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If your phone is frozen, start with a force restart using the button sequence for its exact make and model. If it stays black, check its charging path before assuming it is dead. If it keeps restarting after it boots, investigate software and apps. Button combinations vary by device, and a force restart is not a factory reset.
First, identify what the phone is doing
“Won’t restart” can mean a frozen screen, a phone that will not power on, or a device that turns on and repeatedly reboots. The right next step depends on which symptom you see and whether you have an iPhone, Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, or another Android model.
- Frozen or unresponsive: try the manufacturer’s force-restart sequence.
- Black screen or no power: check the charger, cable, outlet, and port, then retry the model-specific force restart.
- Repeated restarts after startup: check for software or app problems; on supported Android phones, Safe Mode can help isolate downloaded apps.
- Stuck on a logo or progress bar: determine whether the phone is still completing an update, restore, or migration before interrupting it.
Do not use a button combination found for a different model: a sequence that works on one phone may not apply to another.
If the phone is frozen or won’t respond
A force restart can recover a phone whose screen or controls have stopped responding. It is different from a factory reset and is not intended to erase personal data. Use the instructions for your specific model, since even phones from the same manufacturer can use different combinations.
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iPhone
For an iPhone with Face ID, press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. Apple says older iPhone generations use different sequences; check the model-specific steps for restarting an unresponsive iPhone rather than assuming this combination fits your device. Apple’s separate restart instructions cover normal restarts.
Google Pixel
The force-restart steps depend on Pixel generation. Google’s Pixel power instructions say Pixel 5a and earlier use a long press of the Power button. On Pixel 6 and later, Power plus Volume Up opens the normal restart menu; to force a restart, hold the Power button for up to 60 seconds.
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Samsung’s cited Galaxy restart guidance says to hold the Side and Volume Down buttons together for more than seven seconds. Galaxy controls can vary by model, so consult the instructions for your exact phone if this does not match its buttons.
If the screen stays black or the phone won’t turn on
Work through the power path before concluding that the phone has failed. A depleted battery, faulty cable or adapter, outlet problem, blocked or damaged port, display issue, or other hardware fault can all leave a phone apparently dead.
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- Remove obstructions. Take off a case or external accessory that could press a button or block the charging port.
- Inspect safely. Look for visible damage, liquid exposure, corrosion, bent contacts, or debris on the phone, cable, adapter, and port. Do not insert metal objects into the port or open a sealed phone.
- Test a known-working charging setup. Check the outlet and try a compatible charger and cable that you know work with the phone. Google’s Android charging guidance also recommends trying a different cable or adapter and checking the port for lint or dust.
- Allow time to charge, then retry. A deeply depleted battery may need time on a working charger before the phone responds. Apple says, “If your iPhone doesn’t turn on, charge your iPhone for one hour and then try again.” If a force restart has not worked, follow that iPhone power troubleshooting guidance.
- Check for signs the phone is on. If a Pixel screen remains blank after charging checks, Google suggests checking whether the phone rings. A ring can indicate that the phone is powered on but the display is not showing an image. See Google’s Pixel charging and power-on steps.
If the phone is swollen, unusually hot, visibly damaged, or has been exposed to liquid, stop charging it and contact an appropriate service provider. A compatible phone charger and USB-C charging cable are useful for testing only when they match the phone; a new charger is not a fix for a software boot loop.
If the phone keeps restarting after it boots
A phone that reaches the home screen and then reboots repeatedly may have an app or software problem. On Pixel, Google recommends checking Android and app updates and available storage. Its Pixel restart and crash guidance warns that issues can occur when less than 10% of storage is available; that is Google’s troubleshooting threshold for Pixel, not a universal Android rule.
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Use Safe Mode to check for downloaded apps
On supported Pixel phones, Safe Mode temporarily disables downloaded apps. Follow Google’s Safe Mode instructions for your device; entry steps and menus are not identical across Android brands.
- Restart the Pixel in Safe Mode using Google’s model-specific instructions.
- Use the phone long enough to see whether the unexpected restarts continue.
- If the problem stops in Safe Mode, remove recently installed apps one at a time, restarting and testing after each removal.
Google’s diagnostic guidance says, “If it does, an app is likely causing your problem.” Here, “it” means the problem disappearing in Safe Mode; it is a clue, not proof that a particular app is responsible.
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If an iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo or a progress bar
First consider whether the iPhone is still processing a restore or migration. Apple’s guidance for an iPhone stuck on the Apple logo says that in this restore or migration situation, wait until the progress bar has not moved for at least one hour before connecting the iPhone to a computer and using recovery mode. That one-hour instruction is for this specific situation, not a general rule for every restart loop.
If recovery mode offers Update or Restore, try Update first when available and if you have not already tried it. Apple says Restore erases the iPhone. Follow Apple’s instructions for updating or restoring in recovery mode; if the phone is looping outside the restore or migration scenario, use current Apple guidance for the exact model rather than applying that scenario’s timing rule.
Know which recovery steps can erase data
Keep destructive recovery steps until after ordinary restart, charging, and software or app checks. A force restart is not a factory reset. A factory reset or a computer-based Restore can erase personal data, so back up first if the phone can still be accessed. Google’s Pixel restart guidance describes factory reset as a data-removing step and advises backing up beforehand; Apple’s recovery guidance says Restore erases the iPhone and recommends trying Update first where available.
| Option | Does it erase user data? | Computer required? | Physical controls required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model-specific force restart | Not intended to erase personal data | No | Yes; required buttons must work |
| Pixel Safe Mode | Not described as an erase step in Google’s Safe Mode instructions | No | Use the device-specific entry steps |
| iPhone recovery-mode Update | Apple recommends trying Update before Restore; the cited instructions do not guarantee that data will be preserved in every failure scenario | Yes | Recovery mode requires button steps for the model |
| Factory reset or iPhone Restore | Yes; these steps remove data | A computer is required for iPhone recovery-mode Restore; the cited Pixel guidance does not establish that a computer is required for factory reset | Requirements depend on the device and recovery method |
If there is no backup and recovery is uncertain, contact the manufacturer before taking an irreversible step. The available recovery options, and whether a particular phone can reach them, depend on its model and condition.
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When to contact manufacturer or authorized repair support
Contact the manufacturer or an authorized phone repair provider if the phone remains off after the model-specific restart and charging checks, the phone or charging equipment is damaged, buttons are broken or stuck, or an update or recovery attempt fails. Apple specifically advises service when an iPhone remains off, recovery cannot be used because a button is broken or stuck, or recovery fails. Samsung’s power troubleshooting directs unresolved cases to its support center; its cited power page is for Canada and notes that screens and settings can vary by country.
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