Quick answer: On an iPhone with Face ID, hold the side button and either volume button together, then drag slide to power off. On an iPhone with a Home button, hold the side button until the power slider appears. You can also go to Settings > General > Shut Down when the physical buttons are hard to use.
Turning off an iPhone is different from locking its screen, restarting it, or erasing its data. This guide explains the safest option for each situation, including when the phone is frozen. Instructions reflect Apple’s current iPhone guide as reviewed October 13, 2026; wording can vary slightly with iOS version.
Method 1: Turn off an iPhone with Face ID
- Find the side button on the right edge and either volume button on the left.
- Press and hold the side button and a volume button at the same time.
- Release both when the power-off slider appears.
- Drag the slider all the way to the right and allow the display to go dark.
- To turn it back on, hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Do not keep holding the buttons after the slider appears: button combinations can also open emergency features. If you only press the side button once, you are typically locking the screen rather than shutting down the phone.
Method 2: Turn off an iPhone with a Home button
- Hold the side button until the power-off slider appears. Some older models use a top power button instead.
- Drag the slider to switch the phone off.
- Wait a few seconds before trying to restart it.
The Home button is not itself the power button. If you do not see the slider, check whether the correct physical button is being pressed and whether a case interferes with it.
Method 3: Turn off an iPhone without using buttons
This is helpful when a button sticks or is difficult to press. Open Settings > General, scroll down, select Shut Down, and drag the slider. This performs a normal shutdown; it does not factory-reset your iPhone or delete photos.
On supported iOS versions, you can also open Control Center, touch and hold the power symbol near the upper-right, and drag the shutdown slider. Depending on the device, Control Center opens with a swipe down from the top-right or a swipe up from the bottom edge.
What if the iPhone is frozen and will not turn off?
First give the phone a moment: an app may be busy. If the touch screen cannot drag the power slider, try a force restart rather than using Settings. For a typical Face ID model or iPhone 8 and later, briefly press Volume Up, briefly press Volume Down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. The presses must be separate and quick. The sequence differs for some older models, so use Apple’s model-specific support instructions if yours is not covered.
A force restart is a troubleshooting action, not an ordinary shutdown; it is intended for an unresponsive phone. It should not be confused with restoring an iPhone to factory settings, which can erase data depending on the option chosen.
Shutdown versus restart versus reset
| Action | What happens | Typical reason |
|---|---|---|
| Lock screen | Screen switches off; iPhone keeps running | Put phone in pocket |
| Shut down | Device powers off until turned back on | Travel, storage, troubleshooting |
| Restart | Device turns off and back on | Resolve a temporary software issue |
| Force restart | Hardware-button restart sequence | Frozen display |
| Factory reset | Reinstalls or erases settings and content depending on process | Preparing for sale or serious issues |
Common mistakes and quick fixes
The screen goes black but calls still come in
You likely locked the display. Try the side-plus-volume combination and watch for the on-screen slider.
Siri opens instead of the shutdown controls
On Face ID devices, holding only the side button can summon Siri. Hold a volume button at the same time, or use Settings > General > Shut Down.
The power slider is missing
Remove a thick case, check whether the buttons move freely, and try the Settings method. If the device is frozen, follow the force-restart sequence appropriate for its model.
The phone will not switch on after shutdown
Connect it to power using a known-good cable and adapter, wait several minutes, then hold the side button. A battery that is deeply discharged may not show a response immediately. If nothing changes, follow Apple’s screen-black troubleshooting guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Does turning off an iPhone delete anything?
No. A normal shutdown does not erase apps, photos or settings. Unsaved work inside an app may still be lost, so save edits first.
Can I power off my iPhone from Control Center?
Yes, on current supported iOS versions, touch and hold the power control, then slide to power off.
Is Airplane Mode the same as turning off?
No. Airplane Mode changes radio connections while the phone remains operational; shutting down powers the phone off.
Is a force restart safe?
It is an Apple-documented recovery method for an unresponsive device, but use ordinary shutdown when the touch screen works.
Sources and image credit
Procedures checked against Apple’s guide to turning iPhone on or off. Featured photograph: Ka Kit Pang, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, unmodified. The photograph illustrates the hardware and is not a screenshot of the settings menu.
