Dear TeachUsTech’ers,
Sometimes an iPhone just needs a quick restart. If the screen seems stuck, an app is acting strangely, or the phone is running slowly, turning it off and back on can often help.
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What You’ll Learn
• how to restart a newer iPhone without a Home button
• how to restart an older iPhone with a Home button
• what to do if the phone is frozen and won’t respond
Before you begin
Look at the front of your iPhone. If it has a large screen with no round button on the front, follow the newer iPhone steps. If it has a round Home button at the bottom, follow the older iPhone steps.
Left: newer iPhone without a Home button. Right: older iPhone with a Home button.
How to restart a newer iPhone
This works for iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and newer models without a Home button.
Press and hold the buttons.
Press and hold one of the volume buttons and the side button at the same time until you see “slide to power off.”Slide to power off.
Place your finger on the slider and slide it to the right. Your iPhone will begin turning off.Wait 30 seconds.
Give the phone a moment to fully shut down.Turn it back on.
Press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.
How to restart an older iPhone
This works for older iPhones with a Home button, such as iPhone 6, 7, 8, and some SE models.
Hold the side button.
Press and hold the side button until you see “slide to power off.”Slide to turn it off.
Slide the on-screen power button to the right.Wait 30 seconds.
Let the phone fully shut down.Turn it back on.
Press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.
If Your iPhone is Frozen
If your iPhone is not responding at all, you may need a force restart. This is different from a regular restart.
For newer iPhones and iPhone 8 or later:
• Quickly press and release Volume Up.
• Quickly press and release Volume Down.
• Press and hold the Side button.
• Let go when the Apple logo appears.
For iPhone 7 or 7 Plus:
• Press and hold the Side button and the Volume Down button together until the Apple logo appears.
For iPhone 6s and older:
• Press and hold the Home button and the Side button or Top button together until the Apple logo appears.
Important to Know
Restarting is not the same as resetting or erasing your phone. A restart simply turns the iPhone off and back on. It does not delete your photos, apps, or messages.
Final thought
Restarting an iPhone is one of the easiest tech fixes there is. It may seem too simple, but that quick off-and-on often solves small everyday problems.
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