How to fix a flashing Apple logo on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch

Some of our readers have reported that they are unable to turn on iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. More specifically, it has been reported that the Apple logo keeps blinking repeatedly, in certain intervals.

When the iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch is connected to power, the Apple logo appears for about 3 seconds, then disappears (blank screen) for about 2 seconds and this process (the Apple logo keeps flashing) repeats itself indefinitely.

Are you having this problem too? Is your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch stuck on the Apple logo loop?

In this article, I will explain what you can do to fix the flashing Apple logo on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.

Why are you seeing a screen with a blinking Apple logo?

There are a few potential reasons why your device keeps flashing the logo:

Update errors. A flashing Apple logo can appear if an update file gets interrupted or corrupted, like when updating to the latest operating system. Think of it like your phone is having a brain freeze.
External devices issues. Your security settings can falsely detect a charger, a computer, or anything else connected to your device as a threat.
Hardware malfunction. Damage to your hardware can cause your screen to show a blinking Apple logo.
Jailbreaking. Attempting to modify manufacturer or carrier limitations or downloading an app from an untrustworthy site can lead to a black screen with a flashing Apple logo.

How to fix a flashing Apple logo on your iPhone

Here’s what to do when your iPhone is flashing Apple logo:

Force restart your iPhone

First, try to force restart your iPhone. First make sure that your iPhone is connected to a power source. And charge it for at least 15 minutes. Then:

If you have an iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation and later, press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button until your screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.
If you have an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, press and hold the side and volume down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until your screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.
If you have an iPhone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation), press and hold both the Home and the top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep until your screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.

Use recovery mode

If your iPhone is still flashing Apple logo, here’s how to enter recovery mode so you can update it.

Connect your iPhone to a computer using a USB cable.
Open the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn’t have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead.
- If you have an iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation and later, press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button until you see the Connect to computer screen.
- If you have an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, press and hold the side and volume down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the Connect to computer screen.
- If you have an iPhone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation), press and hold both the Home and the top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the Connect to computer screen.
Locate your iPhone on your computer. When you see the option to Update or Restore, choose Update. . This will update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS.

How to fix a flashing Apple logo on your iPad

Fixing a flashing Apple logo on your iPad is very similar to fixing this problem on your iPhone. Here’s what to do when your iPad is flashing Apple logo:

Force restart your iPad

On an iPad without a home button, press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button, then press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button, then press and hold the top button until your screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.
If you have an iPad with a Home button: Press and hold both the Home and the top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding the buttons until your screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.

Use recovery mode

If restarting your iPad doesn’t work, try putting your device in recovery mode. Here’s how:

Connect your iPad to your computer with a USB cable.
Open the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn’t have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead.
- On an iPad without a home button, press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button, then press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button, then press and hold the top button until the recovery mode screen appears.
- If you have an iPad with a Home button: Press and hold both the Home and the top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding the buttons until the recovery mode screen appears.
- On your computer, you will see the option to Restore or Update, choose Update. Your computer will try to reinstall the software without erasing your data. Wait while your computer downloads the software for your iPad. If the download takes longer than 15 minutes, your device will exit recovery mode. To re-enter recovery mode, you’ll need to repeat the button presses described in the previous section. After the update is completed, your device should restart and your lock screen will appear.

How to fix a flashing Apple logo on your Apple Watch

Like the iPhone and iPad, the Apple Watch can also have this issue. Here’s what to do when your Apple Watch is flashing Apple logo:

Force restart your Apple Watch

If the Apple logo is flashing and your device is not responding, try to force-restart your watch. Simply press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown until the screen turns black and the Apple logo reappears, then release both buttons. Your watch might take a few moments to restart.

Unpair your devices, then pair them again

If the Apple logo is still flashing after you force restart your Apple Watch, try unpairing your devices and pairing them again. Keep your Apple Watch and iPhone close together as you complete the steps.

Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap My Watch, then tap All Watches.
Tap the info button next to the watch that you want to unpair.
Tap Unpair Apple Watch, then tap Unpair [your Apple Watch name].
For GPS Cellular models, choose to keep your plan.
Enter your Apple Account password.
Tap Unpair. When you unpair, your iPhone creates a backup of your Apple Watch.
If you had one watch paired with your iPhone, tap Start Pairing. If you had more than one watch paired with your iPhone, tap Add Watch.
Follow the instructions on your iPhone to finish setup. To restore your watch from a backup, tap Restore from Backup.