+ iOS issues
Fix some of the bugbears of iOS
1 If battery life is short
Firstly, make sure that your software is fully updated by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Then go to Settings > Battery on your device to check your usage.
The easiest solution to reduce the drain on your battery is to go into Low Power Mode (in the Battery section) which toggles various features from one place – background app refresh is disabled, automatic downloads are too, visual effects are toned down, and more. Note that Low Power Mode is an iPhoneonly feature. Go to apple.co/2b3WUdN for full details. Make an iCloud backup before trying a fix: go to Settings > [Apple ID] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
2 Your device is slow or unresponsive
If your device responds sluggishly or freezes, try to restart it by holding down both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until you see the Apple logo on the screen. If this fails to improve the situation and you have a recent iTunes or iCloud backup of your device, consider restoring it to factory settings (see apple.co/1EWim7U) to see if the behavior persists, and then restoring your backup to see if the problem returns.
3 You can’t run a system update
Occasionally, when you go to Settings > General > Software Update on your device, the update doesn’t install. You can check your current iOS version in Settings > General > About. The easiest way to fix this is to connect your device to a Mac or PC and install the latest version of iTunes ( apple.co/1GE4Tpx). Open iTunes, connect your device, and click the device’s icon near the top left. Click Summary in the left-hand pane, then Check For Update.
4 No sound is coming from your device
If you can’t hear any sound when receiving calls, first go to Settings > Sounds and make sure the Ringer and Alerts slider is not set to mute. Next, go to Settings > Do Not Disturb to make sure your device isn’t scheduled to remain silent. If these are set up correctly and you still can’t hear calls, go to Settings > Bluetooth to check if sound is being channelled to another audio device, such as a Bluetooth speaker. Try restarting by holding down both the Home and Sleep/Wake buttons.
5 Your iOS device won’t switch on
Sometimes your iOS device may appear to be dead and won’t respond when you try to use it. Usually, you just need to allow it half an hour to charge. If this fails, try to reset the device by holding both the Home and Sleep/ Wake buttons for several seconds. If the device still won’t turn on, connect it to a machine running iTunes and attempt to restore from your last backup.
6 The red screen of death
If your iPhone is continuously power-cycling between the Apple logo and a solid red screen, you may have encountered the dreaded “red screen of death.” While this problem is found most often in the iPhone 6, it has occurred in other models too. There’s no official Apple Support document for this issue. You can try to perform a factory reset if you want, but failing this go to locate.apple.com to find your nearest Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider to have your device examined and, hopefully, fixed.
7 iOS device won’t charge
If your iOS device doesn’t register as charging when you plug it in, first check that you are using an official, Apple-certified Lightning cable – counterfeits are more prone to failure. If the battery is fully drained, make sure to use an Apple-certified USB plug in a wall socket rather than a computer’s USB port. If you see an alert saying your accessory isn’t supported, gently clean the Lightning port and connector with a dry, lint-free cloth, then restart the device and try charging again.
8 One of iOS’s built-in apps is missing
Since the release of iOS 10, Apple has allowed you to remove built-in apps, such as FaceTime and Calendar, from the Home screen. (Go to bit.ly/rmvapps for help with this.) If you can’t find a particular built-in app, go to the App Store and search for it by name, then tap the cloud icon to download it again.
9 You lose your device
It’s a good idea to set up Find My iPhone – if you lose your iOS device, you can place it into Lost Mode to disable it the next time it connects to the internet. Open the Find My iPhone app on your device and log in with your Apple ID. Confirm that you wish to share your location. If your device then goes missing, use another device or computer to go to icloud.com and log in with your Apple ID. Click Find My iPhone then choose your device. Click Lost Mode, enter the lost device’s passcode and click Next. A message with your phone number appears on the device, you can see its location, and its ability to make Apple Pay payments is suspended.
10Your device asks for the password for a different Apple ID
If someone else has signed into your device with their Apple ID, you may find that it asks you for their password. If this occurs when you’re using the App Store, tap your Apple ID at the bottom of the Featured page for an option to sign out. To sign out of iCloud, you’ll need the holder of that Apple ID to enter their password or remove the device from their account at iCloud.com. If this isn’t feasible, contact Apple with your proof of purchase for the device.