How to Force Restart a Frozen or Unresponsive iPhone

If your iPhone is frozen, black screen, or completely unresponsive, a force restart usually fixes it. The button combination depends on your iPhone model.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Identify your iPhone model
2.Force restart iPhone X and newer (no Home button)
3.Force restart iPhone 7 or 7 Plus
4.Force restart iPhone 6s or earlier
5.What to do if the iPhone won't restart at all

Identify your iPhone model

~20s

If you're not sure which iPhone model you have: if your iPhone has a Home button (circular button at the bottom front of the phone), it's an older model (iPhone 8 or earlier). If it has no Home button and a long display without a notch, or with a "Dynamic Island" cutout at the top, it's an iPhone X or newer.

Force restart iPhone X and newer (no Home button)

~30s

This includes iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and all SE models from 2020 onward: 1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button 2. Quickly press and release the Volume Down button 3. Press and hold the Side button (right side of phone) 4. Keep holding until the Apple logo appears (about 10–15 seconds), then release

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: The key is quick presses for volume (not holds), then a long hold on the Side button. The sequence needs to happen within a few seconds.

Force restart iPhone 7 or 7 Plus

~15s

Press and hold both the Volume Down button (left side) AND the Sleep/Wake button (right side) at the same time. Keep holding both until the Apple logo appears, then release.

Force restart iPhone 6s or earlier

~15s

Press and hold both the Home button (front of phone) AND the Sleep/Wake button (top or right side) at the same time. Keep holding both until the Apple logo appears, then release.

What to do if the iPhone won't restart at all

~19s

If the force restart produces no response: connect the iPhone to its charger and wait 10 minutes (it may have a completely dead battery). If it still shows nothing after charging, the phone may need service. Contact Apple Support at apple.com/support or visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

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Your iPhone freezes, the screen goes black and won't turn back on, or it's completely unresponsive — pressing buttons does nothing. This happens occasionally on all iPhones, and it doesn't mean your phone is broken. A force restart (also called a hard reset) clears whatever got stuck in the system and starts fresh. It takes less than 10 seconds and doesn't delete any of your data.

The button combination for a force restart varies by iPhone model — newer iPhones use a different sequence than older ones. This guide covers all models so you can find the right method for your iPhone quickly.

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