How to Restart Your iPhone: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for All Models

Restarting your iPhone is the most common solution for many software-related issues. Whether your phone is running slow or becomes completely unresponsive, a quick restart might be able to fix the problem. However, the steps to restart your iPhone differ from model to model. So, in this guide, we will cover all the different methods on how to restart your iPhone with step-by-step instructions. 

How to Restart Your iPhone 

If your iPhone's touchscreen is working properly and not frozen, then we can proceed with the regular steps to restart or reboot your iPhone. Simply follow the steps below: 

Restart an iPhone with Face ID and Touch ID

Here's how you can perform a normal restart on any iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2020) or newer models with Face ID, including the latest iPhone 17 and iPhone Air. 

1. Long-press the Side + Volume Up buttons until the power menu appears.

2. Here, drag the "slide to power off" slider to the right to switch off the iPhone.

3. Once turned off, long-press the Side button till the Apple logo appears.

Restart iPhone with a Home Button 

To restart an old iPhone with a home button like the iPhone 7 and older, you need to follow these steps to reboot the device. 

1. Long press the Side + Home buttons together to bring up the power menu.

2. Next, drag the "slide to power off" slider rightwards to switch off the iPhone.

3. After the screen goes black, press and hold the Side + Home buttons till Apple logo is visible

Restart iPhone Using Siri 

You can also ask Siri to restart your iPhone without physically touching the screen. This can be helpful if your screen is unresponsive. 

1. On your iPhone, say, "Hey Siri, Restart my iPhone".
2. It will ask for confirmation; simply reply with "Restart".

3. After the confirmation, your phone will turn off and turn back on again automatically.

This is by far the easiest method to restart your iPhone; however, it requires your device to run iOS 16 or higher versions. 

Use Assistive Touch to Restart Your iPhone 

If you have enabled AssistiveTouch from the Accessibility settings of your iPhone, then you can tap on the floating white dot on your iPhone to quickly restart your iPhone. 

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.
2. Here, turn on the AssistiveTouch toggle at the top.

3. Now, tap on the AssistiveTouch button on the screen.
4. Here, go to Device > More and select Restart.

5. In the confirmation box, tap on Yes to restart your iPhone.

How to Force Restart Your iPhone 

If your iPhone becomes unresponsive or the display stops registering your touch, force-restarting it will resolve the issue. This method also differs across multiple Apple iPhones, so we have divided it into three methods. 

Force Restart iPhones with Face ID or Touch ID

If you have an iPhone 8, iPhone X, iPhone 11 or a newer model, then this is how you can force restart your device. 

1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up, then press and release the Volume Down button in that exact order.
2. Then long-press the Side button till the screen goes black.

3. Once the Apple logo appears, you can release the Side button.
4. Wait for the phone to restart.

Force Restart iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus 

The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus have a unique force restart process that is different from the newer and much older models. Here is how you reboot them. 

1. Long-press the Volume Down + Side buttons at the same time.

2. Keep doing this until your iPhone screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.
3. Release both buttons once the logo shows on the screen.
4. Now, wait for the device to restart normally.

Force Restart iPhone 6 or Older Models

In case you have an iPhone 6s or older model, you need to use this method to force restart your iPhone. 

1. Long-press the Home + Side buttons simultaneously.

2. Keep pressing for 10-20 seconds or until the Apple logo shows up.
3. Once the logo appears, you can let go of both buttons and let the phone reboot.

iPhone Not Restarting? Try out These Troubleshooting Tips

In case the above methods to restart your iPhone did not work for you or the device does not turn on, then you can take a look at the following troubleshooting tips to resolve the issue: 

• Charge Your iPhone: If your iPhone is not responding to the force restart steps, plug it into a charger and wait at least 30 minutes. The issue could be a completely drained battery.
• Remove Case or Accessories: Thick cases often tend to block certain buttons, like the power and volume buttons. If you have such a case installed, remove it and attempt to restart the iPhone using the aforementioned steps again.
• Press the right button combo: Make sure you are pressing the right button combination, as the phone does not register wrong inputs.
• Update iOS version: If your iPhone is still responsive, you can try updating it to the latest version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. A new update might resolve any underlying issues.
• Reset All Settings: You can also try resetting all iPhone settings by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. This resets all settings to the default state.
• Connect it to a computer: If your iPhone is still not turning on, you can connect it to a Mac or Windows computer and open the Finder or iTunes app to restore the device. This will erase all data but could recover the phone itself.
• Visit an Apple Service Centre: If all else fails, there could be a hardware malfunction in your device. In this case, it would be best to take the iPhone to an authorised Apple service center instead of fixing it yourself.

These are all the ways to restart your iPhone. Remember that restarting is not the complete solution but could be an uncomplicated fix for small software-related problems. I hope you found this guide useful and were able to learn the correct method to force restart your iPhone regardless of which model you are using.