Is your iPhone not responding? If your iPhone is acting up and you can’t get it to restart using the regular buttons or on-screen menu, a hard reset can help. This guide will show you how to reset an iPhone model and what to do if your phone is still unresponsive.
How to Reset an iPhone in 2023
Reset an iPhone 8 and Later
- Press and release the Volume Up button, located on the left side near the top edge. This method is applicable from iPhone 8 to iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone SE (3rd Generation).
- Press and release the Volume Down button, which is situated just below the Volume Up button.
- Press and hold the side button on the right side of the phone until the Apple logo appears.
- Release the side button when the Apple logo appears; this should force-restart your unresponsive iPhone. If it still doesn’t work, try charging it for an hour and then attempt the restart again.
Reset an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus
- Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake button simultaneously. The Volume Down button is on the left side, while the Sleep/Wake button is on the top edge. Continue holding these buttons until the Apple logo appears.
- Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears; if the reset is successful, your iPhone will restart normally. If it doesn’t, try charging it for an hour and trying again.
Reset an iPhone 6, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st Generation)
Step 1
Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button (top edge) and the Home button (large round button at the bottom center of the screen) together. Keep holding these buttons until you see the Apple logo.
Step 2
Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears; your iPhone should restart normally if the reset is successful. If not, try charging it for an hour and attempt the restart again.
Fixing an iPhone that Won’t force restart
- Connect your iPhone to a computer using its charging cable if it’s stuck on the Apple logo or a solid-color screen.
- Open Finder (on a Mac) or iTunes (on a PC). For Mac users with Catalina or later, launch Finder by clicking the two-toned face on the Dock. For Windows or older macOS versions, open iTunes from the Start menu or Applications folder.
- Locate your iPhone by clicking its name in the left panel under “Locations” in Finder or by clicking the iPhone icon near the top-left corner of iTunes.
- Put your iPhone into recovery mode; the steps vary by model.
- Click the “Update” button on your computer, which attempts to repair iOS without deleting your data. If successful, your iPhone will restart normally. If it takes longer than 15 minutes to download the update, the iPhone will exit recovery mode automatically. In this case, repeat the process and try again.
- If updating the iPhone doesn’t resolve the issue, you can contact Apple Support for further assistance. They recommend reaching out if the screen remains black or a solid color, if the screen turns on but doesn’t respond to touch, or if the iPhone remains stuck on the Apple logo. Visit Apple Support, select your model, and follow the on-screen instructions.
