If your iPhone is frozen, unresponsive, or experiencing persistent glitches, a force restart can often be the quickest and most effective solution. Here’s how you can force restart your iPhone, depending on the model you have.
For iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13
When your iPhone is unresponsive, you can force it to restart by following a specific sequence of button presses. Start by quickly pressing and releasing the Volume Up button, followed by quickly pressing and releasing the Volume Down button. Immediately after, press and hold the Side (Power) button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. This process will force your iPhone to shut down and then restart, even if it is frozen.
For iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations)
The process is similar for these models. Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button. Next, press and hold the Side (Power) button until the Apple logo appears.
For iPhone 7
To force restart an iPhone 7, you need to press and hold both the Power button and the Volume Down button simultaneously until the Apple logo appears.
For iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 6, and earlier
For older models, press and hold both the Power button and the Home button until the Apple logo appears.
Important Considerations
Data Safety: A force restart will not delete any of your data, but it will close all running applications and processes.
Software Issues: If your iPhone continues to malfunction after a force restart, there might be a deeper software issue that requires a factory reset or updating to the latest iOS version.
Battery Issues: If your iPhone’s battery is very low, it may not allow you to restart or force restart the device.
Alternative Methods: If the force restart does not work, you can try using iTunes to reset your iPhone or put it into recovery mode and restore it.
Most Important Facts About How to Force Restart an iPhone
For iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, and 8: Press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, and then hold the Side (Power) button until the Apple logo appears[1][2][4].
For iPhone 7: Press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button until the Apple logo appears[1][2][4].
For iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 6, and earlier: Press and hold the Power button and Home button until the Apple logo appears[1][2][4].
Force Restart Does Not Delete Data: This method will not erase any data on your iPhone but will close all running applications and processes[2][4].
Check for Software Updates: Ensure your iPhone is running the latest iOS version to avoid software-related issues[3].
Use iTunes as a Last Resort: If the force restart fails, you can use iTunes to reset or restore your iPhone[3].
