Start with a force restart (Solution 1) - the button combination depends on your model, and this is what fixes most cases. If the phone returns to the Apple logo, use recovery mode and choose Update, not Restore (Solution 3): that reinstalls iOS without erasing your data. If the freeze started during an update, that is the most likely cause.
What causes this problem
- An iOS update interrupted midway - by a flat battery, a dropped connection or the phone shutting down during installation.
- A backup restore that did not finish correctly.
- Storage completely full, leaving no room for the system to finish starting up.
- A very low or worn battery, making the phone restart before it finishes booting.
- A software conflict after installing a configuration profile or an iOS beta.
- A hardware fault after a drop or liquid contact - less common, but possible.
- Plug the iPhone into a charger and wait at least 30 minutes before anything else. A deeply drained phone freezes exactly like this.
- Identify your model: the force restart uses different combinations on iPhone 8 and newer, on iPhone 7, and on 6s and earlier.
- Recall whether the freeze started during an update - that points straight to Solution 3.
- Have a computer nearby (Mac with Finder, or a PC with the Apple Devices app) and an original cable for the later solutions.
Solutions, in the order to try them
1Force restart, using your model's combination
This is the step that resolves most cases. It erases nothing: it just cuts power and restarts the system. The combination depends on the model, and using the wrong one simply does nothing.
- iPhone 8 and newer (including SE 2nd and 3rd generation): press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: hold the side button and Volume Down together until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 6s, SE 1st generation and earlier: hold the Home button and the side (or top) button together.
- In every case, keep holding for 10 to 20 seconds, even after the logo shows up.
2Charge for longer, then try again
If the force restart changed nothing, the battery may be too flat to finish booting. An iPhone in that state shows the logo, goes dark, and shows it again, in a cycle.
- Use a wall charger, not the computer's USB port - it delivers far less current.
- Leave it charging for an hour without touching it.
- Try another cable and another adapter: a cable broken internally is a common and invisible cause.
- After that, repeat the force restart from Solution 1.
3Use recovery mode and choose Update
Recovery mode reinstalls iOS over the top without touching your data - as long as you choose Update and not Restore. This is the fix for freezes that started during a system update.
- Connect the iPhone to the computer with the cable.
- Open Finder (macOS) or the Apple Devices app / iTunes (Windows).
- Put the iPhone into recovery mode with the same button sequence as Solution 1, but do NOT let go when the Apple logo appears: keep holding until you see the screen with a cable pointing at a computer.
- When the computer asks, choose Update. Never Restore at this stage.
- The iOS download can take more than 15 minutes. If it times out, the iPhone leaves recovery mode - repeat from step 3.
4Rule out the cable, the port and the computer
Before moving to the step that erases data, eliminate everything outside the phone. A cable that charges can still fail at transferring data.
- Use an original or MFi-certified cable - generic cables often charge but never establish a data connection.
- Change the USB port on the computer and avoid hubs and extensions.
- Carefully clean the iPhone's charging port: compacted lint stops the connector seating fully.
- If you can, test on a different computer.
5Restore through recovery mode (this erases the phone)
This is the last software step, and it ERASES everything on the iPhone. It only makes sense if Solution 3 failed and you have a backup in iCloud or on a computer - or if you accept losing whatever is not in that backup.
- Repeat Solution 3 until you reach the cable screen.
- When the computer asks, choose Restore.
- When it finishes, the iPhone starts as a new device and you can restore your backup during setup.
- If the process always fails at the same point, that already suggests a hardware problem.
6Get it serviced when the pattern points to hardware
Some signs mean no software fix will work, and insisting only delays the diagnosis.
- The iPhone was dropped, got wet, or ran abnormally hot shortly before freezing.
- The restore always fails at the same point, with the same error.
- No computer recognises the device, with any cable.
- In those cases an authorised service can read the device log, which no home step allows.
Applies to
| System | Status |
|---|---|
| iPhone 8 and newer (iOS 16 to 18) | Confirmed |
| iPhone 7 and 7 Plus | Confirmed |
| iPhone 6s, SE 1st generation and earlier | The steps apply, but those iOS versions use iTunes instead of Finder |
Menu names can change slightly between versions. If a step above does not match what you see on screen, the official support page from the manufacturer has the most current wording for your version.
Frequently asked questions
Last checked: Sep 18, 2026 · We review this guide whenever the manufacturer changes the process.