PRO Courses Hot Guides Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade
QUIZZES All Quizzes Hot Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Trivia Quizzes Taylor Swift Quizzes
EDIT Edit this Article
EXPLORE Tech Help ProAbout UsRandom ArticleQuizzes Request a New ArticleCommunity DashboardTrendingForums Arts and EntertainmentArtworkBooksMoviesComputers and ElectronicsComputersPhone SkillsTechnology HacksHealthMen's HealthMental HealthWomen's HealthRelationshipsDatingLoveRelationship Issues Hobbies and CraftsCraftsDrawingGamesEducation & CommunicationCommunication SkillsPersonal DevelopmentStudyingPersonal Care and StyleFashionHair CarePersonal Hygiene Quizzes Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Fun Games ForumsArts and EntertainmentFinance and BusinessHome and Garden Relationship QuizzesCars & Other VehiclesFood and EntertainingPersonal Care and Style Sports and FitnessComputers and ElectronicsHealthPets and Animals TravelEducation & CommunicationHobbies and CraftsPhilosophy and Religion Work WorldFamily LifeHolidays and TraditionsRelationships Youth
LOG IN
Log in
Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. FacebookGooglewikiHow Account No account yet? Create an account
RANDOM
Home
Random
Browse Articles
TrendingNew
Quizzes & Games
All QuizzesHot
Love Quizzes
Personality Quizzes
Fun Games
Dating Simulator
Learn Something New
Forums
Courses
Happiness Hub
Explore More
Support wikiHow
About wikiHow
Log in / Sign up
Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow
Categories
Computers and Electronics
Telephones
Smartphones
IPhone
How to Hard Reset an iPhone Download ArticleExplore this Article methods 1 Force-Restarting an iPhone 8 and Later 2 Force-Restarting an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus 3 Force-Restarting an iPhone 6, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st Generation) 4 Fixing an iPhone that Won't Force-Restart How Do You Reset Your iPhone? + Show 2 more... - Show less... Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Related Articles References Article Summary Written by Nicole Levine, MFA
Last Updated: January 1, 2025 Fact Checked
Download Article X
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 8,189,176 times. Learn more...
Is your iPhone unresponsive? Performing a hard reset (or hard restart) of your iPhone is an easy way to restart your iPhone when pressing buttons or using the on-screen menu items isn't working. Hard-resetting your iPhone requires pressing a certain button combination that varies by model. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to force a locked-up iPhone to restart, and show you what do if you can't reset your phone.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 4:
Force-Restarting an iPhone 8 and Later
Download Article
1 Press and release the Volume Up button. It's in the left side of the phone, close to the top-most edge.[1]XResearch source
This method will work on the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE (2nd Generation).
2 Press and release the Volume Down button. It's on the left side of the phone below the Volume Up button.[2]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Press and hold the side button. It's on the right side of the phone. Continue holding the button until the Apple logo appears.
4 Release your finger once the Apple logo appears. This should force-restart your unresponsive iPhone.[3]XResearch source
If your iPhone still won't restart, try charging it for an hour and then trying again.[4]XResearch source If you still can't restart your iPhone, see Fixing an iPhone that Won't Force-Restart.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 4:
Force-Restarting an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus
Download Article
1 Press and hold the Volume Down button and Sleep/Wake button. The Volume Down button is on the left side of the iPhone, and the Sleep/Wake button is on the top-most edge. Continue holding these buttons down until the Apple logo appears.[5]XResearch source
2 Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo. If the reset was successful, your iPhone will restart normally.[6]XResearch source
If your iPhone still won't restart, try charging it for an hour and then trying again. If you still can't restart your iPhone, see Fixing an iPhone that Won't Force-Restart.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 4:
Force-Restarting an iPhone 6, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st Generation)
Download Article
1 Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button. The Sleep/Wake button is on the top-most edge of the iPhone, while the Home button is the large round button at the bottom-center part of the screen. Continue holding the buttons down until you see the Apple logo.[7]XResearch source
2 Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears. Your iPhone should restart normally if the reset was successful.[8]XResearch source
If your iPhone still won't restart, try charging it for an hour and then trying again. If you still can't restart your iPhone, see Fixing an iPhone that Won't Force-Restart.
