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How to Restart a Frozen iPhone

by | Jan 12, 2023 | iPhone

Is your iPhone frozen and not responding to any taps or button presses? It can be frustrating when your device suddenly stops working, especially when you need to use it urgently. 

A frozen iPhone or unresponsive iPhone is when your iPhone stops working or becomes unresponsive. You might have faced this problem when your iPhone suddenly became unresponsive when you were using it. Its touch screen does not even respond and move. It becomes frustrating when you want to see your phone but can’t.

In this article, we will go through step-by-step solutions to help you restart a frozen iPhone and prevent it from freezing in the future. 

What Causes Your iPhone to Freeze?

There could be a couple of reasons why your iPhone becomes unresponsive or frozen while you are using it. For example, a frozen iPhone happens when the system gets overloaded or an app malfunctions. Some common reasons include:

  • Running too many apps at the same time
  • Low storage space
  • A software bug or outdated iOS version
  • A faulty app causing conflicts
  • Overheating issues

Quick Fixes for a Frozen iPhone

Before trying advanced troubleshooting, start with these simple fixes.

1. Force Restarting Your iPhone

A force restart is different from a regular restart. It forces your iPhone to shut down and reboot, even if it’s completelyunresponsive. Here’s how to do it based on your iPhone model.

For iPhone 8 and above modals

  1. Press and release the Volum Up button.
  2. Press and release the Volume Down button.
  3. Press and hold the Side (Power) button until you see the Apple logo.

For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

  1. Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button at the same time.
  2. Keep holding both buttons until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and older models

  1. Press and hold the Home button and the Power button together.
  2. Keep holding both buttons until you see the Apple logo.

This method should unfreeze your iPhone in most cases. If your iPhone is still frozen, move on to the next step.

2. Using the Power and Volum Buttons

Sometimes, a regular restart can fix a frozen iPhone. Here is how:

  1. Press and hold the Power button until the “slide to power off” option appears. 
  2. Drag the slider to turn off the iphone.
  3. Wait for 30 seconds and then press the Power button again to turn it back on.

3. Restarting via AssitiveTouch

If your screen is still responsive but certain buttons aren’t working, you can restart your iPhone using AssitiveTouch:

  1. Go to Settings > Accessibility> Touch > AssistiveTouch and turn it on.
  2. Tap the AssistiveTouch menu (a floating button on the screen).
  3. Select Device > More > Restart.

This is useful when your iPhone is slow but still functional.

What Happens if the iPhone doesn’t Restart?

If a force restart doesn’t work, try these advanced solutions.

Updating iOS to Resolve Freezing Issues

An outdated iOS can cause performance problems. If your iPhone is slow or freezes often, check for software updates:

  1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  2. If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

Freeing up Storage to Prevent Freezing 

A nearly full storage can slow down your iPhone. To free up space:

  1. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
  2. Check which apps are using the most space.
  3. Delete unnecessary apps, photos, or videos.
  4. Offload unused apps by enabling Optimize iPhone Storge under Photo settings.

Resetting All Settings Without Data Loss

If your iPhone still freezes, resetting the settings can help:

  1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
  2. Tap reset All Settings.

This resets Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and system settings without deleting your data.

Using Recovery Mode to Fix a Completely Frozen iPhone

If your iPhone is still stuck, use Recovery Mode.

When to Use Recovery Mode

Recovery Mode is helpful when:

  • The iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo.
  • The screen stays black.
  • A software update fails.

Steps to Enter and Exit Recovery Mode

To enter Recovery Mode, you need a computer with iTunes (Windows or macOS Mojave) or Finder (macOS Catalina and later):

  1. Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable.
  2. Open iTunes of Finder
  3. Force restart your iPhone (steps mentioned earlier).
  4. When the recovery screen appears, choose Update to reinstall iOS without erasing data.

To exit Recovery Mode, force restart your iPhone again.

Final Thoughts

A frozen iPhone can be annoying, but in most cases, a simple force restart can fix it. If that doesn’t work, try updating iOS, freeing up storage, orusing revoery mode. If your iPhone still freezes, a factory reset or DFU mode might be necessary.

By keeping your iPhone updated and managing storage wisely, you can prevent future freezing issues. If all else fails, don’t hesitate to reach out to Apple Support for help.

When your iPhone’s screen freezes or becomes unresponsive, you should not worry about it. First, use the soft restart method to reboot your phone. If it does not work, then use the hard restart method. The least recommended method to use is the factory reset if other methods do not work. But keep in mind that this method will erase all the data stored in your phone.

I hope this article helped you to learn how to restart your frozen iPhone or unresponsive iPhone.

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