How to Force Restart iPhone: A Quick and Easy Guide

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A force restart is useful when an iPhone is frozen or not responding and you cannot restart it normally. It does not erase the iPhone’s data.

Contents hide
1 Force Restart iPhone 8 and Later
2 Force Restart iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
3 Force Restart iPhone 6s and Earlier
4 Force Restart vs. Recovery Mode
5 If the iPhone Still Does Not Restart
6 Summary

Force Restart iPhone 8 and Later

This includes modern Face ID iPhones and iPhone SE (2nd generation and later).

  1. Press and quickly release Volume Up.
  2. Press and quickly release Volume Down.
  3. Press and hold the Side button.
  4. Release the Side button when the Apple logo appears.

Force Restart iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

Press and hold the Side button and Volume Down button together until the Apple logo appears.

Force Restart iPhone 6s and Earlier

Press and hold the Home button and the Side or Top button together until the Apple logo appears.

Force Restart vs. Recovery Mode

On iPhone 8 and later, recovery mode begins with the same Volume Up, Volume Down, Side-button sequence, but you keep holding the Side button beyond the Apple logo until the Connect to computer screen appears. For a normal force restart, release at the Apple logo.

If the iPhone Still Does Not Restart

Charge the iPhone and verify that the buttons work. If it still will not start or a required button is damaged, the device may need service.

Summary

For iPhone 8 and later, press Volume Up, press Volume Down, then hold Side until the Apple logo appears. Older iPhones use different button combinations described above.