Buzz
This article guides you on how to force restart a frozen iPhone. Restoring iPhone settings using hardware keys requires pressing specific key combinations depending on the device model. If force restarting the iPhone doesn’t work, you can also explore fixing the operating system by connecting the iPhone to a computer.
Steps
Force Restart iPhone 8 and Newer Models
Press and release the volume up button. This button is located on the left side of the phone, near the top edge.
- This method works on iPhone 8, 8 Plus, XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Press and release the volume down button. You’ll find this button on the left side of the phone, just below the volume up button.
Press and hold the side button. This button is located on the right side of the phone. Keep holding it until the Apple logo appears.
Release the button when the Apple logo appears. This action forces a frozen iPhone to restart.
- If the iPhone still doesn’t restart, try charging it for about an hour and repeat the steps above. If you still can’t restart the iPhone, refer to the Fix iPhone Not Restarting section.
Force Restart iPhone 7 or 7 Plus
Press and hold the volume down button and the power button. The volume down button is on the left side of the iPhone, while the power button is on the top edge. Keep holding these buttons until the Apple logo appears.
Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo. If the reset process is successful, your iPhone will restart normally.
- If the iPhone still doesn’t restart, try charging it for about an hour and repeat the steps above. If you still can’t restart the iPhone, refer to the Fix iPhone Not Restarting section.
Force Restart iPhone 6, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st Generation)
Press and hold the power button and the Home button. The power button is located on the top edge of the iPhone, while the Home button is the large circular button at the bottom center of the screen. Keep holding these buttons until you see the Apple logo appear on the screen.
Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears on the screen. Your iPhone will restart normally if the reset process is successful.
- If the iPhone still doesn’t restart, try charging it for about an hour and repeat the steps above. If you still can’t restart the iPhone, refer to the Fix iPhone Not Restarting section.
Fix iPhone Not Restarting
Connect your iPhone to a computer. If your iPhone only displays the Apple logo on a monochrome screen when forced to restart, you can try using a Windows PC or Mac to fix the issue without risking data loss. First, connect your iPhone to the computer using the charging cable.
Open Finder (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows PC). If you’re using Mac Catalina or a newer version, click the two-toned face icon in the Dock to open Finder. If you’re using a Windows PC or an older version of macOS, open iTunes from the Start menu or Applications folder.
Open the iPhone folder. If you’re using Finder, click on your iPhone’s name in the sidebar under "Locations." If you’re using iTunes, click the iPhone icon near the top-left corner of the app (to the right of the dropdown menu).
Put your iPhone into recovery mode. The steps vary depending on the model:
- Face ID models: Press and release the volume up button, then press and release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button until the iPhone boots into recovery mode.
- iPhone 8 or newer: Press and release the volume up button, then press and release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button until the iPhone enters recovery mode.
- iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold the top button (or side button on some models) and the volume down button simultaneously. Release when the phone displays recovery mode.
- iPhones with a Home button, iPhone 6, and older models: Press and hold the Home button and the top button (or side button) at the same time. Release when the recovery screen appears.
Click the Update button on your computer. This button appears in the notification displayed on Finder or iTunes when the iPhone enters recovery mode. This option will fix iOS errors without deleting your data.
- Your iPhone will restart normally if the repair process is successful.
- If the update download doesn’t complete within 15 minutes, the iPhone will automatically exit recovery mode. In this case, repeat step 4 to re-enter recovery mode and try again.
- If the iPhone updates successfully but remains unusable, you may have restored it to factory settings. Repeat this method and select Restore instead of Update. However, all data on the iPhone will be erased, so only use this method as a last resort.
Contact Apple Support if your iPhone still won’t restart. Apple recommends reaching out to their support team if you continue to experience any of the following issues: the screen remains black or displays a single solid color, the screen appears normal but the iPhone doesn’t respond to touch, or the iPhone only shows the Apple logo. To contact support, visit https://getsupport.apple.com, select your device model, and follow the on-screen instructions.
