iPhone: The Missing Manual, 2nd Edition

Troubleshooting Apps

Let's face it: Little freebie apps created by amateur programmers aren't always as stable and well-designed as, say, Apple's programs. Plenty of them are glitchy around the edges.

If a program is acting up—opening it returns you immediately to the Home screen, for example, or even restarts the iPhone—follow these steps, in sequence:

• Open the program again. Sometimes, second time's the charm.

• Restart the iPhone. That is, hold down the Sleep switch on the top until the "slide to power off" note appears. Slide your finger to turn off the iPhone, then turn it back on again. In many cases, that little micro-nap is all the iPhone needs to get its memory straight again.

• Reinstall the annoying program. This one could take several steps. It involves deleting the program completely from the iPhone, as described above, and then re-downloading it from the App Store. You'll get a message that says, "You have already purchased this item," which you probably knew already. Just tap OK. (As the little message informs you, you won't be charged again if you paid for the program the first time.)

• Reset the iPhone. If the iPhone is actually frozen—nonresponsive—then you should reset it instead. Hold down both the Home and Sleep buttons for 10 full seconds, or until it shuts off. Turn it on again.

Finally, if you're feeling goodwill toward your fellow iPhone-lovers, consider reporting the problem, so other people might be spared the headache you've just endured.

To do that, open the App ...