How to Make Fortnite Run Better on Your iPhone

To run iPhones faster, especially while playing games like Fortnite, close all unused apps, lower your screen brightness, and make sure both iOS and Fortnite are updated. Free up storage if it’s almost full, turn off background app refresh and location services to stop apps from using extra power, and avoid Low Power Mode since it slows things down. Inside Fortnite, lower the graphics settings if your phone lags.

These small changes can really help your iPhone run smoother during gaming. Let’s take a closer look at all these workarounds.

1. Close Unused Apps

Your iPhone handles multitasking well, but that isn’t always a plus when you’re playing heavy games like Fortnite. Background apps can quietly drain memory and processing power, making your games lag or stutter. Sure, Apple claims that iOS manages these apps on its own and shuts down what you don’t need, and to some extent, that’s true. But from my own experience, especially during intense gaming sessions, manually closing certain apps can actually make gameplay smoother.

2. Lower Screen Brightness

When you keep your screen brightness high, you drain your battery faster and risk overheating your phone, which can slow it down. Lower the brightness to a level that feels comfortable for you:

1. Open the Control Center by swiping down from the upper-right corner of the screen.
2. Use the Brightness slider to adjust the brightness.
   

Why it matters: A brighter screen uses more battery and can cause your iPhone to heat up faster. When your phone gets too warm, iOS automatically reduces performance (called thermal throttling) to prevent damage.

So this tip might help, especially during long sessions or in warm environments. Lower brightness can help prevent overheating, which in turn keeps your performance stable.

3. Update your iPhone and Fortnite

You need to keep your iPhone and games updated to get the best performance. Epic Games regularly releases updates with bug fixes, performance boosts, and new features for Fortnite. Apple also rolls out iOS updates that can improve your phone’s speed and stability. Make it a habit to check the App Store and the Settings app for updates.

To update iOS:

1. Open the Settings app and tap General.
   
2. Tap Software Update. If an update is available, tap Update Now.
   

To update all your apps, including Fortnite:

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone.
2. Tap the profile icon at the top right corner of the screen. Scroll to the Upcoming Automatic Updates section and tap Update All.
   

4. Clear Internal Storage

Storage isn’t just about how many photos or apps you keep on your phone; it directly impacts how smoothly your games run. When your iPhone’s storage gets close to full, you start to notice a slowdown. Apps open more slowly, animations lose their smoothness, and games begin to lag.

You’ve probably experienced it yourself, especially when there’s less than 10% of free space left.

1. Go to Settings > General.
   
2. Tap iPhone Storage.
   
3. At the top, you’ll see a bar showing how much of your storage is available.
   

If storage is nearly full, follow the recommendations to free up space by deleting photos, videos, documents, or unused apps.

5. Turn Off Background App Refresh

This prevents apps from running in the background and using up resources, which in turn helps Fornite run better.

1. Open the Settings app, then tap General.
   
2. Tap Background App Refresh.
   
3. Use the individual app toggles below to disable it for selected apps. If you want to disable it altogether, tap Background App Refresh, then tap Off.
   

6. Disable Location Services

A great way to boost your gaming performance on your iPhone is by stopping other apps from using your GPS. You might not notice it, but apps like Maps and Weather constantly track your location in the background. This drains system resources and can slow down your device.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Privacy & Security > Location Services.
   
3. Turn the Location Services toggle off.
   

7. Adjust Graphics and Performance Settings

You can fine-tune graphics and performance settings in Fortnite to get the best experience on your iPhone. Try lowering the graphics quality or reducing the frame rate if you notice any lag, especially on an older device. By experimenting with different settings, you’ll find the right balance between smooth performance and visual quality.

Just head to the game’s Settings menu to make these adjustments.

8. Disable Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode might seem like a smart choice, and in many cases, it is. It reduces background activity, dims the screen, and slows performance to help save battery. But when you’re gaming, that last part becomes a problem. You need performance more than battery life.

When you turn on Low Power Mode, your CPU slows down and frame rates take a hit. You probably won’t notice while reading emails or scrolling online, but once you jump into a fast-paced game, the difference is obvious. If your FPS suddenly drops and you’re not sure why, check to see if Low Power Mode is on.

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Battery.
   
2. Enable the toggle for Low Power Mode.
   

By closing unused apps, clearing storage, disabling background activity, and adjusting in-game settings, you free up system resources and keep your device running smoothly.

While lowering brightness and turning off location services may not boost frame rates directly, they help avoid overheating and slowdowns. Keep your iPhone and apps updated, and avoid using Low Power Mode during gaming. With these simple steps, your iPhone becomes a solid handheld gaming machine—no console required.