The FOMO is real. Every year, Apple announces a new iPhone, and it can be very tempting to replace your existing model with this shiny new toy.
The iPhone 17 lineup is pretty darn exciting. I’m intrigued by the iPhone Air for sure. I also wouldn’t mind that 8x optical zoom on the iPhone 17 Pro. But my iPhone 16 Pro is still a perfectly capable handset, and I know that I don’t need to buy a new phone.
But previous-generation iPhones needn’t feel like old news every September. There are plenty of ways to breathe new life into your current iPhone, so if you’re also planning to forgo this year’s Apple offerings, here are five tips to make your iPhone feel new again.
Customize your Home Screen
Have you been looking at the same Home Screen for a long time? Well, there’s no need to get a new phone to change that. You can customize your Home Screen in iOS 18 or iOS 26 and get a completely different look. Change your iPhone’s wallpaper. Declutter and reorganize your apps to suit your current usage. If you haven’t tried Widgets, Dark Mode, tinted app icons, grid layouts, or removing app icon labels, then give these customizations a try.
What’s more, when you download iOS 26, your iPhone is going to have a completely different look. It’s centered around Liquid Glass, which borrows a transparent look from VisionOS. This alone will update your Home Screen, but I still recommend making some of the custom tweaks listed above.
Supercharge your settings
If your iPhone is starting to feel a bit sluggish, you can speed things up with various little-known settings.
First of all, you need to close all of those open tabs in Safari. Everyone knows how to do this manually, but did you know there’s a setting that automatically closes Safari tabs without you having to lift a finger? Just open the Settings app, choose Safari, and then the “Close Tabs” menu. I set mine to close after one day, but you can also choose to have them close each week or month.
Another tip to make your iPhone feel faster is to boost your Haptic Touch speed. Haptic Touch is the feature behind those precise vibrations you feel when long-pressing app icons, images, message chats, and emails. In Settings, it can be customized to deliver even faster haptic feedback than the default configuration, and you’ll certainly notice the difference between the ‘Fast’ and ‘Default’ toggles.
Here’s how to boost Haptic Touch speed on your iPhone, if you’re after a step-by-step walkthrough.
Clean out your charging port
It’s generally a good idea to keep your iPhone clean. You can use good old-fashioned soap and water to do this (iPhones are, after all, water-resistant), but I prefer to just wipe my device down with a lint-free cloth and device cleaner like Whoosh. I used to work at the Apple Store, and we used Whoosh spray and microfiber cloths to clean every single computer, iPhone, and iPad in the store every night after closing.
It’s also important to clean out your iPhone’s charging port, since a dirty USB-C or Lightning port can lead to power problems. When I worked at the Apple Store, it wasn’t unusual for people to come in saying that their iPhone wasn’t charging, and a quick investigation often revealed a clump of detritus nestled in the charging port.
You can use things like a toothpick or a small brush to do this, and our dedicated guide on how to clean your iPhone’s charging port details the best method.
I also recently tried out OtterBox’s Detailing Kit, which contains wipes for cleaning your phone and its screen on the go, as well as tools for safely cleaning the charging port. I thought my charging port was pretty clean, but when I inserted the white padded tools, they did come out a bit gray.
Optimize battery health
Frankly, battery health is what often has me trading in my iPhone for a new one before I would otherwise need one. I travel a lot, and having a battery that lasts the entire day with heavy usage is a must. Either that, or I have to carry around a portable charger with me.
Optimize your phone’s battery health, however, and you’ll get more life out of your current iPhone. We’ve detailed five ways to preserve your iPhone’s battery health elsewhere on TechRadar, but some easy things you can do include keeping your battery level between 20% and 80%, rather than charging to 100% every time or letting it die. You don’t want to let your iPhone get too hot, as that degrades the battery faster. You should also use the official Apple charger or a high-quality replacement, like one from our list of the best iPhone chargers.
If it’s too late, and your battery is toast, consider taking it to the Genius Bar for a replacement. I know you can go to off-brand places for third-party battery replacements, but I don’t recommend trying to save a few bucks that way, since you won’t have much recourse if it goes wrong. Apple will replace your battery for under $100 and give you a fresh start. If you have Apple Care+ and your battery health is under 80%, you could even be eligible for a free battery replacement.
Add some accessories
Are you one of the many people, like me, walking around with a cracked screen protector? Enough already! Get yourself a new screen protector.
I always recommend buying one with a goof-proof application system. It doesn’t have to be as complicated as the machine we used at the Apple Store, but a good tray or frame prevents the poor application that will drive you crazy over time.
I like the Spigen EZ-FIT application system for its ease of use. You also should consider picking up a screen protector with a matte finish, blue light filter, or privacy filter if you want something different.
If your iPhone case is starting to break down, or you’re just tired of looking at it, maybe it’s time for a new one.
I’ve tested hundreds of iPhone cases in my many years as a tech journalist. I love OtterBox’s cases, which range from ultra heavy-duty to thin and light but still protective. ZAGG also makes great cases and other accessories. NOMAD creates some great high-end leather cases, Velvet Caviar has beautiful, trendy styles, UAG is super rugged, and CASETiFY always has the hottest IPs plus fully custom cases. For more budget-friendly options, check out Smartish on Amazon.
We’ve rounded up the best iPhone 16 cases, best iPhone 15 cases, and best iPhone 14 cases for your perusal.
While Apple makes some of the best iPhone accessories, I often look to third-party options for MagSafe grips, wallets, and portable batteries.
I use a PopSocket grip to alleviate pinky fatigue; it also makes a nice fidget if you like to have something to “pop.” OhSnap! makes a thinner grip that you can charge your iPhone wirelessly right through. Check out the Torras MagSafe battery pack, too; it has a fold-out grip on the back that doubles as a stand. Velvet Caviar, meanwhile, makes MagSafe batteries and wallets to match its cases.
This is the first year in probably a dozen that I haven’t purchased a new iPhone following Apple’s annual September launch event. My priorities have changed, and a new iPhone just wasn’t on the cards for me this year. It’s always nice to spiff up your iPhone, but there is no better time to do it than when the new ones come out.
