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

If you're running into weird glitches on your iPhone your first step toward a solution might be to perform a quick restart. This will give the software on your iPhone a quick refresh and likely fix whatever issue you are experiencing.

This post will go over the various methods to restart or force a restart on any iPhone, including force restart for when your iPhone screen is frozen.

How to restart your iPhone

The exact steps to restart your iPhone will vary based on the iPhone you own. Read the steps to start your iPhone below.

iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13

• Press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power-off slider appears
• Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. If your device is frozen or unresponsive, see below on how to force restart your device
• To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button on the right side of your device until you see the Apple logo

iPhone SE, iPhone 8, iPhone 7, or iPhone 6

• Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears
• Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. If your device is frozen or unresponsive, see below on how to force restart your device
• To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button on the right side of your device until you see the Apple logo

iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 5, or earlier

• Press and hold the top button until the power-off slider appears
• Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. If your device is frozen or unresponsive, see below on how to force restart your device
• To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button on the right side of your device until you see the Apple logo

How to force restart your iPhone

iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13

• Press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button. When the Apple logo appears, release the button.

iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations)

• Press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button. When the Apple logo appears, release the button.

iPhone 7

• Press and hold both the volume down button and the Sleep/Wake button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 6, or earlier

• Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.