If your Apple iPhone or iPad screen is frozen or locked up, it’s not fun. Normally you can simply pull a battery from a device if it locks up. Apple devices don’t have a removable battery though. Instead, you’ll have to try these options.
Try to Power Off
- If a force quit does not work, turn the iPhone off and turn it on again. To do this, press and hold the “Sleep/Wake” button for a few seconds until a red slider appears, and then slide the slider to power the device off. Once powered down, press and hold the “Sleep/Wake” button to turn the device back on.
Force Reset
If all of the above didn’t do the trick, force a reset. Forcing a reset will not delete data from the device.
iPhone X & 8
- Quick press “Volume Up“.
- Quick press “Volume Down“.
- Press and hold Sleep“/”Wake” button until the Apple logo appears.
iPhone 7
- Press and hold both the “Sleep/Wake” +”Volume Down” button for at least ten seconds.
iPhone 6 and older
- Other versions may require holding “Sleep/Wake” + “Home“.
Hopefully, one of these options have worked for you and your Apple iPhone is now working again. If not, you may need to try a restore using iTunes, which will wipe all data from the device. Data can usually be re-synced from your computer once restored.
FAQ
My iPhone/iPad won’t turn on. What do I do?
Ensure your device is plugged into the wall using the adapter and cable so that you get the most charge going. Wait about 10 minutes, then try the steps above.
Yjs says
Hey 5hours ago i found my old ipad 2 i charged it up and when i went to erase all data it came into a screen with the apple logo and a loading bar below the bar hasnt even moved for several hours and i couldnt hard reset it, it doesnt get detected by itunes what should i do.
Justin Hardison says
Hello, an HR ago the allow this device prompt appeared as I have my phone connected to my laptop but when pressed don’t allow it didn’t move and hasn’t since. I did all the soft and hard reboot options but the screen just wont leave, I even called 911, what can be done to fix this.
MarilynB says
Thank you very much. This helped reset my iphone 11. The only advise apple tech support and AT&T tech support gave me was the common way of powering off which is to press the volume and sleep button at the same time which of course didn’t work on the frozen screen.
Baron says
Thanks Mitch!! Awesome it worked!!! My iPhone was jammed up with “allow this device to access …” prompt and it wouldn’t accept any command. I couldn’t power down normally or sign in as it was in the way. The hold the power button and bottom button worked. Simple but I didn’t know it and my family (that might have known) is asleep.
Dominica Mor says
hi< just plugged in my iphone 8 plus to my computer to charge and this icon comes up "ALLOW THIS DEVICE TO ACCESS PHOTOS AND VIDEOS -dont allow or allow?"
Its now blocked and cant even answer a call. What can i do?
Emilia Cordon says
The first thing that worked on my iphone x, thanks a lot.
Lyssalyn Rodriguez says
I fell asleep on the phone and now their name is burned into my screen please help me!! I have an iPhone 6s
Alex says
thanks bro. fixed my problem
frank says
I just want to say “THANK YOU”. I have been going crazy all morning. I work over the phone and it froze in zoom. I freaked. I did what you said. Bang!. Thank you.
Mikeg says
The reset tip worked for my 8plus, it was locked up with a black screen with a little circle going around around around, thanks a bunch
Leolinda says
Very helpful, the reset tip worked perfectly for me (iPhone X)
Hannah Wilson-James says
I am in Morocco and just tried to get my international calling package up and running. After making my first call my screen stopped taking my touch (two options were putting in my passcode and sliding to turn off).
None of the methods you show work.
For some reason siri takes my touch and I can slide up for the tool screen but none of the tools work to touch.
I could really use some help ASAP
Jacqueline Lynch says
My iPhone is stuck and I can’t force ito turn it off either. Please help me. I spend so much money on my iPhone and I can’t use it.
Julie says
It helps so much thank you!. I was also having problems with the zoom and got it working now. I wrote all the help tips down on a piece of paper to put in my wallet because this time I had to wait till I got home to get my iPad to find out what to do about my phone. ?
RainDance21337 says
Thank you.. ! Thank you.. ! Was thinking “oh no, here’s another $800 down the drain.” But your Force Reset worked.. !
Thank you.. !
Abigail says
Hey.
My iPad is blocked on the notifications center and I can’t swipe up so I can’t do anything.
Please help. Thank you. (Btw it isn’t a new iPad, its an old one)
lakeysha says
YAAAASSSS!!!!!!! this worked thanks….
Tammy says
It worked!! Followed first 3 steps.
Thank you!
Mikable says
My i7 froze this morning. I tried your restart method and the phone works great. Thank you…
Laidback Lenny says
Gadzooks! It worked! I have an iPhone se. Screen locked, touch buttons not working. Held sleep button and home button together. It shut off and then on. All works well. Thank you, Mitch!
Darla Erickson says
No, I don’t see anything about my iPad frozen on magic puzzles. Help!
omar says
thank you very much this was really helpfull
Nanette Vincent says
My iPad is frozen on Google. I was trying to follow a recipe and the screen froze. I’m 91 years old band not good at following instructions. Everything else is working, the only problem is the Google screen in the midst of a kabochu recipe.
Dorothy says
No it’s my iPad that hadthis mechanical man that was to rest my password It stops and won’t go off and won’t finish. I had a post on my timeline and a note above asking me if I posted it . I said no and that’s when the reset man came on
- says
Thank you so much!! My phone is working again
DB says
Comments did not prove effective.. Have repeatedly tried to power iPhone 8 off or hard reset without success. Had just completed programming a remote lighting device, when screen froze, approximately 8 hours ago.
mark says
iphone 8 plus is only a month old. i have recently updated to IOS 11.2. Everytime I go to photos and then want to send pic through messanger it locks up. Sometimes I can send one pic then if I want to send a 2nd it locks up. I have to close the app and try again. sometimes it is still locked up someitmes it will let me send the 2nd pic.
Vijay konala says
Yup it’s working
Jenna says
This helped me so much! A notification was stuck at the top of my screen so i couldn’t power off. This showed me how to force shutdown. I could not live without my phone. That you so much.