What to do if your iPhone is frozen. Hard reboot iPhone


Smartphones, like any computer, are susceptible to software glitches. It doesn't matter whether it's iOS or Android, Windows phone or BADA, any mobile operating system is susceptible to sudden failure. In this article we will talk about phones based on iOS, we will try to answer in detail the question of how to properly reboot an iPhone of any model. There are many reasons for software failure, ranging from a memory cache error or a frozen application to hardware failures of individual modules. Hardware glitches begin after the phone is drowned or hits a hard surface.

Rebooting the iPhone 6 helps solve many problems, in some cases temporarily, but most often one restart of the phone is enough to continue stable operation for many months. There are several ways to reboot your iPhone 5s; today we’ll talk about each of them separately. We will give valuable advice and, as always, include video instructions on how to restart your iPhone if none of the buttons work.

Ways to Restart iPhone

There are several effective ways to reboot an Apple phone, each of them is safe for the device and can be used several times a day. Is it possible to reboot an iPhone without a button? Certainly! how to do this, read below and watch the video.

  • Standard method, using the power button
  • If the button on the case does not work
  • If the sensor does not work
  • Software reboot option
  • Using Assistive Touch

Benefits of rebooting your phone

The benefits are undeniable, like any computer, a modern smartphone is capable of processing huge amounts of data. The more information, the faster the device’s cache gets clogged, which leads to software failures, freezes and subsequent problems for the user. Here is a small list of problems that harm users and prevent them from fully using the iPhone.

  • Getting rid of iOS glitches
  • Eliminate system braking as a whole
  • Getting rid of graphic artifacts on the screen
  • Killing a frozen application
  • Reset the smartphone memory cache;
  • Complete hardware restart.
  • Solving many other iPhone 5 problems

Rather, this is not even a reboot method, but simply a standard function of turning on and off the iPhone. From the beginning of the entire line of iPhone models, 2, 3, 4, 4S, etc., the device's on/off button was located on the top edge of the device. The power button was moved from the top to the right starting with the new models 6, 6 plus, 7, 7 plus. Judging by rumors, the iPhone 8 will also have a power key located on the right side.

How to completely reboot an iPhone using the normal power-on option? Everything is simple and reliable. Press the power button and hold it for 10 seconds until a slider appears with the word Turn off, now we swipe it and the phone turns off. After a couple of minutes, turning on the gadget, we get a cleared cache; most glitches will never make themselves felt again. The method works if iOS is not frozen and all applications are working normally. But there are situations when a frozen device does not respond to pressing hardware buttons, then a “hard reboot” will come to the rescue.

How do I restart my iPhone when it's frozen so much that it won't respond to the lock button? Then the so-called “hard reboot” will come to the user’s aid. With its help, it is possible to restart the device in case of any software or hardware error. This method works on all Apple equipment, from phones to tablets of all models and configurations.

It’s easy to reboot your iPhone 5 in hard reboot mode, press the lock and “Home” keys at the same time, wait 10-15 seconds, the phone should reboot. If this doesn’t happen, wait longer. In any case, this method will help, sometimes you just need to hold the buttons longer. The hard method will help if the sensor does not work, but it is unlikely to restore its functionality unless it is a software glitch.

Video instructions on how to reboot an iPhone 5s if the regular restart doesn’t work and it’s frozen.

Any equipment fails, expensive iPhones are no exception. A fall, mechanical damage to the case, these are the factors that lead to damage to the device, which makes it difficult to reboot it. Most often, the hardware lock button, also known as the power button, of the phone fails. Without it, it is impossible to turn on and off the phone and reboot the device, if necessary. But even without such a valuable part of the iPhone, it is quite possible to restart the device using software, although not everything is so simple.

Let's figure out how to restart an iPhone without the much-needed lock screen button? There are four main ways.

