How to charge, set up, use, and care for your iPhone and iPad. This article covers the 15 most common mistakes made by Apple smartphone and tablet users.
Mistake 1: Never restarting your iPhone or iPad
An iPhone is a computer, just like a regular PC. Sometimes it needs to be rebooted, too. After all, the likely reason your gadget will shut down and become unresponsive to charging or button presses is precisely because it hasn’t rebooted for a long tim
Moreover, the Genius Bar denizens in blue T-shirts (tech support in Apple stores) themselves claim that to resolve many problems with an iOS device, it is enough to reboot the iPhone once a week.
Mistake 2: Storing your Apple ID password in the default Notes app
It’s a common situation: you bought an iPhone, quickly created an Apple ID right on the device, and, to avoid forgetting, wrote down the login credentials in your standard notes. Some time later, you lost your iPhone (or it broke). It contained important photos and a ton of other useful information, including contacts. While you remember that all your data was synced with iCloud, you can’t even remember your Apple ID login, let alone your password. In this case, you won’t be able to access the Find My app from another device or recover your Apple ID password. Ideally, you should memorize your Apple ID login and password or use specialized password managers. As a last resort, you can write down your login credentials and store them with other important documents.
Error 3: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 4G (5G) are always on
iPhones and iPads are smart enough to maintain wireless networks without generating excessive data usage or draining their batteries. However, even background processes often impact device resources. The device always has something to upload to servers, download, verify user tracking data, update ad inventory, and so on.
If possible, turn off unused Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data (3G, LTE, 5G) , and to significantly increase the battery life of your smartphone, use our tips .
We also recommend reading this material , which will teach you how to automatically (based on a schedule, geolocation, etc.) turn on and off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data at a specific time or location.
Mistake 4: Using your iPhone or iPad in extreme cold and heat
You probably didn’t know, but officially the iPhone can only be used in temperatures ranging from 0º to 35º C.
The switched-off device can be stored within the range of -20º to 45º C.
To avoid incorrect operation of the device due to overheating and excessively rapid battery discharge in cold weather, follow the operating instructions.
Mistake 5: Leaving your phone on charge all night
No one would argue that leaving a smartphone or tablet on charge overnight is convenient—it always leaves a full battery in the morning. However, this topic is still highly controversial. Many experts argue that leaving an iPhone or iPad on after it’s fully charged is harmful to the battery. Frequent use of this charging method will damage the battery faster ( more details ).
“Battery life will be significantly extended if you disconnect your smartphone or tablet from the power source before it reaches 100%. Leaving the device charging with a fully charged battery will reduce its performance,” Gizmodo reports.
If you do leave your iPhone charging overnight, make sure you have the optimized charging feature enabled in its settings , which helps extend battery life.
Numerous statements from experts collected online suggest that lithium-ion batteries achieve maximum efficiency at a charge level of 20 to 80%. This is likely why Apple prompts users to use Low Power Mode on iOS devices at 20% and automatically disables it when the battery reaches 80%.
Mistake 6: Using a cheap, outdated charger or charging only with a cable
If you frequently use a cheap, non-original charger for your iPhone or iPad, rely exclusively on a car charger to charge your device (you simply don’t have time to charge it at home), and constantly charge your gadgets via USB, you’ll likely need to visit a service center in the near future.
It’s also important to remember that technology is constantly evolving—using even the original charger that came with the iPhone 5 to charge the iPhone 15 offers no advantage. A modern iPhone will charge very, very slowly when using a charger designed for older generations of devices.
Possible consequences of using a low-quality charger with iPhone and iPad:
- slow charging;
- failure of the battery;
- failure of the power microcircuit;
- fires and explosions of both chargers and the iPhones and iPads themselves.
Mistake 7: Not cleaning the surface and connectors of your smartphone or tablet
Apple recommends regularly cleaning your iPhone and iPad and disinfecting the surface with various special products. Instructions are available on the Apple website ( 1 and 2 ).
It’s also important to remember to clean the charging port and microphone (speaker) openings, as these areas can accumulate debris from pockets and wallets, causing connection issues. Use a thin needle or toothpick to remove any debris.
Error 8. You frequently fully charge (to 100%) or discharge (to 0%) the battery
Constantly charging your iPhone to 100% and discharging it to 0% can be harmful to its battery for several reasons:
Overcharging . Frequently charging to 100% can put unnecessary stress on the battery, which can wear it out and reduce its capacity over time. Ideally, an iPhone battery should be kept between 20% and 80% charged.
Deep discharge . A complete discharge to 0% can also negatively impact the battery. Deep discharge can damage the battery cells and reduce its lifespan.
Error 9. You are using a password that is too simple to unlock.
Even before the iPhone 5s with Touch ID launched, Cupertino found that most users had failed to learn the basics of security. Roughly half of Apple smartphone and tablet owners ignored password protection and likely continued to do so after the introduction of fingerprint scanners.
In addition, you should not use four-digit combinations such as 0000, 1111, 1234, 1207 (the day and month of your birth), etc. as a lock code.
The user data protection features in modern iPhones and iPads (Face ID, passcode lock, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and the Find My iPhone feature) help reliably protect personal data and the device itself from prying eyes.
Video of a Japanese man entering a 50-character password on his iPhone:
Error 10: Granting location access to all apps
One of the key features that significantly impacts battery life on an iOS device is Location Services. This technology, which allows you to determine the device’s location, is used by many important apps, such as Maps or Find My iPhone. However, other, less commonly used apps often request location access as well.
Open the Settings app , go to Privacy , select Location Services , and turn off the feature in all non-essential apps.
Error 11: Allowing notifications in every app
Push notifications enabled for all apps will keep you glued to your device, drain your battery, and irritate others. When installing new apps or games, consider whether notifications are truly essential.
Go to the Settings app , go to the Notifications section and turn off notifications from less important apps.
Error 12: Entering your Apple ID password on other people’s devices
If you’re using your ID on your young child’s or elderly parent’s devices instead of creating a new Apple ID , don’t be surprised if you find yourself missing contacts, valuable notes, or receiving bills for App Store purchases.
Mistake 13: Not Monitoring Your iPhone’s Free Space
Lack of free space on your iPhone can lead to problems such as:
Limited ability to install and update apps . Some apps may require free space for installation or updates.
Decreased overall performance . When your device is low on free space, the operating system may slow down. This can result in longer app load times, delays when scrolling, or lags when performing actions. Due to critically low storage space, your iPhone may fail to start after a sudden shutdown.
Limited media storage . If you frequently take photos or videos on your iPhone, running out of space can limit your ability to save more files. This can be a problem, especially for those who actively use the camera.
Error 14: Look for a third-party iPhone browser to replace Safari
Safari, the default browser on iPhone, offers several advantages over other third-party browsers. It’s tightly integrated with the Apple ecosystem, provides a high level of security and privacy, and boasts high performance and energy efficiency. Safari also offers convenient features and iCloud integration, providing better compatibility and user experience for Apple device users.
Error 15: Constantly quitting (closing) apps from multitasking
Unloading apps from the iPhone’s multitasking bar can be unnecessary and is not recommended for several reasons. First, iOS has a built-in memory management system that automatically manages background app activity, freeing up memory for other active apps. Unloading apps from the multitasking bar can actually increase power consumption and slow down the processor , since the app must be completely reloaded each time it’s loaded.
Additionally, background apps can perform useful functions, such as updating data, receiving notifications, and other tasks, and disabling them can result in these important tasks being missed. Most importantly, using the multitasking bar allows you to quickly switch between apps and work with them conveniently.
