I have an iPhone 13 that I've used for about three years, and it hasn't been updated in roughly two years. For the past four hours, almost every app closes immediately when I try to open it. A few apps that were already open before the problem started still work, which is how I'm able to ask for help. I'm worried about closing them because my phone isn't backed up, and I have more than 100,000 photos on it. I also recently noticed unusually fast battery drain. Could this be caused by low storage, outdated software, or another hardware issue? I can't currently open Settings long enough to check anything.
2 Answers
Being two years behind on updates could definitely contribute to instability, but don’t erase or restore the phone before making a backup. If the force restart doesn’t help, connect it to a trusted computer and try to create a local backup or use the device-recovery options that offer an update instead of an erase. A repair shop or Apple support technician may be able to help preserve the data if the storage or battery is failing.
First, check whether the phone is completely out of storage if you can get into Settings long enough. Low free space can cause apps to crash. Since Settings is closing too, try a force restart rather than repeatedly opening apps: press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. This shouldn’t erase your data.
I can’t keep Settings open long enough to check the storage, so I’m going to try the force restart first and avoid resetting anything until I can make a backup.