5 Most Common iPhone Problems (And How to Fix Them)

iPhones are renowned for their reliability, but even Apple's flagship devices encounter problems. At Mobile Armour in Heidelberg, we've repaired thousands of iPhones and identified the 5 most common issues - and more importantly, how to fix them.

Whether you're experiencing frustrating freezes, battery problems, or charging failures, this guide will help you troubleshoot and know when it's time for professional repair.

Problem #1: iPhone Won't Charge or Charges Slowly

This is the single most common complaint we receive. Your iPhone is plugged in but the battery won't budge - or it's charging at a snail's pace.

Common Causes:

• Lint/debris in charging port: #1 cause - pocket lint compacts in the port over months
• Damaged cable: Frayed or bent Lightning/USB-C cables
• Faulty charger: Cheap third-party chargers often fail
• Software glitch: iOS bugs can affect charging
• Damaged charging port: Physical damage to the port itself
• Battery failure: Old batteries refuse to accept charge

DIY Solutions to Try:

Step 1: Clean the Charging Port

• Power off iPhone completely
• Use a wooden toothpick to gently remove lint (never metal!)
• Shine flashlight into port and remove all visible debris
• Try charging again - this fixes 60% of charging issues!

Step 2: Test Different Cable and Charger

• Try a different Apple or MFi-certified cable
• Test a different power adapter or USB port
• If it works, your original cable/charger was the problem

Step 3: Force Restart

• iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then press and hold Side button until Apple logo appears
• iPhone 7: Hold Volume Down + Side button together for 10 seconds
• iPhone 6s or earlier: Hold Home + Side button together for 10 seconds

When to Seek Professional Repair:

• Port cleaning and cable testing didn't help
• Visible damage to charging port
• Charging port feels loose or wobbly
• Battery health below 80%

Repair cost at Mobile Armour:

• Charging port replacement: $79-$119
• Battery replacement: $69-$129
• Both same-day service with 6-month warranty

Problem #2: iPhone Screen Frozen or Unresponsive

Your iPhone display is on but completely unresponsive to touch - or the screen is entirely frozen showing one app.

Common Causes:

• App crash: A buggy app has frozen the system
• iOS glitch: Software bug causing system freeze
• Low storage: Less than 5% free storage can cause freezing
• Overheating: Thermal protection mode locks the phone
• Physical damage: Screen digitizer damage from drops
• Water damage: Moisture affecting touch sensors

DIY Solutions to Try:

Step 1: Wait and Try Again

Sometimes iOS is processing in the background. Wait 30 seconds and try touch again.

Step 2: Force Restart

• iPhone 8 or later: Quick press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side button until Apple logo
• This is the "turn it off and on again" of iPhone repairs - solves 70% of freezes

Step 3: Let It Cool Down

• If phone is warm/hot, overheating protection may have activated
• Remove case, place in cool area for 15 minutes
• Avoid direct sunlight and don't charge while overheated

Step 4: Free Up Storage

• After reboot: Settings → General → iPhone Storage
• Delete large apps, old photos/videos, clear Safari cache
• Keep at least 10% storage free for optimal performance

When to Seek Professional Repair:

• Force restart doesn't work (iPhone won't respond at all)
• Screen has dead spots that don't respond to touch
• Screen flickers or has visible damage
• Problem persists after multiple restarts
• Phone was recently dropped or exposed to water

Repair cost at Mobile Armour:

• Software troubleshooting/restore: $49-$79
• Screen replacement (if touch damage): $129-$449
• Water damage assessment: FREE diagnostic

Problem #3: iPhone Battery Draining Too Fast

Your iPhone barely lasts half a day, or the battery percentage drops rapidly even during light use.

Common Causes:

• Battery degradation: Batteries naturally wear out after 500 charge cycles (2-3 years)
• Background app activity: Apps refreshing constantly drain battery
• iOS bugs: Some iOS versions have battery issues (especially after updates)
• Location services overuse: GPS is extremely power-hungry
• Poor cellular signal: Phone works harder searching for signal
• Extreme temperatures: Cold and heat affect battery performance

DIY Solutions to Try:

Step 1: Check Battery Health

• Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging
• Maximum Capacity: Below 80% = replacement recommended
• Peak Performance: Should say "Normal" - if not, battery is degraded

Step 2: Identify Battery Hogs

• Settings → Battery → scroll down to see app usage
• Look for apps using high background activity
• Delete or restrict apps using 10%+ battery daily

Step 3: Optimize Settings

• Background App Refresh: Settings → General → Turn OFF or Wi-Fi only
• Location Services: Settings → Privacy → Location → Set apps to "While Using"
• Auto-Brightness: Settings → Accessibility → Display → Enable Auto-Brightness
• Mail Fetch: Settings → Mail → Accounts → Fetch → Set to Hourly or Manual
• Dark Mode: Settings → Display → Enable (saves 30% on OLED screens)

Step 4: Update iOS

• Settings → General → Software Update
• Apple regularly releases battery optimization fixes
• After updates, wait 48 hours - system reindexing temporarily increases drain

When to Seek Professional Repair:

• Battery Health below 80%
• iPhone shuts down at 20-30% charge
• Battery drains even when phone is off
• Phone gets unusually hot during normal use
• Battery is visibly swollen (STOP USING IMMEDIATELY!)

