How to force shut down iPhone 11

And how to force it to restart when it otherwise won't

Published on September 26, 2022

What to Know

• Restart: Press and hold Side and Volume Down buttons > release when slider appears > move slider left to right.
• Force restart: Press Volume Up, press Volume Down and hold Side button until the Apple logo appears.

This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to restart an iPhone 11 and how to force restart an iPhone 11. Whether you need a restart to fix a temporary glitch or a hard restart to unlock a frozen iPhone 11, this is what you need to know.

How to Restart an iPhone 11

While restarting an iPhone 11 isn't likely part of any regular routine, sometimes it's the only fix for a small, temporary glitch. In those cases, a restart (also called a reboot) will usually clear the glitch and get things working normally again. Follow these steps to restart an iPhone 11:

1. Press and hold the Side and Volume Down buttons at the same time.

2. When the slide to power off slider appears on the screen, release the buttons.

3. Move the slider from left to right.

   Lifewire / Grace Kim

4. Wait 15-30 seconds for the iPhone 11 to shut down and for the screen to turn off.

5. To turn the iPhone back on, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. When it does, release the Side button and let the iPhone boot up.

How to Force Restart an iPhone 11

A force restart is different than a standard restart. A force restart, or force reboot, should be used when your iPhone is frozen and won't respond to button presses or screen taps. In that situation, it won't respond to the standard restart steps, either. But don't worry—it's not broken! It just needs the more-powerful force restart process. Follow these steps to force restart an iPhone 11:

1. Press and release the Volume Up button.

2. Press and release the Volume Down button.

3. Press and hold the Side button.

4. Keep holding while the screen turns off. When the Apple logo appears on the screen, release the Side button and let the phone turn on.

FAQ

• How do I reset my iPhone 11 to factory settings?

  To reset your iPhone 11 to factory settings, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Always back up your data before performing a factory reset.
  

• How do I fix it when my iPhone won't turn on?

  If your iPhone won't turn on, charge your battery, try a hard reset, and put your phone in DFU mode. If you still have trouble, try resetting the iPhone proximity sensor.

• How do I take a screenshot on my iPhone 11?

  To take a screenshot on iPhone 11, press the Side button+Volume Up at the same time. To take a screenshot by tapping the back of the phone, enable the feature in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap > Screenshot.

Thanks for letting us know!

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

Subscribe

Jason Cross/IDG

You shouldn’t have to turn off your iPhone very often. If you’re not going to use it for a few hours, it’s not worth the hassle (and minuscule battery life savings) to shut it down.

But, if you know you’re not going to use your phone for a couple of days, or on a very long international flight, and you want to save every last ounce of battery life, shutting it down can be an effective option.

Also, if you suspect some bug has made your phone unresponsive or slow, the first troubleshooting step should be that old IT standby: turn it off and on again.

To shut down your iPhone, quickly press and hold either volume button and the Side button. Your phone will show a “slide to power off” slider at the top, along with sliders for SOS and Medical ID. Slide the Power Off slider, and it will turn off your phone. If you have an iPhone 6s or earlier, briefly press both the top or side button and Home button at the same time to make the sliders appear.

If you want to force-restart an iPhone that is completely frozen and unresponsive, the procedure is a little different.

For all iPhones with Face ID and iPhone 8 or 2nd-generation iPhone SE:

Quickly press and release the volume up button, then press and release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button. Keep holding it until the Apple logo appears, then release.

For iPhone 7:

Press and hold the volume down button and the side button at the same time. Keep holding until the Apple logo appears, then release.

For iPhone 6s or earlier:

Press and hold both the top/side button and the Home button. Keep holding until the screen blanks out and then the Apple logo appears (usually around 10 seconds or so). Then release both buttons.

If it’s an iPad you are trying to turn off read: How to turn off an iPad.

Also read: How to clear cache on iPhone & iPad for an easy speed boost.

I have written about technology for my entire adult professional life - over 25 years. I enjoy learning about how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.