Fix #1: Restart Your Phone (Also Works on Phones)

Phones accumulate the same kind of memory bloat that computers do. If you've had your phone on for weeks without a restart, a simple restart often provides an immediate and noticeable improvement.

iPhone: Hold the side button and a volume button until 'Slide to Power Off' appears. Android: Hold the power button > Restart.

💡 TIP: Get in the habit of restarting your phone once a week — Sunday night, when you're charging it for the week ahead. It's the single fastest performance fix available.

Fix #2: Free Up Storage

Both iPhone and Android dramatically slow down when storage is nearly full. The rule of thumb: keep at least 10–15% of your total storage free.

iPhone — Check and free storage

Settings > General > iPhone Storage. You'll see a breakdown by app. Look for: Photos (usually the biggest consumer — turn on iCloud Photos to store photos in the cloud and free local space), Podcasts (cached episodes accumulate quietly), and apps you downloaded and never used.

Android — Check and free storage

Settings > Storage (or Battery and Device Care on Samsung). Look at the breakdown. The Google Photos app has a 'Free Up Space' function that removes local copies of photos that are already backed up to Google Photos — this is often the fastest way to recover significant space.

• Delete apps you haven't used in the last three months

• Clear app caches: Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Storage > Clear Cache (Android)

• Move photos to iCloud or Google Photos and enable 'Optimize iPhone Storage' or 'Free Up Space'

• Download, watch, and then delete videos rather than keeping them stored on the device

Fix #3: Manage Background App Refresh

Apps that run in the background — refreshing their content, syncing data, checking for notifications — drain battery and consume processing power even when you're not using them.

iPhone — Background App Refresh

Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You can turn this off entirely, or disable it for specific apps. Social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) are the most aggressive background consumers. Keeping this enabled for your email app and turning it off for everything else is a reasonable balance.

Android — Battery optimization

Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization (or App Battery Management). Set non-essential apps to 'Optimized' or 'Restricted' rather than 'Unrestricted' — this limits their background activity.

Fix #4: Update Your Software

iOS and Android updates include performance improvements and bug fixes. Running outdated software means missing speed optimizations that Apple and Google have released.

• iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update

• Android: Settings > Software Update (or System > System Update)

• Also update your apps: App Store > Account icon > scroll down to 'Available Updates' (iPhone) or Google Play > Account > Manage Apps & Device (Android)

⚠️ WARNING: If your phone is more than 5–6 years old, software updates may actually slow it down — newer operating systems are optimized for newer hardware. In this case, fewer updates and more storage management is the better approach.

Hidden Features Authors Often Don't Know About

Voice dictation — write on your commute

Both iPhone and Android have built-in voice dictation that is surprisingly accurate. On iPhone: tap the microphone key on any keyboard. On Android: tap the microphone icon on the Gboard keyboard. This works in any text field — including email, notes, and writing apps. Many authors dictate first drafts during commutes or walks.

iPhone Focus modes — block distractions during writing time

Settings > Focus > Writing (you create this). Set it to silence notifications from social media and only allow messages from specific contacts during your writing hours. You can schedule it to activate automatically.

Hotspot for uploading when your home WiFi is slow

If your home internet is sluggish and you need to upload a KDP file quickly, your phone's cellular connection (when strong) can be faster. Enable Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android) and connect your computer to your phone's connection.

💡 TIP: The ScribeCount mobile app lets you check your sales dashboard, royalty totals, and ad performance from your phone. It's designed for exactly this kind of quick-check during time between writing sessions — optimising your phone means a faster, smoother experience there too.

How ScribeCount Helps

A fast, well-maintained phone means checking your ScribeCount dashboard, responding to reader emails, and managing your social media presence without friction. The ScribeCount mobile app — available on iOS and Android — is designed for authors who want to monitor their publishing business while away from their desk. A phone with adequate free storage and up-to-date software delivers the smooth dashboard experience the app is built for.