Software problems depicted by frequent app crashes and freezes are usually attributed to memory issues like when the device is running low of storage. These symptoms are usually transpiring in earlier devices most likely due to wear-and-tear. Nonetheless new devices aren’t really exempted from having such troubles. In fact, even the highest-tiered devices regardless of the platform can also succumb into these flaws due to other factors like bad updates and random bugs.
In case you will run into a similar issue on your new Apple iPhone XS handset, this post highlights some simple solutions and standard workarounds you can use as troubleshooting reference. Read on to find out how what to do if suddenly apps keep crashing and freezing on your iPhone XS.
But before anything else, if you have another issue with your phone, drop by our troubleshooting page as we have already addressed hundreds of issues reported by the owners. Odds are that there are already existing solutions on our website or at least, there are similar problems we already fixed. So, try to find ones that are similar or related to your problem. If you need further assistance, however, feel free to contact us by filling up our iPhone issues questionnaire.
How to troubleshoot iPhone XS with apps that constantly crash and freeze?
There are two possibilities that you need to consider looking into when solving this issue. It could be that the problem is isolated to an application, if not a major system issue. If it only occurs to a certain app, then that could be an isolated issue. But if all apps on your iPhone XS are showing the same symptoms, then that could be a system issue. To get started, try to rule out app problems with these standard app troubleshooting methods.
First solution: Clear all background apps then restart (soft reset) your phone.
Background apps that have crashed or gone corrupted can also affect other apps operations and thereby results to relevant symptoms. So try clearing background apps first and restart/soft reset your iPhone XS. Here’s how:
- From the Home screen, swipe your finger up and then pause.
- Swipe right or left to navigate through the apps preview.
- Then swipe up on each app’s preview to close individual background apps.
After closing all running apps, perform a soft reset or restart your iPhone XS apps. This is recommended to clear errant cache from the internal memory and to refresh the operating system. For starters, here’s how a soft reset is done on the new iPhone XS handset:
- Press and hold the Side/Power button and either Volume buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
- Release the buttons when the Slide to Power Off command appears.
- Drag the power off slider to the right.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button or Side button again until the Apple logo appears.
Wait for your iPhone to finish booting up then try loading any apps and see if the symptoms reoccur or not. If apps are still acting the same, apply the next workaround.
Second solution: Install pending app updates on your phone.
Apps that are constantly acting up are usually those that are not updated. To make sure this isn’t the problem, try to check for and manually install pending app updates on your iPhone XS. Here’s how to get this done:
- Tap to open the App Store.
- Navigate to the Updates section at the bottom right of the screen. A list of screen containing a list of apps with pending updates will pop up.
- Tap the Update button next to the name of the app to update individual apps. Otherwise, tap the Update All button to update all apps at once. The latter can be considered an option if multiple app updates are available.
Wait for your apps to finish updating and when they’re done, restart your iPhone (soft reset) to apply the recent changes and refresh the apps and internal memory of your device. Doing so should give your apps and iPhone a clean fresh start then.
Third solution: Update phone software to the latest version.
Random bugs and malware that embed in certain apps or downloaded files can also trigger the same issue to occur. And a simple way to get rid of these culprits is to install a new software update on your device. Software updates typically offer fix patches to get rid of random bugs that trigger various symptoms. If your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, has at least 50 percent power and ample of memory space, then installing an OTA update is possible. Here’s how to manually check for, download and install over-the-air iOS update on your iPhone XS:
- Open Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
Wait for the update notification to pop up and follow the onscreen instructions to install new update on your phone.
Reboot your iPhone after the new update is installed to apply new system changes and to clear junk files from the internal memory.
Fourth solution: Uninstall then reinstall errant apps.
When apps become totally corrupted, the chance of them to work again is minimal to none. This is likely what you’re dealing with you’re still facing the same symptoms after applying the previous methods. Your next option is therefore to uninstall or delete the errant applications and then reinstall them. Here’s how to uninstall and reinstall apps on the iPhone XS:
- Unlock your iPhone by entering your passcode or Face ID.
- From the Home screen, tap and hold on an app icon until the icons start jiggling.
- Tap the X on the app you want to delete.
- Select Delete to confirm deletion of the selected app.
- Reboot your iPhone XS (soft reset).
- Tap to open the App Store then navigate to Updates-> Purchased menu.
- Tap the Not on This iPhone tab.
- Select the app you want to reinstall on your iPhone.
- If you don’t see that app from the selected tab, try switching to All tab.
Alternatively, you can search for the name of the app you want to reinstall in the search field on the top of the App Store screen. Select the app from the search results then tap Get or the Cloud icon to download and install the application.
Fifth solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone XS.
Settings that are configured incorrectly can also cause some apps to suddenly misbehave. This is usually the case after customizing your iPhone settings or after installing a new update that automatically overrides system settings on your device. To clear this out, resetting all settings on the iPhone can help. Doing so erase all customized options and then restores the default options and original configuration. Moreover, this reset won’t affect any saved data on the phone memory unlike a master reset does. If you wish to take chances in this reset, then refer to these steps:
- Open the Settings app from Home.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to and tap Reset.
- Select Reset all settings option.
- When asked, enter your device passcode to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm all settings reset.
Wait for your iPhone to finish resetting settings and then restart by itself. After it reboots, default configurations and original options are restored. Reconnect to your Wi-Fi internet to use online apps and services on your phone again. Then see if the problem is solved. If not, then you may have to resort to a master reset or if necessary, iOS restore.
Other options
If your iPhone XS apps continue to crash and freeze after applying the previous workarounds, there’s a higher chance that you’re dealing with a major issue. Should you wish to troubleshoot further, then performing system resets would be your next options. But there’s a catch, while system resets are likely able to deal with major software issues, you have to note that doing so can likewise result to permanent deletion of personal information. For safekeeping, creating backups is highly recommended beforehand. You can back up critical files to iCloud or iTunes for that matter.
- After creating backups, you can perform a factory reset through Settings-> General-> Reset menu then select the option to Erase all content and settings.
You may be asked to enter your device passcode to continue and confirm full system reset. Just follow the onscreen instructions and wait for your iPhone to reset and restore its factory default settings.
Another option you have if a master reset isn’t in your preferences would be to escalate the developer of the errant applications. Otherwise, you can just have all the rogue apps deleted permanently from your iPhone XS.
Connect with us
If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XS smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XS. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.