15 Things You’re Doing to Your iPhone That Apple Experts Wouldn’t (Part 2)

Part 2 of 2. (Photo: LIDERINA/SHUTTERSTOCK)

Save your smartphone!

Since iPhones are incredibly expensive, you’re probably doing everything you can to take care of yours…or are you? Proper iPhone care isn’t as intuitive as you might think. And, of course, an iPhone isn’t going to take care of itself, though many people seem to forget that. If you’re not updating, safeguarding, and cleaning your smartphone the right way on a regular basis, you might be inadvertently contributing to its untimely demise or, at the very least, not getting it to run as efficiently as possible. Here are 15 things you’re probably doing to your iPhone that Apple experts wouldn’t dream of doing—and what you should do instead.

8) Failing to close out your apps

The good thing about the iPhone is that you can flip from app to app with ease. However, according to Kelso, the bad thing about iPhones is that you need to close down those apps once in a while—and many people forget to do so. “When you jump from one app to another app, those apps don’t close down on your phone, they continue to run in the background which can slow down your phone,” he explains.

In order to free up memory on your phone, you need to close out of your apps occasionally. You can do this by tapping the Home button, which will show you which apps are running, and then swiping up to close the apps you’re not currently using. For iPhone 10 and above users, swipe from the bottom of the screen to show your running apps, and then swipe up to close them out.

When you download updates to your iPhone, this only updates the operating system (OS) on your iPhone—it doesn’t update your apps. “If you don’t keep your apps updated, you run the risk of them not working with the OS you’ve updated your phone to,” Kelso explains. Visit the App Store to see which of your apps need updates, and download them. “This way, you know your phone is updated, as well as the apps you use.”

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When you stuff your iPhone in your pockets or purse, there’s always a chance for lint to get caught in the charging port. “Lint or dust in the charging port will cause your phone not to charge or for the speakers/microphone to malfunction,” says Kelso. While newer phones have wireless charging, it’s always a good idea to keep that port clear. To clean it out, simply use a toothpick to remove any dust or lint caught in that spot. By the way, don’t freak out, but your phone screen is way dirtier than you thought it was.

Smartphones may be larger than they were a few years ago, making them harder to lose, but it’s still a good idea to turn on the Find My iPhone feature. “People are constantly losing their iPhones, but if you have Find My iPhone enabled, you can quickly locate that lost iPhone,” says Kelso. To locate a lost phone, just log into your iCloud account on another device and you’ll see where it is. But before you do that, make sure you know how enabling the option can make you a target for scammers.

Many people will set up an Apple ID and password as soon as they get an iPhone…and then promptly forget this information. “Your Apple ID comes in handy if you need to download apps from the App Store, or when transferring your information from an old iPhone to a new iPhone, backing up your information to iCloud, and locating your lost iPhone,” points out Kelso. If you set up an Apple ID and forget your password, just visit iforgot.com to reset it.

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Don’t keep your iPhone on all the time! According to Kelso, it’s a good idea to turn off your iPhone on occasion to give it a break. “Turning off your iPhone allows your phone to rest and shuts down any apps that are running in the background that are slowing your phone down,” he explains. In fact, this is how often you should restart your phone.

Since so many people have unlimited data, they don’t feel the need to connect their iPhones with their home or office Wi-Fi. However, according to Kelso, this is a mistake. “Many download features on your iPhone won’t work unless you connect to Wi-Fi,” he points out. For example, updates and iCloud backups won’t occur unless you’re connected. “This feature is set up because not everyone has an unlimited data plan,” he explains. Luckily, this is an easy fix. To connect your iPhone to your network, just go into Settings and then Wi-Fi.

Did you know that iPhones allow you to keep your health information on hand in case you have a medical emergency? “When you fill out this information, first responders know what medical conditions you have and will be able to help you,” explains Kelso. It’s also a good idea to set up the Emergency SOS feature so you can call for help when you need it at the touch of a button.