iPhone 16 keeps restarting? Here’s how to fix it!

Troubleshooting steps to fix an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro that keeps restarting.

By Chris Smith - Senior Editor
4 Min Read

If your iPhone 16 keeps restarting, you’ve got a problem. On a basic level, it’s incredibly irritating but on another level, you need to figure out just why it’s doing it. After all, we all use our iPhone every day so if it keeps shutting down intermittently for no logical reason, this is cutting into your time substantially.

Despite that, no one likes taking an unnecessary trip to the Apple Store to fix it. Instead, you can try troubleshooting it yourself.

If you’re keen to try to figure out what’s wrong for yourself and cut down on that trip to the Apple Store, take a look at our suggestions below on what to do if your iPhone 16 keeps restarting. Hopefully in no time, your iPhone will be back to feeling like one of the best iPhones in no time.

MAKE SURE THE LATEST IOS IS INsTALLED

The first things you should do whenever troubleshooting a serious problem with your iPhone is to check for iOS updates. It’s possible that a critical bug or some other incompatibility in your current version of iOS is causing your iPhone 16 to keep restarting. To check, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings app and then tap General.
  2. Tap Software Update. If there’s an update available, you’ll be able to install it from here.

UPDATE ALL YOUR APPS

Even if you don’t have any leads on a problematic app, you should still make sure they’re all up to date.

  1. Open the App Store app and tap your account icon at the top right.
  2. If the there are apps that need to be updated, tap Update All.

FORCE RESTART YOUR IPHONE

Even if your iPhone 16 is new, your device can sometimes have issues that cause your iPhone to keep restarting. Whether it is shutting down on its own or your battery is rapidly draining due to a rogue background process or connectivity issue, a hard reset could help fix any problem with your iPhone.

  1. Quickly press and release the volume up button
  2. Quickly press and release the volume down button
  3. Press and hold the side button. Release the side button when you see the Apple logo

Once your iPhone has rebooted, check to see if it stays on and operational. If it doesn’t and the iPhone 16 keeps restarting (or if it won’t reboot), go on to the next step.

PLUG YOUR IPHONE IN TO A POWER SOURCE

If your iPhone 16 is rapidly discharging, plug it in. Once the charging cable’s in place, you should see it begin to charge, and you’ll be able to read the battery level. It means something drained your battery if it shows little to no charge. If it shows a partially or fully charged battery, you may have another problem.

In either case, connect your iOS device to its charging cable, plug it into an outlet or USB port, and start charging. Let it charge for an hour. If it doesn’t seem to be responding, try another charging cable, a different USB outlet plug, or a different USB port on your computer. Once you’re fully charged, keep an eye on your iPhone 16 and see if it shuts down again. If not, great! If so, keep reading.

RESTORE YOUR IPHONE

If trying the simple fixes doesn’t fix your iPhone 16 restarting, then it’s time to try a software restore. In these circumstances where your iPhone 16 keeps restarting, we suggest you restore and set it up as new, as this will remove all potential software bugs from the equation.

If your iCloud is set up correctly, you’ll still maintain precious photos, videos, and contacts even if you opt for the set up as new option.

  1. Open the Settings app, scroll down and tap General.
  2. At the bottom of the General page, tap Transfer and Reset iPhone.
  3. To factory reset your iPhone, tap Erase All Content and Settings.

When you’re all done, check and see if your iPhone 16 stays on. If so, hallelujah! If not, there’s one more thing to try.

CONTACT APPLE

If you’ve tried the solutions above and your iPhone 16 keeps restarting, your device might be experiencing a hardware issue. Like any electronic device, batteries can fail, and circuits can short. That’s not something you can solve on your own, so you should contact Apple’s customer support and see if the phone needs to be serviced or replaced.

Since your iPhone 16 is still under one year limited warranty, don’t walk — run to get it fixed.

If you don’t live close to an Apple Store, you can call 1-800-MY-APPLE to set up a mail-in repair with Apple Support.

Troubleshoot before you panic

When your iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max keeps restarting, it’s incredibly frustrating and potentially a huge worry. If you haven’t kept up with backing up your iPhone, you might be worried about losing all your data, as well as needing to buy a new iPhone.

Don’t panic! Whether you’re following our simple steps above or resorting to contacting Apple Support, there’s a solution for your problem. For the most part, the steps above will get you back on track and resolve any issue you may be experiencing with your iPhone 16. The tips are actually pretty good for troubleshooting any issue on your phone — not just random shutdowns.

However, if you’ve run out of options and potential solutions, it might be time to take your beloved device to the Apple Store. Make sure to plan ahead and book a Genius Bar appointment so you don’t have to wait too long. Apple Stores can get pretty busy so it’ll save you time to book in advance.

Hopefully in no time, you’ll be back on track without having to worry about any pesky issues.

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Chris Smith is a senior editor at GeeksChalk based in Canada. He likes to think of himself as a jack of all trades (and a master of at least a few), though he mainly focuses on iPhones and Macs. Often covering both at the same time. When not surrounded by various Apple devices while putting them through their paces, Chris can be found streaming the latest movies or series, gaming on his PS5, or getting fresh air on a hike in the beautiful wilderness of British Columbia.
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