Advertisement Method 4 Method 4 of 4:
Fixing an iPhone that Won't Force-Restart
Download Article
1 Connect your iPhone to a computer. If your iPhone gets hung up on the Apple logo or a solid-color screen when forcing it to restart, you can try using your PC or Mac to repair it without losing data. Start by connecting the iPhone to the computer using its charging cable.[9]XResearch source
2 Open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (PC). If you're using Mac Catalina or later, click the two-toned face on the Dock to launch Finder. If you have Windows or an earlier version of macOS, open iTunes from the Start menu or Applications folder.[10]XResearch source
3 Locate your iPhone. If you're using Finder, click your iPhone's name in the left panel under "Locations." If you're using iTunes, click the button with an iPhone icon near the top-left corner of the app (to the right of the drop-down menu).[11]XResearch source
4 Put your iPhone into recovery mode. The steps to do this vary by model:[12]XResearch source
Models with Face ID: Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the button on the top edge until your iPhone restarts in recovery mode.
iPhone 8 or Later: Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the button on the right side until the iPhone boots into recovery mode.
iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold the top button (or right-side button on some models) and the Volume Down buttons at the same time. Lift your fingers when the phone boots into recovery mode.
iPhones with Home buttons, iPhone 6, and earlier: Press and hold the Home button and the top (or right-side) buttons at the same time. Lift your fingers when the recovery mode screen appears.
5 Click the Update button on your computer. This button is on the pop-up message that appeared in Finder or iTunes when the iPhone went into recovery mode. Choosing this option attempts to repair iOS without deleting your data.[13]XResearch source
If this process fixes the iPhone, it will restart as normal.
If it takes longer than 15 minutes to download the update, the iPhone will exit recovery mode automatically. In this case, repeat Step 4 to get back into recovery mode and then try again.
If updating the iPhone was successful but you still can't use it, you may have success with a factory reset. Just repeat this method and select Restore instead of Update. This will erase all of the data on your iPhone, so do this as a last resort.
6 Contact Apple Support if your iPhone still won't restart. Apple recommends contacting their support team if you continue to experience any of these issues: The screen remains black or another solid color, the screen comes on but the iPhone won't respond to your touch, or the iPhone remains stuck on the Apple logo.[14]XResearch source To reach out for support, visit https://getsupport.apple.com, select your model, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Advertisement
How Do You Reset Your iPhone?
Community Q&A
Search Add New Question
Question If my iPhone is disabled, is there any way to get it working without losing my data? Community Answer If you've recently backed up your iPhone, you'll be able to restore that backup after resetting your device, which will save your data. If you haven't backed up your iPhone before, then there is no way to restore functionality and save your data. Everything will be wiped from the iPhone when you reset it. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 67 Helpful 88
Question I forgot my Restrictions passcode, how can I reset my phone? Community Answer If you've forgotten your Restrictions passcode, you'll need to restore your iPhone using iTunes. If you don't have access to iTunes, you can sign into the iCloud website and select "Find My iPhone." Select your device and choose "Erase" to reset it. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 75 Helpful 101
Question I can't remember my iPhone's passcode, how can I factory reset it? Community Answer If you can't remember your passcode to access the Settings, you'll need to put your iPhone into Recovery mode and connect it to your computer. You can then use iTunes to reset the iPhone. See How to Put an iPhone into Recovery Mode for detailed instructions. Note that you'll still need the Apple ID password after restoring the device. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 64 Helpful 82
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement
Video
Tips
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
You Might Also Like
How to Reboot & Reset Your iPhone6 Ways to Fix an iPhone Stuck on the Apple LogoHow toGet an iPhone Out of Recovery ModeHow toUnfreeze an iPhone4 Quick and Easy Ways to Turn Off Your iPhoneHow toGet Into a Locked iPhoneHow Fix a Frozen or Unresponsive SmartphoneHow to Turn On a Cellphone: A Beginner's GuideHow to Put Any iPhone or iPod Touch into Recovery Mode2 Simple Ways to Reboot an iPad + Common FixesHow to Fix an iPhone 14 Pro Max That Won't Turn On: 11 Tips & TricksiPhone Black Screen of Death: 6 Fixes2 Ways to Factory Reset iPhone Without Apple ID PasswordWhat’s the Difference Between a Hard Reset and Factory Reset? Advertisement
Written by: Nicole Levine, MFA wikiHow Technology Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 8,189,176 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 91Updated: January 1, 2025 Views: 8,189,176 Categories: IPhoneArticle SummaryX
If you have an iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or iPhone X, press the volume-up button, then volume-down, then the Power button. If you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold the Power and volume-down buttons for 10 seconds. If you have an iPhone 6S or earlier, press and hold the Power and Home buttons for 10 seconds. Did this summary help you?YesNo
In other languages French Italian German Portuguese Dutch Russian Chinese Indonesian Thai Hindi Korean Arabic Czech Vietnamese Turkish Persian Japanese Spanish
Print
Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 8,189,176 times.
