ONESIPHONE How to Hard Reset an iPhone

How to Hard Reset an Unresponsive iPhone

If your iPhone is unresponsive and neither buttons nor on-screen menus are working, performing a hard reset (or hard restart) can help. This process involves pressing a specific combination of buttons that varies by iPhone model. This guide will walk you through the steps to force a restart and offer solutions if the reset doesn’t work.

Hard Reset Instructions by Model

For iPhone 8 and Later (including iPhone SE 2nd Gen, XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max)

1. Press and release the Volume Up button.
   • Located on the left side of the phone near the top edge.
2. Press and release the Volume Down button.
   • Located on the left side below the Volume Up button.
3. Press and hold the Side button.
   • Located on the right side of the phone.
   • Keep holding until the Apple logo appears.
4. Release the Side button once the Apple logo appears.
   • Your iPhone should now restart.

For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

1. Press and hold the Volume Down button and Sleep/Wake button simultaneously.
   • The Volume Down button is on the left side.
   • The Sleep/Wake button is on the right side.
2. Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears.
   • The iPhone should restart.

For iPhone 6s, SE (1st Gen), and Earlier Models

1. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and Home button simultaneously.
   • The Sleep/Wake button is on the top edge.
   • The Home button is the round button at the bottom-center of the screen.
2. Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears.
   • The iPhone should restart.

If Your iPhone Gets Stuck

If your iPhone gets stuck on the Apple logo or a solid-color screen after attempting a hard reset, you can try using a computer to repair it without losing data:

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer.
   • Use the charging cable to connect to a PC or Mac.
2. Open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (PC).
   • For macOS Catalina or later, use Finder.
   • For Windows or earlier macOS, open iTunes.
3. Locate your iPhone.
   • In Finder, click your iPhone’s name under “Locations.”
   • In iTunes, click the iPhone icon near the top-left corner.
4. Put your iPhone into recovery mode.
   • Models with Face ID: Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button. Hold the top button until recovery mode starts.
   • iPhone 8 or Later: Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button. Hold the right-side button until recovery mode starts.
   • iPhone 7/7 Plus: Hold the top (or side) button and Volume Down button together until recovery mode starts.
   • iPhones with Home buttons, iPhone 6, and earlier: Hold the Home button and top (or side) button together until recovery mode starts.
5. Click the Update button on your computer.
   • A pop-up message in Finder or iTunes will prompt you. Click “Update” to attempt to repair iOS without deleting data.
   • If successful, your iPhone will restart normally.
   • If the update takes longer than 15 minutes, the iPhone will exit recovery mode automatically. Repeat Step 4 if needed.

Factory Reset and Apple Support

If updating the iPhone doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need to perform a factory reset, which will erase all data. To do this, follow the steps above but select “Restore” instead of “Update.”

If your iPhone still won’t restart, contact Apple Support. Visit Apple Support, select your model, and follow the on-screen instructions. Seek support if:

• The screen remains black or another solid color.
• The screen turns on but the iPhone doesn’t respond.
• The iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo.

Article by Nicole Levine, MFA, a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Nicole has over 20 years of experience in technical documentation and support, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University.