘Lockdown Mode’ as a new feature on iPhones and iPads running on iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 or later. It’s a highly advanced security & privacy feature for some sophisticated iPhone or iPad users who may get targeted or attacked by professional hackers or terrorists, etc. We’ve already seen the chaos of the Pegasus spyware that made hackers access your personal information on Apple devices.

Well, Apple is known for protecting its user data from external attacks. However, powerful spyware or malware can eventually result in a lawsuit from Apple. So, if you’re one of the political, celebrity, public figure, or any specifically designated person of any renowned company or duty of your country, etc and somehow you’re feeling that someone is targeting your iPhone to get your personal/professional data, then you can turn on Lockdown Mode.

Otherwise, this specific option isn’t useful for the standard people. Lockdown Mode basically blocks external ongoing connections and data syncs on your iPhone to increase the security level. If the Lockdown Mode is activated on your iPhone, several features won’t be available on your iPhone to use. So, unless you need it, you shouldn’t activate it. However, if it’s activated by mistake, you should turn it off immediately by following the steps below.

• Go to the Settings app > Tap on Privacy & Security.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page > Tap on Lockdown Mode to turn it off. [If only it’s already turned on]

22. Reset Network Settings

In some cases, issues with the network settings on your iPhone may also cause conflicts that should be fixed properly. This method will delete the configured Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data settings by default. So, make sure to remember the Wi-Fi password to connect again after the reset process. Now, follow the steps below to perform the network settings reset:

• Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Go to General > Scroll down and tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Now, tap on Reset > Select Reset Network Settings.
• You may need to enter the lock screen passcode to confirm it.
• Wait for it to complete and then reboot the iPhone to apply changes.
• Finally, connect to the network again, and check for the issue. [For Wi-Fi, you’ll need to enter the Wi-Fi password to connect]

23. Reset All Settings

Ensure to performing reset all settings on your iPhone by following the steps because not only the networking settings but also some other incorrect settings on the device can trouble you a lot. It’s better to reset all settings on the iOS 16 device to check if the problem is still bothering you or not.

• Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Go to General > Scroll down and tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Tap on Reset > Select Reset All Settings.
• If prompted, enter the lock screen passcode to confirm it.
• Wait for the process to get completed > Now, force reboot the iPhone to apply changes.

24. Restore iPhone from iCloud or iTunes Backup

Sometimes you may need to restore your iPhone to recover the system from the iCloud Backup or iTunes Backup. However, do keep in mind that this method will completely reset the iPhone system, and you might lose some data if not properly backed up. So, make sure to take a full backup before performing this method.

Note: This method will only apply if you’ve previously backed up your data on iTunes or iCloud. If there is no previous backup made then you can skip this method.

Restore iPhone with iTunes:

• Open iTunes on your computer > Now, connect your iPhone to the Windows or Mac via the USB cable.
• Connect iTunes to the iPhone and the device will get detected.
• Next, click the iPhone icon from the left pane > Click on Restore Backup.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the restore process.
• Once done, your iPhone will boot into the system automatically. It’ll take some time so please be patient.
• Finally, your device will boot into iOS, disconnect the iPhone then complete the initial setup process.
• You’re good to go.

Restore iPhone with iCloud:

• Go to the Settings app on your iPhone > Tap on General.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page > Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Tap on Reset > Select Erase All Content and Settings.
• If prompted, enter the device passcode to confirm the task.
• Your iPhone will restart automatically > It may take some time to complete.
• Once the iPhone boots into the system, go through the initial setup process.
• Next, sign in to your Apple ID > Here, you’ll have to select Restore from iCloud Backup.
• Once the backup data is selected to restore, confirm the task to proceed.
• Wait for the process to complete> Finally, your iPhone will reboot again to load the backup.
• Enjoy! You’re good to go.

25. Downgrade to iOS 15 Stable

If none of the methods worked for you, then manually downgrade or roll back the iOS 16 version to the iOS 15 stable version by following this full-depth guide. It’s recommended to go back to the iOS 15 stable version until Apple makes the iOS 16 version more stable. The chances are high that iOS 16 is new in the market publicly and may take some time to get additional bug fixes. Several affected iOS 16 users have done the same and fixed the issue.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.