If your Apple iPhone 8 or iPhone X is frozen and won’t turn off, here’s what you can try to force it to shut off.
Power Off
- Press and hold the “Sleep“/”Wake” button on the top of the device for about 10 seconds. See if the red slider eventually appears so that you can shut it off or force quit the offending app by pressing and holding the Home button.
Force Restart
- Quick press “Volume Up“.
- Quick press “Volume Down“.
- Hold Sleep“/”Wake” button until the Apple logo appears.
- If the above steps do not work, press and hold the “Sleep“/”Wake” button and the “Volume Down“ button simultaneously for about 10 to 20 seconds. Hopefully, the Apple logo will appear and the iPhone will finally turn restart.
There have heard a few users report occasions where they’ve had to simply let the battery run all the way down before the device will work again. I’m afraid if the steps above don’t work, that is your last resort.
Cynthia says
Thank you Andrea. Your solution worked!!! I could not disconnect a Face Time call so I needed to shut off the phone. The buttons on the phone didn’t work.
Jen says
Thank you, for the information it didn’t help though.
I think that my option is to let the battery run down. My screen froze first, I couldn’t unlock it with my finger id and the emergency password screen did not come up.
When I tried to power the phone off I got the black screen & it looked like it was loading.
I’m very disappointed I was a loyal Samsung user and this is my first iPhone/Apple product. I wish I had stuck with my Samsung Android platfor
Bonnie says
Oh my Goodness…Andrea, your post was the most helpful of all! My phone would not power off and was frozen thankfully I was able to go to settings, and do the shut down button, thank you so much!
Andrea says
My phone (I have the X) wouldnt shut off with any method. Feared letting the batter run was going to be my option. However, I looked through my settings knowing there had to be some option to shut the phone. Go to settings, general, scroll all the way down, “shut down”. Thank goodness. Did that, red button to slide to shut down appeared.
Jim says
Very helpful – thanks!!! I tried this method but other sites didn’t say to “quick press” the volume button’s – that was the trick for me.
Saroun says
I can’t turn off my iphone off I did try all button still can’t help.
Arts says
the up /down and then power button worked to power off the phone.
thanks so much
Ken says
The quick press volume up and down workedvery well for me thank you! This was for my iPhone X
Dhiraj Khandelwal says
I am not able to start this , going with the instructions it’s land to emergency call
Jenny says
Thank you so much!!!! My phone is working again!
Mike says
Holding the sleep/wake button with the volume down button worked. Thanks!
summer says
IT WORKED, took a couple attempts though
Bobbi says
Unfortunately didn’t work for me. The black apple on a white background is stuck. So I have made an appointment at the Genius Bar for tomorrow. But thanks for the suggestions.
Kent says
Yes it helped It took three attempts before success but thank you!
d says
iPhone 8 unlocked screen was frozen. I was able to lock the phone and scroll through the locked home screen, and I was able to unlock the phone, but nothing from there on worked. Holding volume down and sleep/wake got the phone to restart and it’s working back to normal now. THANK YOU!
Danny Sanz says
Manuel Da Silva, Genius! Thanks,