How to Restart Your iPhone 

Restarting your iPhone is an extremely helpful troubleshooting tool for a number of problems, from fixing a sluggish device to improving performance, or clearing the cache.

The process to restart your iPhone is easy, but it can vary slightly depending on which iPhone model you own. Read on to learn how to restart and restore your iPhone.

How to Restart Your iPhone X and Later with Side Buttons

To restart your iPhone X or later model (iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16), follow these easy steps:

1. Locate your volume buttons on one side and the side button on the other.
2. Press and hold either volume button and the side button simultaneously until the power off slider appears on your screen.
3. Drag the power off slider to the right where it says “slide to power off”.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds while your iPhone powers down completely.
5. Turn your iPhone back on by pressing and holding the side button until the Apple logo appears.
6. If your iPhone is frozen or unresponsive, you may need to perform a forced restart (see below).

If your iPhone X or later is still frozen or has slow performance, then you’ll want to attempt a force restart with the steps below. Remember that if your iPhone won’t respond at all, try plugging it into a charger and waiting at least 30 minutes before attempting a restart.

How to Restart Your iPhone 6, iPhone 7, iPhone 8, or iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation)

On older iOS smartphones, the side button on the right is used to power the iPhone off and on:

1. Locate the side button on the right side of your iPhone.
2. Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears on the screen.
3. Drag the slider to the “off” position.
4. Wait at least 30 seconds for the device to fully power off. If it’s frozen, jump to our steps below on force restarting.
5. To turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the same side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

If you’re still seeing sluggish performance or a frozen screen after a standard restart, then you’ll want to give your iPhone a force restart. Remember that the force restart process is slightly different depending on your model - iPhone 7 users need to hold the Volume Down and Sleep/Wake buttons simultaneously for about 10 seconds. But iPhone 6s and older need to hold the Home and Side buttons together for 10-20 seconds. See below for full instructions.

How to Restart Your iPhone 5 or iPhone SE 1st generation

In the iPhone 5 and SE (1st generation) models, the lock button is positioned on the top of the phone instead of on the side:

1. Press and hold down on the top lock button.
2. The “slide to power off” slider will appear. Slide it to power off.
3. Wait at least 30 seconds for the device to fully turn off.
4. To power your iPhone back on, press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
5. If your iPhone is frozen and won’t respond to these steps, proceed to the force restart instructions below.

For a force restart on the iPhone 5, SE (1st generation), or any iPhone 6s or older, press and hold the Home button and the top (or side) button simultaneously for 10-20 seconds, or until the Apple logo appears - a safe, built-in workaround designed to recover the system when the phone stops responding.

If your iPhone still won’t respond after a force restart, try plugging it into a charger and waiting at least 30 minutes before attempting again. If it remains unresponsive, you may want to explore what to do with a phone that won’t turn on or learn how to extract photos from a phone that won’t turn on before you lose your data.

How to Force Restart iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XS/XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone SE 2nd Generation

Simple soft restarts are useful for solving minor problems, but they don’t resolve every problem. Sometimes the phone will freeze and not respond to the Sleep/Wake button - so restart your iPhone with this forced strategy instead:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button on the left-hand side.
2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Power button on the side until the Apple logo appears (this may take several seconds).
4. An Apple logo should now appear on your screen, completing the forced restart.

This sequence works the same way across all iPhone 8 and newer models - like every Face ID iPhone up to the latest iPhone 16 lineup - it’s a built-in workaround Apple designed specifically to safely recover the system when the phone stops responding to normal inputs.

If your iPhone is unresponsive and the force restart isn’t working, try plugging it into a charger and waiting at least 30 minutes before attempting the steps again. A drained battery can sometimes mimic a frozen or broken device.

If your iPhone is still showing signs of freezing or stalling after trying these steps, it may be time to part ways. Depending on its value, you can either sell it online or recycle it.

How to Force Restart iPhone 7

For the iPhone 7, the force restart process is slightly different from older models.

Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake (lock) button simultaneously for about 10 seconds. Keep holding the buttons until the Apple logo appears on the screen, then release.

If your iPhone 7 is still frozen or unresponsive after the force restart, try plugging it into a charger and waiting at least 30 minutes before attempting again. If the problem persists, it may be time to consider selling or recycling your iPhone 7, as the device is now a few years old and may no longer be receiving the full benefit of Apple software updates.

How to Force Restart iPhone 6 or iPhone SE 1st Generation and All Other Older Models

Force restarting your iPhone 6, iPhone SE (1st generation), or other older models can be done by performing the following:

1. Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Home button simultaneously.
2. Keep holding both buttons for 10-20 seconds until the Apple logo appears.
3. Once the Apple logo appears, release both buttons and allow your iPhone to restart normally.

If your iPhone 6 or older is still unresponsive after a force restart, try plugging it into a charger and waiting at least 30 minutes before attempting again. It’s worth mentioning that Apple designed force restart as a built-in recovery tool specifically for situations where your phone stops responding, so it’s always a safe first step to try.

If your older iPhone continues to have problems, it may be time to consider trading it in or recycling it depending on its current condition and value, as models this old no longer receive iOS updates and may struggle with everyday tasks.

Trade in Your Old iPhone with ecoATM

If you’re restarting your iPhone on a regular basis, it’s most likely time for a new phone. Our phones can take a beating over the years with standard use and wear and tear - it matters to know when your phone may have reached its lifespan and what your next best step may be.

At ecoATM, we have a convenient process to sell your old iPhone for instant cash payment. You can visit one of our over 5,000 kiosks across the country and sell your old phone in just under 10 minutes. Not only can you walk away with instant cash, but you can also walk away with the good feeling of keeping a device out of landfills and working towards a future with less electronic waste. Price your iPhone online with us and visit your neighborhood ecoATM to earn an instant reward.