How to Force Restart Any iPhone Model Easily

A frozen iPhone is a common and frustrating issue, but you can often fix it by forcing a restart. Unlike a regular restart, which involves powering your device off and on, a force restart is a more direct way to reboot your phone when it becomes unresponsive.

Because Apple has changed the design and button layout of iPhones over the years, the steps to force restart vary depending on your model.

Force Restart on Newer iPhones (iPhone 8 and Later)

For iPhones that support iOS 16 or later, including iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation), and iPhone 16E, follow these steps:

• Quickly press and release the volume up button.
• Quickly press and release the volume down button.
• Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears, then release.

Force Restart on iPhone 7

For the iPhone 7, the process differs slightly:

• Press and hold the volume down button and the sleep/wake button simultaneously.
• Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

Force Restart on Older iPhones (iPhone 6 and First-Gen SE)

For older models like the iPhone 6 or the original iPhone SE:

• Press and hold the sleep/wake button and the home button simultaneously.
• Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

Understanding Restart vs. Force Restart vs. Reset

A regular restart involves turning your iPhone off and on again using the power slider. This is the first step to try when your phone is slow or glitchy.

If your iPhone is completely unresponsive and you can't perform a normal restart, a force restart is the next step. It forces your device to reboot without erasing data.

Resetting your iPhone is a more drastic action that erases all data and settings. This should only be done before selling or trading in your device.

Because Apple has changed button layouts over the years, knowing the correct force restart method for your model is essential to avoid confusion and get your device working again quickly.

Additionally, you can set up your iPhone to restart using voice commands, adding another layer of convenience for troubleshooting.