Why Does Your Phone Keep Freezing? 12 Potential Causes and Easy Fixes

When you're on your Android phone or iPhone, you're used to having the world at your fingertips. But when it starts lagging, it can be incredibly frustrating! There are a lot of things that can make your phone freeze, which means there are several things you can try in order to fix it. We've put together some of the most helpful solutions starting with what to try first.

Method 1
Method 1 of 12:
Turn the phone off and back on again.

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    Sometimes, a soft reboot is all your phone needs to stop freezing. Press or slide the power button until the phone asks you if you want to turn it off. Once it's off, push the power button again so your phone starts up. This might be all it takes to get your phone running smoothly![1]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 12:
Force a restart if the screen is frozen.

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    If you need to do a soft reset but can't access power options, try this. If you have an iPhone, you can usually force a restart by pressing and releasing the volume button until the Apple logo appears. For Android, you can usually hold down the power button for 30 seconds to force a restart.[2]
    • You might need to use a different combination of buttons depending on your model. For instance, to restart an early iPhone, try holding down the home and power buttons until you see the Apple logo.

Method 3
Method 3 of 12:
Charge the phone if the battery is low.

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    The battery may be drained which is why it's glitching or won't turn on. If you've tried to turn it off and on but it won't turn back on, plug in your phone and let it charge for at least an hour. Then, try to turn it back on to see if your phone is now running smoothly.[3]
    • Can't get your phone to charge? Check the cables for bent or damaged wires and try a different outlet. If your phone still won't charge, you may need to take it in for repair.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 12:
Wait a few minutes if you're uploading or downloading files.

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    Give your phone a chance to finish transferring data. If you're downloading a large file, uploading videos, or copying pictures, it can really slow down your phone and even cause it to freeze. Wait until your phone is done with the task before you try to use apps or your browser.[4]
    • If it's going to take a very long time, you might decide to cancel the download or upload.

Method 5
Method 5 of 12:
Check for system updates in your phone's settings.

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    Pending system updates can make a phone freeze up. If your phone is operating under an old operating system, it could be causing the freezing. Update your phone manually or set your phone for automatic updates. Then, restart your phone once the update installs.[5]
    • Most phones will alert you when an update is available. To manually check, go into your advanced settings and select "system update." This should tell you if the operating system is up-to-date or if there's a new update.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 12:
Delete files if you're running low on storage space.

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    Phones may slow down, freeze, or crash if they're out of storage. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to free up space. Delete old files, photos, and videos for instance. You can also delete attachments that are taking up a lot of room. Freeing up space can really help your phone run smoother and faster.[6]
    • If you don't want to delete data, put it on a separate SD card. This is useful if you want to keep photos.

Method 7
Method 7 of 12:
Clear cached data in your phone's browser.

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    Removing temporary files clears up space so your phone runs better. Sure, cached data can initially help web pages load faster, but if you don't clear them frequently, too many files can make your phone freeze or crash.[7]
    • To clear the cached data, open Chrome or Safari and select "History." Click "Clear browsing data" and select the box for "Cached images and files." Then, click "Clear data."
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Method 8
Method 8 of 12:
Remove apps you no longer use.

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    Having tons of apps can definitely make your phone sluggish. These take up a lot of space on your phone! They also need frequent updates in order to run smoothly. Go through your apps whenever your phone starts to glitch or freeze and uninstall a few. Uninstall all of the ones you don't use and see if that helps your phone operate without freezing.[8]
    • To uninstall an app, go into settings and select "Storage," then "Apps." Press the app you want to want to uninstall and select, "Uninstall."
    • Remember, you can always re-download an app if you later decide that you want it on your phone.

Method 9
Method 9 of 12:
Restart in safe mode if there's an unresponsive app.

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    This can help if there's a particular app that keeps freezing up on you. Press or slide the power button and select "Restart in safe mode." This may be enough to fix the freezing, but if it isn't, restart your phone normally and remove recently downloaded apps one by one until you find the one that's causing the problem.[9]
    • The app that's causing the freezing might be taking more memory than expected which is why you should uninstall it.
    • After you figure out which app is causing the problem and you remove it, you can reinstall the other apps that you removed.
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Method 10
Method 10 of 12:
Check for an issue with your Wi-Fi connection.

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    If your phone crashes when you play games or stream videos, reboot your modem. You may be able to fix the issue by simply resetting the modem—just rejoin the network. Usually, rebooting will fix connectivity issues, although you could check your modem to see it's got hardware issues that are causing the lagging.[10]
    • If you see this feature, disable device prioritization. This can improve your phone's Wi-Fi connection so you can stream or play games easier.

Method 11
Method 11 of 12:
Do a factory reset if nothing else works.

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    This is a last resort because it will erase all your phone's data. When you turn it on, it will be back to factory settings, but hopefully, it won't freeze anymore.[11]
    • Ideally, you could back up any data you'd like to keep so you can access it later, but this might not be possible if your phone is completely frozen.
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Method 12
Method 12 of 12:
There's a hardware problem with the phone.

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    Take your phone to your service provider or a repair shop. There might be a complex hardware problem with your phone that's causing the trouble. A service specialist might be able to fix it or diagnose the problem.
    • In some cases, they might recommend replacing the phone. Older phones have a harder time running advanced operating systems and apps.

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.pcworld.com/article/2051348/how-to-unfreeze-a-frozen-phone.html
  2. ↑ https://www.techadvisory.org/2014/01/what-to-do-when-your-android-freezes/
  3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201412
  4. ↑ https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/content/en-us00406918/
  5. ↑ https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/6377386?hl=en#zippy=%2Ccheck-for-android-updates
  6. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/smartphones/how-to-free-up-storage-on-your-phone/
  7. ↑ https://www.carlcare.com/global/tips-detail/how-to-fix-chrome-keeping-crashing/
  8. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/smartphones/how-to-free-up-storage-on-your-phone/
  9. ↑ https://support.google.com/android/answer/7665064?hl=en
  1. ↑ https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7573158
  2. ↑ https://support.google.com/android/answer/6088915

About This Article

Jessica Gibson
Co-authored by:
Jessica Gibson
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Jessica Gibson is a Writer and Editor who's been with wikiHow since 2014. After completing a year of art studies at the Emily Carr University in Vancouver, she graduated from Columbia College with a BA in History. Jessica also completed an MA in History from The University of Oregon in 2013.
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Co-authors: 5
Updated: December 14, 2021
Views: 367
Categories: Cell Phones
Article SummaryX

1. Turn the phone off and back on again.
2. Force a restart if the screen is frozen.
3. Charge the phone if the battery is low.
4. Wait a few minutes if you're uploading or downloading files.
5. Check for system updates in your phone's settings.
6. Delete files if you're running low on storage space.
7. Clear cached data in your phone's browser.
8. Remove apps you no longer use.
9. Restart in safe mode if there's an unresponsive app.
10. Check for an issue with your Wi-Fi connection.
11. Do a factory reset if nothing else works.
12. There's a hardware problem with the phone.

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