How to Force Restart iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

You can restore your device to normal state by forcing restart it. Don't worry - this won't harm your device in any way. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to force restart your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch step by step.

How to Force Restart iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

Force restarting your device is slightly more complicated than a conventional restart and is different depending on the device model you have.

Here's how to force restart your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch:

For iPhone 15, iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XS/XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone SE 2

On all iPhones with Face ID, follow these steps to force restart:

• Step 1: Press and then quickly release the Volume up button.
• Step 2: Press and quickly release the Volume down button.
• Step 3: Then press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple Logo. If the "Slide to Power Off" slider appears, ignore it and continue to hold the Side button until the device restarts.

For the iPhone 7 Series  

Force restarting the iPhone 7 is different because the device doesn't have a physical Home Button but a 3D Touch panel instead.

To force restart your iPhone 7, press and hold the Volume down and the Sleep/Wake buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone 6s and Earlier

Follow these steps to force restart iPhone 6s and earlier iPhone models with a Home button:

• Step 1: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time.
• Step 2: Do not release the buttons when the Power off slider appears.
• Step 3: Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears on the screen and allow the device to restart.

For iPads with Face ID:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume up button.
2. Press and quickly release the Volume down button.
3. Then, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo appear on the screen.

For iPads with Home button:

1. Press and hold the Home button and Sleep/Wake button together.
2. Release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.

For iPod Touch 7th:

1. Press and hold the Volume down button and the Sleep/Wake button at the same time.
2. Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears on the screen.

For iPod Touch 6th:

1. Press and hold the Home button and Sleep/Wake button until the Apple logo appears.
2. Release the buttons once the Apple logo appears.

FAQs

1. What happens to the data If I force restart my iPhone?

Force restarting your iPhone only results in the loss of unsaved data in running apps, even if those apps save automatically when closed.

Other data on your iPhone, such as contacts, messages, images, notes, and so on, stay unchanged.

2. What's the difference between normal restart and force restart?

A normal restart of your iPhone shuts down all the apps on the device and the device's operating system.

This process happens in stages and ensures that all the background apps and processes are shut down before the device is turned off.

A forced restart is different in that it will forcibly cut power to the device's battery and hardware and cause the device to shut down.

It is therefore one of the best solutions to shut down and restart the iPhone if the device is unresponsive and you are unable to drag the "Slide to Power Off" slider on the screen.

So the main difference between each option is how your power will be terminated. When it comes to your software, there is no difference between a regular restart and a force restart.

3. How to normal restart my iPhone?

A simple restart of your device is easy to implement. Here's how it is done:

Step 1: Press and hold the Power button on your device. It should be on the right side of the iPhone.

Step 2: When you see the "Slide to Power Off" slider appear on the screen, drag the power icon to the right to turn off the device.

Step 3: Wait a few seconds and then press the Power button again until the Apple logo appears on your screen.

Conclusion

Force restarting your device is a good way to fix your device when facing common iOS system issues. It is also a good way to restart the device when it is in DFU, Recovery mode, or you are unable to use the "Slide to Power Off" slider when restarting the device.