The best tricks to make your old, beat-up iPhone last until the new model comes out (AAPL)

Flickr/Andrew Mager

Apple is very likely to launch a new 4-inch iPhone this March, and the iPhone 7 will hit shelves this fall. 

Until then, you're still stuck with your years-old device. Perhaps years of use have taken a toll and your phone has a broken screen. Or your battery doesn't last a whole day anymore. But you want to hold out until you can upgrade to the new model. 

Luckily, there are several tweaks and tricks that can help your older phone run like new, at least until the newest one comes out.

Here are a few tips and tricks for getting your phone through its last days: 

When a new phone is about to come out, Google searches for "slow iPhone" spike, according to Google Trends and the New York Times. So you're not alone if it feels like your phone is dragging.

Turning off Background App Refresh can also help reduce the burden on your phone's processor. An added bonus is that it will give you a few extra minutes of battery life, too.

You'll find the tweak in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You can also turn off background refresh for individual apps, too. 

There are a few quick software tweaks that might make your phone a bit snappier. First, you should turn off Apple's motion effects.

Find it in Settings > General > Accessibility. Click on Increase Contrast and turn Reduce Transparency off. You'll also want to turn on the Reduce Motion option as well.