Tech Reference

How to restart, force restart, or reset any iPhone model

Written by Dave Johnson and William Antonelli
How to restart an iPhone 2x1
You can restart any iPhone by holding down the physical buttons. Apple; Rachel Mendelson/Insider
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It might sound like a joke, but it's true: You can fix most tech problems by turning your device off and back on again.

If you run into a weird glitch on your iPhone — maybe the sound won't work, or apps keep crashing, or you can't make calls — your first step should be to perform a quick restart. This will refresh the software on your iPhone and likely fix whatever's gone wrong.

And if your iPhone is so bugged that you can't even restart it, a force restart works just as well. This method "forces" your iPhone to turn off, even if it's frozen.

Here's how to restart or force restart any iPhone — and what to do if restarting doesn't fix the issue.

How to restart an iPhone

The exact steps to restart your iPhone will depend on what model you have. If you're not sure which iPhone model you own, check out our article on how to identify your iPhone.

If you have an iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13

1. Press and hold both the Power button and either of the Volume buttons. 

2. When a slider labeled slide to power off appears at the top of the screen, drag it to the right.

The "Power Off" page on an iPhone X.
Restart newer iPhones by holding Power and a Volume button...  Dave Johnson/Insider

3. Wait a few moments for the iPhone to completely turn off and for the screen to go black.

4. Press and hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears.

If you have an iPhone SE, iPhone 8, or earlier

1. Press and hold the Power button.

2. When the slide to power off appears at the top of the screen, drag it to the right.

The power slider on an older iPhone model.
The Power button is on the side of the iPhone.  Dave Johnson/Insider

3. Wait for your iPhone to fully turn off and for the screen to go black.

4. Press the Power button until the Apple logo appears.

How to force restart an iPhone

When your iPhone freezes, it might not even be able to show you the power slider. In this case, you'll need to "force" your iPhone to restart.

Don't worry — this won't harm your iPhone at all. Just beware that if you were working on a project, this will likely erase any unsaved data.

Again, the steps will change depending on which iPhone you own.

If you have an iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations), iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13

1. Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button.

2. Press and hold the Power button.

3. Keep holding the Power button until the Apple logo appears.

If you have an iPhone 7

1. Press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button.

2. Keep holding the buttons until the Apple logo appears.

If you have an iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 6, or earlier

1. Press and hold the Power button and Home button.

An iPhone 6, with the Home and Power buttons highlighted.
The Power button will either be on top or on the side of your iPhone.  Apple; William Antonelli/Insider

2. Keep holding both buttons until the Apple logo appears.

How to reset an iPhone

If you've restarted and force restarted your iPhone but it's still not working, there's a deeper issue at play. Some files or pieces of software might be corrupted, meaning that they'll always cause an issue.

Your best chance at fixing these issues is to give your iPhone a factory reset. A factory reset will erase all of the data on your iPhone and return it to the state it was in when you first bought it, as if it just left the factory. This might sound extreme, but it's a fantastic way to fix nearly any software issue.

For details on how to reset your iPhone — and how to avoid losing your most important data in the process — check out our dedicated article on the topic.

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dave june
Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
WillAntonelli
William Antonelli
ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Consumer Technology (Laptops, PCs, video games and gaming consoles, smartphones, more)
  • Social Media (TikTok, X, Meta, more)
  • Internet Culture (Memes, influencers, viral trends)
  • Disinformation
EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.