Using Assistive Touch

  • Go to “Settings – General – Universal Access”
  • Find and enable the “Assistive Touch” function
  • Press the program button that appears on the screen;
  • Select “Device”;
  • In the menu that opens, press and hold the “Screen lock” item;
  • Turn off the phone.

  1. Go to “Settings – General – Universal Access”.
  2. Click on “Bold Text”.
  3. We agree to a reboot

That's it, the problem of how to reboot iPhone 5 without hardware buttons has been solved. After loading, go to the settings and remove “Bold text”, the phone will reboot again and the system font will return to its original state.

Using a wireless network reset

  1. “Settings – General – Reset.”
  2. Select “Reset network settings”
  3. We agree to a reboot.

You must remember that this method works, but it deletes all data about networks, resets all network settings, including wi-fi passwords and VPN connections, so you need to be careful.

Wait until the battery runs out

This option on how to reboot an iPhone without hardware buttons is suitable for extreme sports enthusiasts or real lazy people. You don’t need to do anything, we sit and wait for the phone’s battery to run out and it turns off. To make the process go faster, you can turn on a movie or any video, for example from YouTube. This will drain the battery in a couple of hours, after which it will turn off, and you just need to connect the charger. By default, the iPhone turns on when the charger is connected, so the problem will be solved.

What to do if your iPhone is frozen, the screen is black and the sensor does not respond to touches? The reasons for rebooting an iPhone, regardless of the version, can be completely different. They can start with a harmless software update that requires a reboot to complete the installation, or unpleasant situations when the smartphone freezes and stops responding to any of your actions.

The methods for rebooting different iPhone and iPad models vary slightly (the procedure is especially difficult for the iPhone 8 and iPhone X). In this article we will show you how to reboot any version of iPhone (X, 8, 7, 6, SE, 5, 4) or iPad.

Abstractly speaking, soft and hard restart of a smartphone are the same thing. They perform the same function, namely: “turning the phone off and on.” However, it is worth noting several nuances that distinguish them:

A soft reboot is a method of rebooting your smartphone (and others) while still allowing your device to respond to touches. It is often used when the smartphone is stuttering, in order to clear memory and shut down background applications.

A hard reset is the process of forcing a device to reboot when the power is intentionally (or unintentionally) completely removed. Used in cases where the device is frozen and does not respond to any attempts to interact with it.

How to force restart an iPhone or iPad?

If your iPhone or iPad stops responding to button presses or turns off and won't turn on again, then all is not lost. On iOS devices, there is a way to solve the problem when startup fails in normal mode.

However, as we have already noted, the procedure depends on the phone model. In the case of the iPhone 8 and X, the process is complicated by the physical absence of a back to home button, which is used to force a restart on other Apple devices. In fact, the new iPhone 8 and X have a complicated forced reboot procedure, which will be described below.

How to soft reset iPhone X, 8, 7, 6, SE and iPad?

To turn your iPhone off and on again, you only need to press and hold the power button, which is located either on the side or on the top of the device, depending on its model and size (Apple moved this button to the side when it began producing larger iPhone models , starting with iPhone 6). All iPad models have a button at the top of the device.

1. Press the power off button and hold it for a few seconds.

2. Wait for the message “Slide to Power Off” to appear on the screen.

3. Swipe your finger across the screen.

4. Press the button again to turn on the phone.

5. You will need to enter a password to identify yourself, even if you would normally use your fingerprint.

If this method does not work, then a force restart may be necessary. Next we will explain how to do this.

How to restart iPhone 8 or 10 (X) if the screen is frozen?

If you want to restart one of the latest iPhone models, it's not that easy. Restarting is even more difficult than with the iPhone 7. Apple has invented a new, much more complex procedure, but it is not critical.

Here's what to do:

1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.

2. Quickly press and release the Volume Down button

3. Press and hold the power button (on the other side) until the Apple logo appears.

How to restart iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, using two buttons, if frozen?

