How to Quickly Free up RAM on Your iPhone or iPad

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Learn when and how to clear your iPhone's memory to make it faster and more efficient
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Is your iPhone or iPad lagging or freezing up? If so, the problem might be that your RAM (random access memory) has gotten too full. Normally, your device should manage its RAM usage pretty effectively on its own. However, there are times when forcing the RAM to clear can be helpful. In this article, we’ll explain the best ways to stop those processes that are eating up your iPhone or iPad’s memory.

Clearing RAM on an iPhone or iPad: The Basics

  • Most of the time, simply restarting your iPhone should be enough to free up your RAM.
  • If your phone is frozen or won’t restart properly, you can force a restart.
  • For older versions of iOS, you may be able to restart in troubleshooting mode using the physical Home button or Assistive Touch.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Restarting Your iPhone or iPad

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  1. The button combination you’ll need to shut down your iPhone or iPad depends on the model.
    • iPhone X or later: press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power slider appears. [1]
    • iPhone 6, 7, 8, or SE (2nd-3rd generation): press and hold the side button until the power slider appears.
    • iPhone SE (1st generation), 5, and earlier: press and hold the top button until the power slider appears.
    • iPads without a Home button: press and hold either volume button and the top button until the power slider appears. [2]
    • iPads with a Home button: press and hold the top button until the power slider appears.
    • On any device, you can also go to Settings > General > Shut Down .
  2. Swipe the power slider with your finger to shut your device down.
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  3. Depending on your model of iPhone or iPad, this will be on the side or top of your device. Press and hold the button until the
    Mac Apple
    Apple logo appears on your screen.
    • Restarting will completely shut down any running apps and associated processes, which should free up your RAM.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Doing a Force Restart

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  1. Avoid using this method unless your iPhone is unresponsive. It’s a little more likely to cause problems with your system than a basic restart. However, it should clear out any RAM being eaten up by active apps and processes.
    • iPhone 8 or later: press and release the volume up button, then the volume down button, and then press and hold the side button. Let go when the
      Mac Apple
      Apple logo appears. [3]
    • iPhone 7: press and hold the volume down button and the side button at the same time. Let go when the
      Mac Apple
      Apple logo appears. [4]
    • iPhone models with a Home button: press and hold the top or side button and the Home button at the same time. Let go when the
      Mac Apple
      Apple logo appears.
  2. As with the iPhone, this method isn’t recommended unless your iPad is unresponsive. The right way to force restart your iPad depends on the model. [5]
    • iPads without a Home button: press and release each volume button, starting with the one closest to the top button. Then, press and hold the top button until the
      Mac Apple
      Apple logo appears.
    • iPads with a Home button: press and hold the top and Home buttons at the same time until the
      Mac Apple
      Apple logo appears.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using Assistive Touch on iPhone 8 or Newer (Pre-iOS 16)

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  1. Find and tap the
    iPhone Settings App Icon
    icon on your home screen to open the Settings app.
  2. You can find this option next to
    iPhone Settings General Icon
    on the Settings menu.
  3. In some versions of iOS, you’ll find Accessibility in the man Settings menu instead.
  4. Assistive Touch will allow you to perform actions without using the buttons around the casing of your iPhone or iPad. [6]
  5. When this option is enabled, you'll see a gray button on your screen. You can tap this button to use Assistive Touch features.
  6. Tap the back button on the top-left corner of your screen until you see the General menu.
  7. This option is at the bottom of the General menu. You'll see the "slide to power off" screen.
  8. It looks like a gray circle icon in a square. Your options will expand.
  9. Your screen will go blank after a few seconds, and you'll return to your iPhone or iPad's home screen. Your device's RAM will have been cleared.
    • In some versions of iOS, tap and release the Home button instead. The screen will flash, and you’ll see your iPhone or iPad’s lock screen. Enter your passcode to log back in.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Using the Home Button on iPhone 7 or Older (Pre-iOS 16)

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  1. You can find the Sleep/Wake button at the top or on the side of your iPhone or iPad's casing. Hold it down until you see the Power Off screen.
  2. When you see the "slide to power off" screen, you can release the Sleep/Wake button on your iPhone or iPad.
  3. Your screen will blank a bit, and you'll return to your iPhone or iPad's home screen. Your device's RAM will have been cleared. [7]
    • The Home button is the circle button below your iPhone or iPad's screen.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I clear RAM on an iPhone without the Home button?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Turn on Assistive Touch, which will add a Home button onto your screen that you can press.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/118259
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/101603
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/force-restart-iphone-iph8903c3ee6/ios
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/iphone/iph8903c3ee6/15.0
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/ipad/ipad9955c007/ipados
      6. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 March 2021
      7. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 March 2021

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button.
      2. Release the Sleep/Wake button when you see "slide to power off.”
      3. Press and hold down the Home button until your screen goes blank.

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      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 87,913 times.

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