These are the steps to force restart iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Follow these instructions if your iPhone becomes unresponsive or behaves abnormally. Force restarting is an effective way to address frozen screens, unresponsive apps, and it can also be used to exit recovery or DFU modes.
If you are using an iPhone SE or an older model with a Home button, please refer to this guide for force restarting:
● How to Force Restart an iPhone With Home Button
Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then immediately press and release the Volume Down button. Both volume buttons are located on the left side of your iPhone 16.
Now press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears on the display. The side button, also known as the power button, is on the right side of the iPhone 16.
Your iPhone will now restart.
That's all there is to it. Hopefully, the iPhone restart resolved any issues you were experiencing.
If you accidentally activate Siri while attempting these steps, it's likely you've waited too long between a button press. Watch our video on how to force restart to get a better idea of the timing.
You may also find some of these iPhone tutorials helpful. For example, if you'd like to try a clean restore to resolve your issues, we've shared instructions on how to enter recovery mode or enter DFU mode.
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No, a force restart is not the same as a hard reset. A hard reset (also known as a factory reset) will erase all data, settings, and applications that were previously stored on the device. A force restart, on the other hand, simply reboots the iPhone without deleting any data or changing your settings. It's a troubleshooting method used to fix issues like freezing or unresponsiveness, while a hard reset restores the iPhone to its original factory settings.
Force restarting your iPhone triggers a hardware reboot. This doesn't gracefully shut down iOS, but instead, the hardware is reset directly.
Here's what a force restart does:
● Power Cycling: The CPU and memory are immediately cut off from power, resetting the current software state.
● Memory Flush: Volatile memory (RAM) is cleared, discarding unsaved data or operations in progress.
● Hardware Reset: System controllers and hardware components are returned to their default states.
● System Check: Upon restart, the iPhone performs a basic system check to ensure hardware functionality.
● OS Reload: The device's bootloader starts up, and the operating system is reloaded from the non-volatile memory, like a fresh boot.
A force restart is a troubleshooting method, often used when your iPhone is frozen or dealing with software glitches. It doesn't delete content or change firmware—those resets require a different process.
Stay updated with the latest Apple news, tutorials, and videos by following iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS.
Follow these instructions if your iPhone becomes unresponsive or behaves abnormally. Force restarting is an effective way to address frozen screens, unresponsive apps, and it can also be used to exit recovery or DFU modes.
If you are using an iPhone SE or an older model with a Home button, please refer to this guide for force restarting:
● How to Force Restart an iPhone With Home Button
HOW TO FORCE RESTART IPHONE 16
Step One
Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then immediately press and release the Volume Down button. Both volume buttons are located on the left side of your iPhone 16.
Step Two
Now press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears on the display. The side button, also known as the power button, is on the right side of the iPhone 16.
Step Three
Your iPhone will now restart.
That's all there is to it. Hopefully, the iPhone restart resolved any issues you were experiencing.
TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND
If you accidentally activate Siri while attempting these steps, it's likely you've waited too long between a button press. Watch our video on how to force restart to get a better idea of the timing.
RELATED TUTORIALS
You may also find some of these iPhone tutorials helpful. For example, if you'd like to try a clean restore to resolve your issues, we've shared instructions on how to enter recovery mode or enter DFU mode.
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How to Turn Off iPhone 16
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How to Enter Recovery Mode
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How to Enter DFU Mode
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How to Soft Reset Your iPhone 13
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is a Force Restart the Same as a Hard Reset?
No, a force restart is not the same as a hard reset. A hard reset (also known as a factory reset) will erase all data, settings, and applications that were previously stored on the device. A force restart, on the other hand, simply reboots the iPhone without deleting any data or changing your settings. It's a troubleshooting method used to fix issues like freezing or unresponsiveness, while a hard reset restores the iPhone to its original factory settings.
What Happens During a Force Restart?
Force restarting your iPhone triggers a hardware reboot. This doesn't gracefully shut down iOS, but instead, the hardware is reset directly.
Here's what a force restart does:
● Power Cycling: The CPU and memory are immediately cut off from power, resetting the current software state.
● Memory Flush: Volatile memory (RAM) is cleared, discarding unsaved data or operations in progress.
● Hardware Reset: System controllers and hardware components are returned to their default states.
● System Check: Upon restart, the iPhone performs a basic system check to ensure hardware functionality.
● OS Reload: The device's bootloader starts up, and the operating system is reloaded from the non-volatile memory, like a fresh boot.
A force restart is a troubleshooting method, often used when your iPhone is frozen or dealing with software glitches. It doesn't delete content or change firmware—those resets require a different process.
Stay updated with the latest Apple news, tutorials, and videos by following iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS.