iPhone Screen Frozen? How to Force Restart Any Model
Your iPhone won't respond. The screen is on but nothing happens when you tap. The power button does nothing. Don't panic. Force restart fixes this and doesn't lose any data.
Force restart (iPhone 8 and newer)
Press and quickly release Volume Up. Press and quickly release Volume Down. Then press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo (about 10 seconds). Release.
Force restart by iPhone model
iPhone 8, X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 (all newer iPhones)
- Press and quickly release Volume Up
- Press and quickly release Volume Down
- Press and HOLD the Side button
- Keep holding for about 10 seconds, until the Apple logo appears
- Release
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
- Press and HOLD Volume Down and the Side button together
- Keep holding both until the Apple logo appears
- Release
iPhone 6s, SE (1st gen), and older
- Press and HOLD the Home button and the Side (or Top) button together
- Keep holding both until the Apple logo appears
- Release
What force restart actually does
It's a hard power cycle. iOS dumps memory and starts fresh. No data is deleted. Photos, apps, contacts, settings, messages are all safe. Same as unplugging a frozen computer.
If force restart doesn't work
- Plug into a charger for 30 minutes. A dead battery looks like a frozen phone. Sometimes you need 5-10 minutes of charge before the screen wakes up.
- Try a different charger. Cable might be the issue.
- If stuck on Apple logo after force restart: plug into a computer, open Finder (Mac) or Apple Devices app (Windows). The phone should appear in recovery mode. Try Update (not Restore). Restore wipes data, Update doesn't.
Why iPhones freeze
- Low storage: Under 1 GB free causes constant freezes
- Bad app: A single buggy app can hang the whole system
- iOS bug: Update to latest version
- Old battery: Sometimes the chip shuts down briefly to protect itself
- Hot temperature: Above 95F (35C), iOS throttles or freezes
If it keeps freezing
- Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Free up at least 5 GB.
- Settings > General > Software Update. Install latest iOS.
- Delete recently-installed apps
- If still happening: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings
If reset doesn't help
Could be a battery problem or storage failure. Apple has free diagnostics at any Genius Bar. Make a Genius Bar appointment to get it tested.
Need help?
If your iPhone won't come back even after force restart, send us a message.