iOS is stable, but even a stable operating system can resist random bugs, glitches, and other software-related errors. Like any other mobile or desktop device, restarting the iPhone is often the best way to fix the problem.
A soft reset will clear your iPhone’s system cache and provide a great starting point to do additional troubleshooting. Read on to learn more ways to restart any iOS device.
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Why you should restart your iPhone
Restarting your iPhone can solve many problems that prevent it from working properly. For example, you can try if:
Do not restart your iPhone for no reason. iOS generally does a great job at keeping everything in tip-top shape, and you can go months without restarting your device.
Restart iPhone through iOS settings app
The Settings app on your iPhone has a dedicated Shutdown option that you can use to shut down and restart the device. It is available on any iOS device, including iPad.
1. Open Setting app on your iPhone. If you can’t find it, swipe down from the top of the Home screen to call Search. Then try searching for it.

2. Tap the labeled category Shared.
3. Scroll down Shared screen and press Turn off.


5. When the iPhone screen goes dark, wait at least 30 seconds.
6. Hold down Power button. You can find it on the right side of your device (iPhone 6 or later) or on the top (iPhone 5 and earlier).
7. Release Power when you see the Apple logo.
8. Enter your device’s passcode on the Lock Screen to unlock your iPhone and restore Face ID or Touch ID.
Restart iPhone by pressing the device-specific button
In addition to the method above, you can use the following device-specific instructions to restart your iPhone. The process varies depending on whether you’re using an iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID.
Restart iPhone with Face ID
If you use an iPhone with Face ID, you can tap Volume buttons and Sleep/Wake up on the device in a specific sequence to access Slide to power off screen. Then you just need to turn off the device and restart it.
The following steps apply to the following iPhone models with Face ID:
- iPhone X
- iPhone XR | iPhone 11 | iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 mini | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro Max

1. Instantly press and release Volume up button.
2. Instantly press and release Turn down the volume button.
3. Immediately press and hold Sleep/Wake up (Edge) until you see Slide to power off screen.
4. Press and drag Power icon on the right.
5. When the screen goes dark, wait at least 30 seconds.
6. Hold down Edge until you see the Apple logo.
7. Enter your device passcode to enter the Home screen.
Tips: You can also come Slide to power off screen by pressing and holding Volume up and Edge knot. Be sure to release the buttons immediately to avoid triggering an automatic call to emergency services.
Restart iPhone with Touch ID
It’s much easier to reboot an iPhone 6 or later iPhone using Touch ID than it is with a device with Face ID.
The next steps apply to the following iPhone models Home button:
- iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 Plus | iPhone 6s | iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 7 | iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8 | iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation) | iPhone SE (2nd generation) | iPhone SE (3rd generation)

1. Press and hold Sleep/Wake up (Edge) until you come Slide to power off screen.
2. Scissors Power off slider to the right.
3. When the iPhone screen goes dark, wait at least 30 seconds.
4. Press and hold Edge until you see the Apple logo.
5. Enter your passcode to enter the Home screen.
Restart iPhone 5s or earlier
You can restart an older iPhone model, such as iPhone 5s or earlier, by following the same steps for newer devices with Touch ID. However, these devices have Sleep/Wake up in the upper right corner.

Restart iPhone with AssistiveTouch
AssistiveTouch is an accessibility-related feature that can help you restart your iPhone without having to press any buttons. Follow the steps below to activate and use AssistiveTouch to restart your iOS device.
1. Open Setting app and go to Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.
2. Turn on the side switch AssistiveTouch.


If you are unable to restart your iPhone using the instructions above, the system software may have frozen completely. If so, put your iPhone through a forced restart or factory reset. If iOS continues to hang, use Finder or iTunes on your Mac or PC to factory reset the device in Recovery Mode.