How to hard reset an iPhone without any stress

Sometimes you have to know how to hard reset an iPhone (running iOS 16 or later), for instance, if your phone freezes up for no good reason and you need to give it a prod to get it working again. Hard resetting your iPhone requires pressing a certain button combination that varies by model.

TheGhanaTech.com guide will teach you how to force a locked-up iPhone to restart and show you what to do if you can’t reset your phone.

How to hard reset an iPhone

For up-to-date iPhones (running iOS 16 or later), do the following to reset your handset. 

1. Press and release the volume up button (you don’t need to hold it for a long time, just a regular press will do.)
2. Press and release the volume down button.
3.  Press and hold the power button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the button. Wait until the phone switches back on and brings up the lock screen, and the reset’s done.

This works on both Face ID iPhones and Touch ID iPhones (those with a notch vs. those with a Home button), even though the buttons’ positions and sizes are different.

How to Force-Restarting an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus

1. Press and hold the Volume Down button and Sleep/Wake button. The Volume Down button is on the left side of the iPhone, and the Sleep/Wake button is on the top-most edge. Continue holding these buttons down until the Apple logo appears.
2. Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo. If the reset was successful, your iPhone will restart normally.

How to Force-Restarting an iPhone 6, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st Generation)

1. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button. The Sleep/Wake button is on the top-most edge of the iPhone, while the Home button is the large round button at the bottom-center part of the screen. Continue holding the buttons down until you see the Apple logo.
2. Release the buttons when the Apple logo appears. Your iPhone should restart normally if the reset was successful.

Note: If your iPhone still won’t restart, try charging it for an hour and then try again. If you still can’t restart your iPhone, contact Apple Support.