The iPhone 7 and its sibling 7 Plus were the first devices in the iPhone line to physically lack a home screen button. Like later models, the 7 Series phones used a tactile button that buzzed when you touched it, simulating a press.

Since it was a soft button, when the phone hung, it stopped functioning. This is why Apple had to develop a new restart algorithm without using the home screen button.

1. Press the Power/Lock button on the right side of the phone.

2. Simultaneously press and hold the Volume Down button on the left side of the phone.

3. Wait until the Apple logo appears (it may say “Slide to Power Off”, but you need to keep holding the buttons and the phone will skip this step), then the device will boot.

4. You will be required to enter a password, even if you previously used fingerprint identification.

Apple products are perfection. The famous iPhones practically do not glitch, even with intensive and long-term use. However, every smartphone owner still encounters a situation where the device needs to be rebooted. And sometimes restarting the system seems unrealistic: either the central button is broken, or the sensor does not respond to commands. Usually, it is after a reboot that the smartphone returns to its functionality, so you should try your best to turn off and turn on the device. This article will outline all the ways to do this. There are 3 reboot methods in total.

If you bought an iPhone recently, or have used it all the time carefully and in compliance with operating requirements, most likely, it is fully functional: the “Power” and “Home” buttons work, the sensor responds to commands. This is the normal operating mode of the device.

How to restart iPhone in normal mode?


Force restart iPhone

The smartphone is not always in good condition. If it is overloaded or you have an “old man,” periodic freezes may occur when the gadget does not respond to anything. Apple developers have provided for such a case, so you can restart your iPhone even in difficult conditions:

This system reboot is called a forced reboot, and is suitable for restarting both iPhone and iPad. A forced system restart is not very beneficial for the health of the device, so if you can turn off/on your smartphone using another method, try to do without this reboot.

The last method is suitable for devices that operate normally and only have some mechanical damage - their buttons do not work. It is important to understand that without the participation of the sensor, you will not be able to reboot the system using the method described below.

How to reboot iPhone without a button?

Apple foresaw all possible circumstances and warned of problems that could arise if the device’s buttons suddenly stopped working. iPhone owners can easily get by with just a working display. The “Assistive Touch” function will help them with this - a substitute for push-button control. This touch button substitute looks like a transparent circle on your screen. When you press in the circle, a number of functions appear that previously could only be activated using buttons.

Activating Assistive Touch:

Turn off iPhone using Assitive Touch

After reading these instructions, you will be able to fully use the device without using iPhone buttons. And most importantly, you can turn off your smartphone without pressing “Power”.

A few words in conclusion

All possible ways to turn off and activate an Apple device are described above. If possible, use only the first and third reboot methods. Force restart your device only if your phone is completely frozen.

Freezing is a problem that any computer equipment faces. At some point, one of the programs begins to behave incorrectly or conflicts with another program, and as a result, the entire device is inoperative. This is exactly the situation that is called freezing.

iPhone is also susceptible to this problem and may freeze from time to time. Typically, when an iPhone freezes, it refuses to turn off or restart, leaving the user confused. Most often, older models such as iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5s and 6 freeze. But sometimes even iPhone 6s and 7 users experience freezes.

If you find yourself in such a situation, then this material should help you; here you will learn what to do if your iPhone is frozen.

iPhone frozen and won't turn off or restart

Usually, if the iPhone freezes, users try to turn it off or restart it using the standard procedure, namely by long pressing the Power/Lock button. Unfortunately, in most cases, when the iPhone freezes, this shutdown method does not work. The iPhone continues to work and run frozen applications no matter how long the user presses the power button.

But, the iPhone has an alternative shutdown method that bypasses the iOS operating system. Thanks to this, this shutdown method works even on completely frozen devices. The method is to simultaneously press the Power/Lock button.

Home and Power buttons

The “Home” and “Power” buttons must be pressed simultaneously and held until the frozen iPhone turns off. After turning off, you need to wait a few seconds and briefly press the power button once. After this, the iPhone will turn on and start working normally.

