The screen is frozen, the phone won't respond to taps, it won't turn off, or it won't turn on at all. A force restart often fixes these. A force restart just turns the phone off and back on. It's not the same as a reset, which erases your phone. The buttons depend on your phone, so find yours below.
⚡ The short version
- Force restart with your phone's button combination (below).
- Still black? Charge it for up to an hour, then try again.
- Keeps freezing? Update the software, free up space, and check for a bad app.
Force restart an iPhone
- iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later): press and quickly release volume up, press and quickly release volume down, then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo. This can take longer than 10 seconds, so keep holding. On iPhone Duo, “volume up” is the volume button nearest the side button, and “volume down” is the other one.
- iPhone 7 or 7 Plus: press and hold the side button and volume down together until you see the Apple logo.
- iPhone 6s or earlier, or iPhone SE (1st generation): press and hold the Home button and the side (or top) button together until you see the Apple logo.
Won't turn on? Apple says to charge it for one hour, then try again. If it shows a low-battery picture, charge it for 30 minutes or until it starts. Still nothing? See Phone won't charge.
Force restart a Samsung Galaxy
Press and hold the Side (Power) button and Volume Down together for at least 7 seconds. When the Samsung logo appears and the phone vibrates, let go. Samsung says to press both at exactly the same time (otherwise the volume bar or power menu appears) and to take off the case if it gets in the way.
Won't turn on? The battery may be fully drained. Connect a Samsung-certified charger and cable. Samsung says the charging icon may not appear at first; keep charging even if the screen stays blank. Try a different charger and cable if you have them.
Still black? Hold both buttons for 20 seconds, then charge for at least an hour.
Pixel and other Android phones
- Frozen with the screen on: Google says to hold down the Power button for about 60 seconds to restart.
- Pixel won't turn on: press and hold Power for 5–7 seconds. If the battery was completely drained, Google says the phone may not respond at all for up to 25 minutes after you plug it in, so leave it charging.
- Other makers: buttons vary. Check your phone maker's support site.
If it keeps freezing
Update the software
- iPhone: back up first, then Settings → General → Software Update → Download and Install.
- Android: Settings → System → Software update.
- Samsung: Settings → Software update, then tap Download and install (on newer phones, Check for updates).
Free up space
A nearly full phone can slow down and freeze. See Phone storage full.
Check for a bad app (Android)
Google suggests force-stopping apps you're not using (Settings → Apps → See all apps, pick the app, Force stop) and starting in safe mode, which turns off downloaded apps for a while. If the problem goes away in safe mode, remove recently installed apps one at a time.
Samsung safe mode: press and hold Volume Down and Side until the Power off menu appears. Touch and hold the Power off icon until Safe mode appears, then tap Safe mode. To leave, hold Volume Down and Side, tap Power off, wait until the phone is fully off, then press the Side button to turn it on.
Sources
- Apple: If your iPhone won't turn on or the screen is black
- Apple: If your iPhone won't charge (force restart by model)
- Samsung: Galaxy phone or tablet will not turn on
- Samsung: Galaxy device will not start or is in a boot loop (restart, updates, safe mode)
- Samsung: Unable to unlock Galaxy phone or tablet's screen (blank or black display section)
- Apple: Force restart iPhone
- Apple: Update your iPhone or iPad
- Google: Fix an Android device that freezes or won't respond
- Google: Fix a Pixel phone that won't charge or turn on