How To Fix An IPhone That Has Frozen

Nothing lasts forever, not even an iPhone. Did your iPhone freeze and now won’t turn off? Is it the only thing you can see on the lock screen? There’s no reason to get depressed yet. Sometimes just a few easy steps are all you need to take to get the issue fixed.

Mobile devices, in general, get stuck when there’s an app that’s taking up too much space or because the hardware is outdated. Nonetheless, in some cases, it’s an easy fix and you won’t have to pay for expensive repairs.

Go through this list of scenarios we have prepared for you and see if any of our easy fixes can help you when your iPhone is frozen.

iPhone Frozen and Won’t Turn Off

It can be a gut-wrenching feeling when your iPhone goes buggy for the first time. Seeing your phone start glitching can leave you dumbstruck. You might have never believed your shiny, new device would get old, but it did.

If your phone is starting to glitch, and you’ve had it for more than a couple of years, it may not be that big of a surprise. However, if you’ve got a new phone and this occurs, it may be time to use your warranty.

In the meantime, here’s what to do if your iPhone gets frozen and won’t turn off:

1. Press and then release the “Volume up” button.
   
2. Press and then release the “Volume down” button.
   
3. Press and hold the side button. The screen will turn off and turn on. Keep holding the button until the Apple logo appears.
   
4. If the phone still won’t turn on, try charging it for an hour.
   

Note: The above instructions apply for an iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd Gen.), iPhone X, or iPhone 8. Other models have a slightly different process:

• For Force Restart on iPhone 7: Press and hold all three buttons (Volume Up, Volume Down, and the side button) until you see the Apple logo.
  
• For Force Restart on iPhone 6s or iPhone SE (1st Gen.): Hold down the Sleep button and Home button until you see the Apple logo.
  

iPhone Frozen on Apple Logo

This issue usually arises after a backup, or when you migrate your phone data from another device. The device will be stuck on the Apple logo screen for as long as an hour. Here’s what to do:

1. Make sure the progress bar hasn’t moved for at least an hour.
2. If it hasn’t, put your device into recovery mode by connecting it to your computer.
3. Follow the below steps depending on which device you’re using:
   • iPhone 8 (and later):
     • Press then release the Volume Up button.
       
     • Press then release the Volume Down button.
       
     • Press and hold the side button until you get to the recovery mode screen.
       
   • iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Volume Down and the Sleep button at the same time until you get to the recovery screen.
     
   • iPhone 6(and Earlier): Press and hold the Sleep and Home buttons until you get to the recovery screen.
     
4. On your computer, update your iOS to the latest version. Depending on which OS your computer is using, you’ll open either iTunes or Finder. Get the instructions here.

iPhone Frozen on Power-Off Screen

This is a rare issue, but if you’re experiencing it, it may be for one of these reasons:

• An app is taking too much space, or some other software might be causing problems.
• Your Wake/Sleep button might be broken.
• Your screen is not responding to touch.

Here’s what you can do:

• Force Restart– Follow the instructions from our previous section in this article.
• Put the Phone in Recovery Mode– Also described in this article, and requires connecting your device to a computer.
• Find an Online Tool – There are multiple online tools for iOS users that offer software fixes. However, do some research to find the one that suits you.
• Contact Apple Support.

iPhone Frozen on Lock Screen

It’s important to keep in mind that, even though these bugs might seem unrelated, they are mostly caused by the same issues. If your phone is frozen on the Lock screen, here’s what you can do:

• Get someone to call you – Sometimes this can debug the phone.
• Force Restart the device – Follow the steps we gave earlier in the article, depending on which device you’re using.
• Contact Apple Support.

iPhone Frozen During Update

Today’s mobile devices depend on software updates. It’s the updates that keep your phone packed with all the latest features that keep your device running smoothly. However, your iOS device might freeze during this process and cause some frustration. It may arise as the result of a bad Wi-Fi connection or insufficient storage room on the phone.

Here’s what to do in this case:

• Force Restart – The most powerful and applicable option for any device. Use the instructions we gave in this article.
• Online Tools – Find one that fixes these issues without data loss, such as the one we mentioned earlier, DrFone.
• Reset your phone over iTunes:
  1. Connect your phone to a PC (with the latest version of iTunes installed) with a USB cable.
     
  2. When iTunes recognizes your phone, click “Trust this computer.”
     
  3. Click “Summary” in iTunes (the menu on the left-hand side of your iTunes window).
     
  4. Click “Restore iPhone”
     
  5. A window will pop up asking for confirmation. Click “Restore” again.

Note: The iTunes option resets your device back to factory settings, which means you will lose all your current data.

Avoid the Deep Freeze

We hope this article helped you get your iPhone back up and running after a freeze. We’ve all been there, but now you’ve got a few easy fixes if it happens again. Make sure to check your free storage, and always keep some space free. When updating, make sure you’ve got a stable Wi-Fi connection, and you should be fine.

Has this article helped you solve your issue? Do you have any easy fixes we’ve missed? Let us know in the comment section below.