It should be noted that the “Home + Power” key combination is also responsible for taking a screenshot. But, to take a screenshot, you need to press these keys literally for 1 second; if you hold the keys longer, the freeze protection will work and the iPhone will reboot.

If you have an iPhone X or a newer model, then you need to use .

iPhone freezes when turned on

Pressing the Home + Power buttons simultaneously allows you to turn the device off and on in any situation. However, this procedure does not guarantee that the iPhone will not freeze again during the startup process.

If your iPhone freezes before the device fully boots up, then you can use a recovery mode called “Recovery Mode”. With its help, you can restore your iPhone to its original state and bring it back to life. But, you need to take into account that this procedure is equivalent to resetting to factory settings and leads to the deletion of all user data.

In order to enter Recovery Mode on your iPhone and perform a recovery, you need to do the following:

  1. Turn off your iPhone and wait a couple of minutes for all programs to finish their work. If the iPhone does not turn off in the standard way, then you can resort to the “Home + Power” combination described above.
  2. Next, you need to press the “Home” button and, without releasing it, connect the iPhone to the computer via a Lightning cable.
  3. Once connected, continue to hold the Home button until the iTunes logo and cable image appear on your iPhone.
  4. Now you need to release the Home button and launch iTunes on your computer.
  5. In iTunes, you need to go to the iPhone settings and click on the “Restore iPhone” button.

Restore iPhone button

In this way, you can solve the problem with the iPhone freezing during startup, but, as already mentioned, for this you will need to sacrifice all user files. You can read more about Recovery Mode in our article.

Apple devices also have a so-called DFU or Device Firmware Update mode. If the recovery mode does not help, then you can try and try the recovery again.

iPhone owners have the opportunity to work on a modern device that allows them to use numerous programs, applications and commands simultaneously. But it also has glitches when the iPhone “does not respond” or executes commands incorrectly. The operation of the iPhone 5 can be affected by countless different factors, but in most cases the solution to the problem is a simple reboot. Restarting the smartphone makes it possible to update the operation of all operating system programs and reduce the speed of command execution.

Depending on the problem, there are different ways to reboot. The first, easiest way to restart iPhone 5 is as follows:

  1. You need to press the power off (sleep) button at the top of the device and hold it for 4-5 seconds. A rectangular button should appear on the screen confirming that the iPhone is turned off;
  2. Swipe the red power button from left to right without lifting your finger from the screen;
  3. Wait until the screen goes dark and press the power button again until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

There may be situations when the smartphone does not respond to touch buttons. In this case, the following solution to the question of how to restart iPhone 5 if it is frozen is possible. To do this you need:

  1. Simultaneously hold the buttons " Switch off" And " Home"for 9-10 seconds;
  2. Make sure that the company logo appears and the relaunch is successful.

This performs a complete reset and loss of all unsaved data. Often resorting to this reboot method without using a soft method is highly undesirable.

A completely opposite situation occurs when the phone does not respond to pressing mechanical buttons. In this case, the iPhone is controlled by touch using the “ Assistive Touch" You need to enable the function as follows:

  1. Enter " Settings", then find the item " Basic", then select " Universal access»;
  2. On the last page, find the Assitive Touch function and turn it on by moving the icon from right to left. A translucent button should appear on the screen that you need to click;
  3. In the Assistive Touch menu window, press and hold the " Apparatus»;
  4. Choose " Screen lock", and then the icon " Switch off»;
  5. Move the slider to the right on this icon, after which the iPhone will turn off.

You need to connect to a computer or laptop via a USB cable. The Apple icon will appear and the device will begin to operate as usual.

There is another method on how to restart iPhone 5 - using the iTunes application. The smartphone is synchronized with the PC and through this program the default settings are restored. Data and content of most applications are more likely to be lost with this method.