Is this article up to date?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Written by: Nicole Levine, MFA wikiHow Technology Writer Click a star to vote Co-authors: 91Updated: January 1, 2025 Views: 8,189,176
Quizzes & Games
Can We Guess If You Have an iPhone or Android?Analyze MeThe Impossible QuizTake QuizHow Good Are My Survival Instincts QuizTake QuizWhat Chakra Do I Need to Balance QuizTake QuizApology Language QuizTake QuizAm I Smart QuizTake Quiz
You Might Also Like
How to Reboot & Reset Your iPhone6 Ways to Fix an iPhone Stuck on the Apple LogoHow toGet an iPhone Out of Recovery ModeHow toUnfreeze an iPhone
Featured Articles
110+ “Fun Facts” for Interviews, Introductions, & IcebreakersHow Long Would You Survive In A Zombie Apocalypse?How to Roast Someone in a Rap Battle (Plus the Best Bars of All Time)What Turns a Girl On? 31 Things to Try on Your PartnerLove AnalyzerSending Your Sweetie a Love Note? Here are 200+ Romantic Ideas
Trending Articles
How toMake OutWhat Song Was #1 On My Birthday?How Many People Had a Crush on Me This Year? Find Out HereBest Personality TestDo I Have Common Sense QuizDaily Horoscope (All Signs): What Do The Stars Predict Today?✩⟡˚₊‧
Featured Articles
How toExercise Your BrainHow toBe a Fun Person to Hang out WithWhat Does Your Morning Routine Say About You?How toDevelop Productive HabitsHow toPractice Self CareWhat Song Matches Your Life Right Now?
Featured Articles
Your 2026 Vision: What Does Next Year Hold?Understanding the Most Attractive Face Shapes (& Determining Your Own)Type A B C D Personality Test250+ Messages to Reassure Your Partner (For Him & Her)What Is My Favorite Color Quiz215+ Funny & Creative Personalized Vanity Plate Ideas
Watch Articles
How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen Sink (& Keep It Clean)How to Curl Your Hair: 8 Easy & Quick WaysHow toThicken Sauce with FlourHow to Brighten Up White Shirts and Other GarmentsHow to Cook White Rice without a Rice CookerHow to Clean Out the Inside of a Glass Bottle (With or Without a Brush)
Trending Articles
Compatibility TestWhat Am I Craving Quiz150 Unique & Sentimental Ways to Say “Happy New Year”30+ New Year’s Eve Games to Keep Your NYE Party GoingWhich Hogwarts House Do You Truly Belong In?Toxic Family Test
Quizzes & Games
Why Can't I Sleep QuizTake QuizWhat Fruit Am I QuizTake QuizEmoji TestTake QuizCognitive TestTake QuizAm I Chronically Online QuizTake QuizIQ TestTake Quiz
Categories
Computers and Electronics
Telephones
Smartphones
IPhone
wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.
