12 Phone Settings You're Probably Messing Up (And How to Fix Them RN)
Your phone knows you better than your therapist at this point, so shouldn't you at least know what it's doing? 👀 We're talking about those sneaky settings that are lowkey ruining your battery, selling your data to the highest bidder, and making your phone slower than your WiFi at 2 AM. Time to take back control.
-
Background App Refresh (The Battery Vampire)
Your apps are literally working while you sleep. Disable Background App Refresh for literally every app that doesn't need to be a news alert machine, and watch your battery life go from "dies by noon" to "actually lasts all day." Game changer.
-
Location Services (The Creepy Tracker)
Google/Apple doesn't need to know you're at that Whole Foods at 11 PM eating $18 smoothie bowls. Turn off location access for apps that have zero reason to know where you are (looking at you, Flashlight app), and only let maps and navigation actually track you.
-
App Store Auto-Updates (The Data Hog)
Stop letting apps update themselves on your cellular data like it's 2005. Restrict auto-updates to WiFi only and reclaim those gigabytes of data your phone has been silently using without permission.
-
Reduce Motion (The Instant Speed Boost)
All those fancy animations? They're cute but they're also making your phone feel laggy AF. Turn on Reduce Motion and suddenly scrolling feels buttery smooth. Your phone will literally feel brand new.
-
Limit Ad Tracking (The Privacy Shield)
Companies are out here building your entire personality profile based on what you click. Enable "Limit Ad Tracking" and at least make it a little harder for them to know that you googled "do cats judge you" at 3 AM.
-
Disable Siri on Lock Screen (The Accidental Voice Command)
Nobody needs your phone ordering 47 things from Amazon because your pocket activated Siri. Turn off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" on the lock screen unless you enjoy mysterious voice commands.
-
Turn Off Autocorrect Suggestions (The Embarrassing Fix)
Remember that time your phone changed "lol" to something mortifying and you sent it to your boss? Go to Keyboard settings and disable predictive text suggestions. You're welcome, your dignity.
-
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (The Hacker Nightmare)
If hackers could get into your phone with just a password, they literally already would have. Turn on two-factor authentication for literally everything and sleep soundly knowing your Instagram at least has a fighting chance.
-
Disable WiFi Assist (The Sneaky Data Killer)
Your phone automatically switches to cellular data when WiFi is weak, which sounds helpful until you realize you've used your entire monthly data allowance on nothing. Turn it OFF and manually switch when you actually need it.
-
Maximize Battery Health (The Longevity Hack)
Stop charging your phone to 100% every single time like a maniac. Enable Optimized Battery Charging and let your phone charge to 80% most nights. Your battery will literally thank you by not dying in two years.
-
Disable Bluetooth Constantly Searching (The Phantom Connection)
Bluetooth is out here scanning for devices even when you don't need it, draining your battery like it's trying to start beef with your power cord. Turn it off when you're not actively using it (shocking, we know).
-
Hide Your Account in Settings (The Safety Move)
If someone gets physical access to your phone, don't let them casually stroll into Settings and change everything. Hide the admin account and use a regular user account for daily use. Big brain energy.
There you have it, your phone is about to run like it just came out of the box. You're literally welcome. Go forth and optimize! 📱✨