How to Fix iPhone Touch Screen Lagging after iOS 18/17 Update

Solution 1. Close All Background Apps

The first thing we'll check out is if the iPhone 7 lagging and freezing due to apps running in the background. When you leave multiple apps open at the same time, they often cause lag as you switch between the apps. And if any of those suspended application will crash, all other apps will suffer the consequences.

For iPhone with Home Button:

Double-click on the home button, and the recent app screen will open up that will display apps running in the background.

For iPhone without Home Button:

The iPhone without the home button has a Gesture feature that will allow you to access the recent app screen. Just slide your finger from the bottom of the screen in an upward direction and pause in the middle.

Swipe up to close the applications one by one and see closing which one application fix the lagging. If the same thing happens again when you use that particular app, then the intelligent thing to do is to remove the app from your iPhone.

Solution 2. Force Reboot Your iPhone That Is Lagging and Freezing

Using force reboot method is also useful if your iPhone 11 is lagging and freezing. No matter what model you own, a forced reboot will fix the minor software-related issues.

If you have iPhone 8 and later models, start by pressing the Volume up button then volume down button quickly. After that, hold the Side button and let it go when the Apple icon pops up.

For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, use the Volume down and Power button. Press them and hold until the Apple icon appears.

In older models of iPhone such as iPhone 6 and earlier, use the combination of Power and Home button. Press and let go of the button when the Apple logo appears on the screen.

Once the device reboots, check if it is still lagging or freezing while using some particular apps.

Solution 3. Install Available App Updates

The iPhone touch screen lagging issue is a common symptom of pending updates for the application. The regular app updates are meant to fix patches and enhance security to the respective apps. So, make sure that you update them.

1. Step 1: Go to App Store and scroll to the bottom to find the Updates option. The list of app for which updates are pending will appear under the option.

   

2. Step 2: Tap on Update All option and wait as all apps are updated.

After the updates, reboot your iPhone and see if the problem is rectified.

Solution 4. Free Up Some Space

Another common reason why your iPhone 7 is lagging and freezing is insufficient memory. If the storage space is running out, there won't be enough space left to hold data, and your device will start to misbehave. Freeing up space can be done by deleting multimedia files and other data that you don't need. Most importantly, remove the unnecessary apps to free space.

1. Step 1: Hold the app icon that you want to delete from the home screen, and all apps will start wiggling. A cross "X" icon will also appear on every app icon.

2. Step 2: Tap on the cross and confirm to Delete the app from your device.

   

Removing an app will also erase the corresponding data that will free up enough space to get rid of the lagging and performance issues.

Solution 5. Disable Background App Refresh Feature

While this feature is designed to help the users, it often ends up in an iPhone touch screen lagging issue. Not only the app continues to access the internet, but it refreshes the content in the background. If you disable the feature, you won't even notice much difference, but it will help improve the response time of the touch screen.

• How to do: Launch Settings > General > Background App Refresh and toggle the bar to turn off the feature if it's on.

  

Exit settings and close the recent apps to see if this method works out.

Solution 6. Downgrade from iOS 18/17 to iOS 15/14

The most appropriate thing to recommend at this point when the iPhone is lagging after iOS 16 update is a downgrade. The ideal thing to do is to remove the beta version, which has bugs, and go back to the stable iOS 13.7. You can use UltFone iOS System Repair software to ease up the task and eradicate all software related problems. It will put your device in recovery mode, exit the mode, perform system repair, and factory reset as well.

Here's the step-by-step guide:

• Step 1 The first thing to do is to create a backup of your device. Connect your iPhone with iTunes and save the backup on the computer.

  

• Step 2 Now, get UltFone on your system and launch it. Choose the Repair iOS System function and use Deep Repair Mode to start the process.

  

• Step 3 The software detects the firmware version and provides you a package file to download. Make sure that you have a fast and stable internet connection to download the file.

  

• Step 4 Hit the Repair Now button and wait as UltFone repair your system software. After repair, your device will reboot, and it will start function normally.

  

Now, you've successfully downgraded iOS 16, and the lagging and freezing issue is also resolved.

Solution 7. Factory Reset iPhone

At last, if you don't see any option that can fix the iPhone X lagging and freezing issue, then it's time to perform a factory reset. It will erase all data and settings to ensure that corrupted data or settings aren’t the cause of the lag.

1. Step 1: Open the iPhone Settings app, and head to General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

   

Confirm the erase by entering your device passcode if prompted and set up your iPhone as new.

Solution 8. Recovery Mode Restore iPhone via iTunes

In case your iPhone screen is lagging, we can try restoring the iPhone using iTunes. Some errors can withstand the initial methods, even the factory reset. Hence, we need to perform a recovery mode restore on the iPhone.

1. Step 1: Start by getting the latest iTunes version on your computer and plugging your iPhone with it. Here is a guide to teach how to enter recovery mode on different iPhone models.

2. Step 2: Connect to iTunes logo will appear on the iPhone screen, and iTunes will notify that a device in recovery mode is detected.

   

Select the Restore option and wait as the task finishes. Soon, you will have an iPhone that works without any lag or freeze.