Home
About wikiHow
Experts
Jobs
Contact Us
Site Map
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell or Share My Info
Not Selling Info
Contribute
Follow Us
×
wikiHow Tech Help:
Tech troubles got you down? We've got the tips you need
Download Article Explore this Article methods 1 Force-Restarting an iPhone 8 and Later 2 Force-Restarting an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus 3 Force-Restarting an iPhone 6, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st Generation) 4 Fixing an iPhone that Won't Force-Restart How Do You Reset Your iPhone? + Show 2 more... - Show less... Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Related Articles References Article Summary Written by Nicole Levine, MFA 
Advertisement 
Written by: Nicole Levine, MFA wikiHow Technology Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 8,189,176 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 91 Updated: January 1, 2025 Views: 8,189,176 Categories: IPhone Article SummaryX
Analyze Me
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz 
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz
Take Quiz 
568 
1 Press and release the Volume Up button. It's in the left side of the phone, close to the top-most edge.[1] 
2 Press and release the Volume Down button. It's on the left side of the phone below the Volume Up button.[2] Advertisement 
3 Press and hold the side button. It's on the right side of the phone. Continue holding the button until the Apple logo appears. 
4 Release your finger once the Apple logo appears. This should force-restart your unresponsive iPhone.[3] 
1 Press and hold the Volume Down button and Sleep/Wake button. The Volume Down button is on the left side of the iPhone, and the Sleep/Wake button is on the top-most edge. Continue holding these buttons down until the Apple logo appears.[5] 
2 Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo. If the reset was successful, your iPhone will restart normally.[6] 
1 Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button. The Sleep/Wake button is on the top-most edge of the iPhone, while the Home button is the large round button at the bottom-center part of the screen. Continue holding the buttons down until you see the Apple logo.[7] 
2 Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears. Your iPhone should restart normally if the reset was successful.[8] 
1 Connect your iPhone to a computer. If your iPhone gets hung up on the Apple logo or a solid-color screen when forcing it to restart, you can try using your PC or Mac to repair it without losing data. Start by connecting the iPhone to the computer using its charging cable.[9] 
2 Open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (PC). If you're using Mac Catalina or later, click the two-toned face on the Dock to launch Finder. If you have Windows or an earlier version of macOS, open iTunes from the Start menu or Applications folder.[10] 
3 Locate your iPhone. If you're using Finder, click your iPhone's name in the left panel under "Locations." If you're using iTunes, click the button with an iPhone icon near the top-left corner of the app (to the right of the drop-down menu).[11] 
4 Put your iPhone into recovery mode. The steps to do this vary by model:[12] 
5 Click the Update button on your computer. This button is on the pop-up message that appeared in Finder or iTunes when the iPhone went into recovery mode. Choosing this option attempts to repair iOS without deleting your data.[13] 
6 Contact Apple Support if your iPhone still won't restart. Apple recommends contacting their support team if you continue to experience any of these issues: The screen remains black or another solid color, the screen comes on but the iPhone won't respond to your touch, or the iPhone remains stuck on the Apple logo.[14] To reach out for support, visit https://getsupport.apple.com, select your model, and follow the on-screen instructions. Advertisement 
Community Answer If you've recently backed up your iPhone, you'll be able to restore that backup after resetting your device, which will save your data. If you haven't backed up your iPhone before, then there is no way to restore functionality and save your data. Everything will be wiped from the iPhone when you reset it. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 67 Helpful 88 
Community Answer If you've forgotten your Restrictions passcode, you'll need to restore your iPhone using iTunes. If you don't have access to iTunes, you can sign into the iCloud website and select "Find My iPhone." Select your device and choose "Erase" to reset it. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 75 Helpful 101 
Community Answer If you can't remember your passcode to access the Settings, you'll need to put your iPhone into Recovery mode and connect it to your computer. You can then use iTunes to reset the iPhone. See How to Put an iPhone into Recovery Mode for detailed instructions. Note that you'll still need the Apple ID password after restoring the device. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 64 Helpful 82 
Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy.