How to reboot your iPhone
The other day, my iPhone locked up and just displayed this dim screen with a wait cursor, an alert that I had missed a call and the regular background. I tried to get it to get out of that state using the regular means but it was stuck. It was really frozen! Fortunately, this was the first time it happened but unfortunately I didn’t know what to do. Then I remembered how rebooting an iPod works and tried to map it to the iPhone controls. Here’s what to do to reboot your iPhone:
1. Hold down the Home button (that’s the big button in the lower front) and the Sleep / Wake button (that’s the little button on the top right) down.
2. Keep holding until you see the screen go black and then the Apple logo appear.
3. Voila! Your iPhone has been rebooted. Resume your blissful life and forget that anything bad happened with your iPhone.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
I found your info to be very helpful. the main issue i had was updating the software on my iphone. it seemed to go a bit mad after each time. using your method above then plugging it into iTunes again prompted the recovery mode to be launched and eventually sorted it out. if the iphone wasnt so darned good, i would get annoyed….
January 12th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Dude, you rock! This is golden and you made a couple of us iPhone users VERY, VERY Happy. Thanks for this post. BTW, I found this using google search “rebooting frozen iPhone”.
February 5th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Just the information I needed. I had a frozen phone a while back and was so worried I had ruined it. At the phone store I had it rebooted, but couldn’t remember exactly what he told me to do. Your information was just what I was looking for to fix it this time and any in the future. Thank you for taking the time to post this info.
February 18th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
thank you o wise one…
April 3rd, 2009 at 9:38 am
Thank you! Great advise, worked a treat.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Good tip - here’s another one. If you just press those buttons, instead of holding them down, you’ll take a screenshot that will be saved in your photos.
August 1st, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Thanks. You need to hold the button first then hold the other one. not at the same time. when i was charging it the battery life showed red and after i rebooted it decided to work the way it should.
August 30th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Thanks for the info! Very helpful in a time of panic :)
September 29th, 2009 at 9:39 am
thaaaaaaaaaanx alot;lol ive been to every website imaginable lol.
October 4th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Thanks!!! You Rock!!! Hope you have an Amazing week!!!
October 6th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Thanks worked great
October 8th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Neat. I google this and found yours. Just reboot my iphone. Thanks,
October 14th, 2009 at 8:49 am
much appreciate the help. Thank you and to everyone who has contributed.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Top Dog!!! Thought my iphone had died.
Cheers mate!
December 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
You are the Oracle. Thank you.
January 7th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
A big THANK YOU! from me too.
January 15th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
love love love thank you!
January 24th, 2010 at 2:33 am
I just wanted to thank you for this post.
March 6th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Pretty neat! Thanks a ton!
March 6th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Bought my iPhone 3GS 8 days ago went clubbing and it decided to kill itself, so googled how to reboot checked your answer and it fixed itself! Now i don’t have to go back to my Blackberry Storm thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!