This may happen to any iPhone user. Your iPhone went completely dead. You pressed the Power button but your iPhone does not respond. Your iPhone is completely dead meaning nothing shows up on the screen.
This article explains what to do if your iPhone is dead and will not turn on. Luckily, this issue can usually be easily fixed.
By dead, we mean that your iPhone:
- shows no sign of power, or
- does not respond when you press the buttons or when you touch the screen, or
- does not seem to turn on, or
- has a black or blank screen, or
- immediately turns off itself when you turn it on.
If your iPhone has any of the above problems, try the tips below to fix it. After each step, see whether it fixed your issue.
Steps to Fix Dead iPhone
1. Charge your device
The first thing you should do if your iPhone is completely dead is to charge your device. It is possible that your iPhone’s battery is totally drained. Charge your iPhone by plugging it to a working power outlet. If this is the problem, your iPhone will turn on by itself when it does have enough battery power. If this does not solve your issue, see the next step.
When your phone is plugged in, you will see the charging screen which is an almost empty battery icon.
If you do not see this, or if you see the connect to power screen, which is an empty battery and cable screen, then try the tips below:
- It is possible that your device may not charge. When you want to charge your iPhone, it is important to note that your cable or charger could be faulty.
- Charge your device for at least 30 minutes. If your iPhone still does not turn on after 30 minutes, charge it for up to one hour.
- Use the cable that came with your iPhone. If this is not possible, make sure that your charging cable is Apple-certified.
- Check your cable and charger for damage. If damaged, do not use it.
- Is the charging port dirty? Check the charging port on the bottom of your iPhone. Try to clean it if you see any debris.
- Check where your phone is plugged in. If you are charging your iPhone from a computer’s USB port, try plugging it directly into a wall outlet. If this does not work, try a different wall outlet.
2. Force Restart your iPhone
You may need to force your device to restart.
Different iPhone models require different steps to force restart. Here’s how you can force restart your dead iPhone:
- iPhone 8 or later (including iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation): Press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and quickly release the volume down button, and then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo (this should take around 10 seconds but might take longer).
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the side button and volume down button together at the same time until you see the Apple logo (this should take around 10 seconds but might take longer).
- iPhone 6s and earlier (including iPhone SE 1st generation): Press and hold the side (or top) button and Home button together at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the Apple logo (this should take around 10 seconds).
3. Restore your iPhone using Recovery Mode
If your iPhone is dead and will not turn on, the firmware may have been corrupted. You may need to restore and update your iPhone by using recovery mode. Here is how:
First back up your iPhone. You can back up your device by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
- If your Mac is running macOS Catalina or later, open Finder. If you’re using Windows, open the Apple Devices app if available, or iTunes. If your Mac is running macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes.
- Find and select your device in Finder (your iPhone will appear in the sidebar) or in the Apple Devices app or iTunes (your iPhone’s icon will appear in the upper-left corner).
- Now depending on your iPhone model, follow the steps below to enter recovery mode:
- iPhone 8 or later (including iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation): Press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and quickly release the volume down button, and then press and hold the side button until you see the recovery mode screen (which shows a computer with a cable).
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the side button and the volume down button together at the same time until you see the recovery mode screen.
- iPhone 6s and earlier (including iPhone SE 1st generation): Press and hold the Home button and the side (or top) button together at the same time until the recovery mode screen appears.
- You will see two options: Update and Restore. Click Update to reinstall iOS without erasing your data. If Update does not fix the issue, you can then try Restore, which will erase all data on your device. Follow the onscreen instructions.
Note: If the download takes more than 15 minutes and your device exits the recovery mode screen, let the download finish, then repeat the recovery mode steps above.
Other notes
If you are able to turn on your iPhone but you realize that your iPhone freezes often, you may need to troubleshoot your device for freezing:
- Update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS software by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Update your apps by going to the App Store app.
- Check your iPhone’s storage. If it is full or almost full, free up space. There are various ways to do this. You can check the storage on your iPhone by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Here you will see various recommendations that you may want to follow.
- Delete apps, photos or other content that you do not need.
If you follow these steps, it is highly likely that you can easily fix your dead iPhone. If none of the tips above gets your iPhone working again, then your iPhone may need service. You can get service by making an appointment at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or by contacting Apple Support.