Battery replacement at Mobile Armour:

• iPhone 15/14/13 series: $89-$129
• iPhone 12/11/XR/SE: $69-$99
• 30-60 minute service, 6-month warranty

Problem #4: iPhone Camera Not Working

Your camera shows a black screen, blurry images, or won't focus properly.

Common Causes:

• Software glitch: Camera app crash or iOS bug
• Dirty lens: Fingerprints, smudges, or debris on lens
• Case interference: Some cases block camera or flash
• Hardware damage: Drop damage affecting camera module
• Water/moisture: Condensation inside camera lens
• OIS failure: Optical Image Stabilization motor malfunction

DIY Solutions to Try:

Step 1: Clean the Lens

• Use microfiber cloth to gently clean both camera lenses
• Check for cracks or scratches on lens cover
• Remove phone case and try again

Step 2: Force Close and Restart Camera

• Swipe up from bottom and swipe away Camera app
• Wait 10 seconds, then reopen Camera
• If still not working, force restart iPhone

Step 3: Reset Camera Settings

• Settings → Camera → Preserve Settings → Toggle all OFF
• Test camera again

Step 4: Update iOS and Apps

• Settings → General → Software Update
• Some camera bugs are fixed in iOS updates

When to Seek Professional Repair:

• Black screen persists after all troubleshooting
• Camera makes clicking/grinding noise (OIS failure)
• Visible damage or cracks on lens
• Images consistently blurry even after lens cleaning
• Flash not working at all
• Foggy/cloudy images (internal moisture)

Repair cost at Mobile Armour:

• Rear camera replacement: $89-$199 (model dependent)
• Front camera/Face ID repair: $99-$179
• Camera lens cover replacement: $49-$79
• All repairs include 6-month warranty

Problem #5: iPhone Speakers or Microphone Not Working

People can't hear you on calls, you can't hear them, or media audio is muffled/absent.

Common Causes:

• Debris in speaker/mic grills: Dust, lint, and pocket debris
• Water exposure: Moisture in speaker chambers
• Software glitch: Audio routing bugs
• Bluetooth confusion: Phone thinks headphones are connected
• Case blocking: Misaligned cases covering speaker/mic
• Hardware failure: Damaged speaker or microphone component

DIY Solutions to Try:

Step 1: Clean Speaker and Mic Grills

• Use soft-bristled brush (clean toothbrush works)
• Gently brush across speaker grills at bottom and earpiece
• DO NOT use compressed air (pushes debris deeper)
• DO NOT insert pins or needles (damages speaker mesh)

Step 2: Check Audio Settings

• Make sure not on Silent Mode (check side switch)
• Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Check volume slider
• Try playing audio with case removed

Step 3: Check Bluetooth Connection

• Settings → Bluetooth → Disconnect any devices or turn OFF
• Audio may be routing to a paired device

Step 4: Force Restart

• Audio glitches often resolve with restart
• Quick press Volume Up, Down, then hold Side button

Step 5: Test with Voice Memos

• Open Voice Memos app and record 10 seconds
• Play it back - this tests both microphone and speaker
• If recording is clear but calls aren't, issue may be with carrier

When to Seek Professional Repair:

• No sound at all from one or both speakers
• Crackling, distorted, or muffled audio
• Microphone not picking up voice at all
• Phone was recently exposed to water
• Cleaning and troubleshooting didn't help

Repair cost at Mobile Armour:

• Bottom speaker replacement: $69-$99
• Earpiece speaker replacement: $59-$89
• Microphone replacement: $69-$99
• Water damage cleaning (if applicable): $89-$129

Bonus: Face ID Not Working

This is increasingly common on iPhone X and later models:

Quick Fixes:

• Clean front camera and sensor area (top of screen)
• Make sure nothing covers the TrueDepth camera
• Reset Face ID: Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Reset Face ID → Set Up Again
• Update iOS to latest version

Professional Repair Needed If:

• "Face ID is not available" message persists
• Phone was dropped face-down (TrueDepth sensors are delicate)
• Screen was previously replaced by non-certified technician

Repair cost: Face ID repair is complex ($149-$249) but possible at Mobile Armour with specialized micro-soldering equipment.

Prevention: Keep Your iPhone Problem-Free

• Use quality accessories: Apple or MFi-certified cables, chargers, cases
• Screen protector: Tempered glass prevents screen damage
• Regular updates: Keep iOS current for bug fixes and security
• Storage management: Keep 15%+ free storage
• Battery care: Charge between 20-80%, avoid extreme temperatures
• Professional repairs: Don't risk DIY on expensive components
• Regular maintenance: Quarterly check-up at Mobile Armour (FREE!)

Expert iPhone Repair in Heidelberg

At Mobile Armour, we specialize in iPhone repairs of all types:

• All iPhone models: iPhone 6 through iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Same-day service: Most repairs completed in 1-2 hours
• 6-month warranty: Parts and labor covered
• No Fix, No Fee: If we can't fix it, you don't pay
• Free diagnostics: We'll tell you exactly what's wrong
• Premium parts: OEM and high-grade aftermarket options

Contact us for iPhone repair:

• 📞 Call: 0405-326-205
• 📍 Visit: Kiosk 4, Warringal Shopping Centre, 56 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg VIC 3084
• 🕐 Hours: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM, Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun 10AM-4PM
• 💻 Book online: Schedule iPhone Repair

Don't let iPhone problems disrupt your life - get expert repair today!