A few months ago, we had planned a post on power saving and other general iPhone tips. In retrospect, we wish the post was up and running already, as now we are just past Hurricane Sandy. But better late than never. There are too many possible tips to write up, so we have slimmed down this list to 5 tips.

1. Turn On iCloud Back Up

Turn it on and let it work. iCloud backs up your information automatically and will be a lifesaver for the ‘oh no’ moments. To manage your iCloud settings go to: Settings » iCloud, make sure you are logged in, and enable all of the items you wish to be backed up.

2. Power Saving Tips

In the event you lose power, like so many did with Hurricane Sandy, it can be important to conserve phone battery life. Here are a few tips:

• Shut Off 4G LTE: Go to Settings » General » Cellular and toggle Enable LTE to Off.
• Turn Off Cellular Data: If you do not have any cell signal, turn off the cellular data until you plan to check for a signal again. Turning this off will automatically disable LTE. This can be disabled in the same settings as noted above.
• Turn Off Wifi: If you do not have power, you do not have a running wifi connection. Turn Wifi off by going to Settings » Wi-Fi » and toggle Wi-Fi to Off.
• Turn Off Bluetooth: Similar to Wifi, go to Settings » Bluetooth and toggle to Off.
• Adjust Screen Brightness: Disable Auto-Brightness to force the phone into your selected brightness setting. Slide the adjustment bar to the left as far as your are comfortable to conserve battery.

3. iMessage Is Not Working

We covered this a few weeks ago. If you are having trouble with iMessage, try the tips listed on our site. Your phone is not broken. It is just that iMessage is glitchy.

4. If At First You Don’t Succeed, Restore

Before you bring your iPhone into Apple, try restoring it first. It might save you a trip. Please note that you want to have everything backed up in iCloud first to ensure contacts, calendar events, etc. are safe. Also, games and apps that do not use the Game Center or alternative cloud saving tools might lose your progress and info.

• Erase All Data: Go to Settings » General » Reset and choose Erase All Content and Settings.
• Setup Assistant: Once your iPhone is reset, you will be prompted to setup your iPhone as if it were new. Select Restore From iCloud Backup and follow the onscreen instructions.

5. “I Get Text Messages From Everyone Except My One Friend”

They probably do not want to talk to you.