Make Your Old iPhone Feel New Again

Upgrading is tempting. A new phone promises more than just a shiny new gadget: It’s a do-over moment.

- Jill Duffy

With a new phone, we tell ourselves, we will take better photos, have more storage space, and from that moment forward, be more organized with the device. Sometimes, though, we get distracted by what’s new and forget to focus on what we need.

Apple iPhone owners who are considering jumping to the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus might first ask themselves whether they’re making the most of the phones they have now. Does your current phone already meet your needs? Are you getting out of it what you thought you would when it was the shiny new upgrade model? And what about all you people who got the 6s and 6s Plus, who aren’t due for upgrades? How can you recapture that sense of excitement about your no-longer cutting-edge handset?

Extending the life of your current phone may buy you some time, help you reach the end of your contract, and even save you some money. It might also extend the life of those nice headphones you purchased. I’m (half) joking about the new iPhone models’ lack of a standard headphone jack.

If you think your current phone might have a little life left in it, here are some ways to help extend that life by doing some minor cleanup and restoration work.

FREE UP STORAGE SPACE 

If your iPhone’s tight on space, check your storage space to first figure out if there are any unnecessary hogs. Often the culprits are photos, videos, and music. Chances are good that you’ll need to do this anyhow before you upgrade to iOS 10—and it might alone help make your older phone feel new again.