How do I do a normal restart on my iPhone?
A normal restart is the everyday option — use it when the iPhone is responsive but you want to clear a minor glitch, apply a setting, or free up memory. Apple's support documentation lists two routes:
- Through Settings: open Settings, tap General, scroll down and tap Shut Down, then drag the slider that appears. Once the screen goes black, press and hold the side button (top button on older models) until the Apple logo appears.
- Through the buttons: on an iPhone with Face ID, press and hold the side button and either volume button at the same time until the Power Off slider appears. On an iPhone with a Home button, press and hold the side button alone until the slider appears. Drag the slider, wait for the screen to go fully black, then press the side button again to turn it back on.
You can also turn the iPhone off from Control Center: touch and hold in the top-right corner, then drag the power slider.
What is a force restart, and how is it different from a normal restart?
A force restart is a fixed button sequence that reboots the iPhone even when the touchscreen is completely unresponsive — the screen is frozen, an app has locked up the whole device, or the normal Shut Down slider doesn't appear. It does not require the screen to respond to anything. Apple documents this as the standard fix for an iPhone that has stopped responding, and it does not erase any data — it's a reboot, not a reset.
"Force shut down" and "hard reset" are the same action under different names. There isn't a separate Apple-documented "force shut down" sequence distinct from force restart — people search both terms for the same button combination, and this page covers it once, correctly, for every model.
What is the exact force restart button sequence for my iPhone model?
This is the detail that most guides get wrong, because the sequence genuinely changes between hardware generations. Per Apple's official Force Restart iPhone support page:
- iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), and every model after it (including current models): Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo. This can take longer than 10 seconds — keep holding through it.
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold both the volume down button and the side (Sleep/Wake) button at the same time. Release both when the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 6s and earlier, and the original iPhone SE (1st generation) — any model with a Home button below the screen: Press and hold both the Home button and the top or side button at the same time. Release both when the Apple logo appears.
If you're not sure which group your iPhone falls into: if it has a Home button below the screen, use the 6s-and-earlier sequence. If it doesn't have a Home button but is an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus specifically, use that sequence. Every other Face-ID or Home-button-free model uses the volume-up, volume-down, side-button sequence.
How do I factory reset (format) an iPhone?
A factory reset — also searched as "format iPhone" — erases everything on the device and returns it to the state it shipped in. This is a different action from restarting, and it does delete data, so back up first (iCloud Backup or a computer backup via Finder/iTunes).
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Enter your device passcode or Apple Account password when prompted, and confirm.
Per Apple's support documentation, this securely erases personal information, content, and settings, and restores the iPhone to factory settings. If you're planning to sell, give away, or trade in the device, Apple also recommends signing out of iCloud and removing the device from your Apple Account first so Activation Lock doesn't block the next owner.
What if force restart doesn't fix an unresponsive iPhone?
If the iPhone still won't respond after a force restart, or it's stuck on the Apple logo, Apple's support documentation for an unresponsive iPhone points to two further options: connecting it to a computer and using Finder (or iTunes on older systems/Windows) to update it, or putting it into recovery mode and choosing Restore, which erases the device and reinstalls iOS. Recovery mode is a separate, more involved process from a force restart — it needs a computer and a cable, and Restore (as opposed to Update) does erase content, so it's a last resort rather than a routine step.
People also ask
Do I need a computer to force restart an iPhone?
No. Force restart is entirely a button sequence on the device itself — no cable or computer needed.
Can force restarting an iPhone fix a black screen?
Often, yes — it's Apple's documented first step for an iPhone that's frozen or shows a black, unresponsive screen. If it doesn't resolve it, recovery mode or a Restore through a computer is the next step.
Does a hard reset remove my apps and photos?
No, not on its own. "Hard reset" as most people use the term refers to the force restart button sequence, which is just a reboot. Only Erase All Content and Settings, or a Restore via computer, actually deletes apps, photos, and data.