iPhone Won't Turn On? Here's How to Fix It
Don't panic! An iPhone that won't turn on is usually fixable. Follow these steps in order - most issues are resolved within the first three fixes.
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⚡ Recommended for This Repair
Tools and accessories matched to this guide.
Microfiber + brush + alcohol wipes
64 bits, pro-grade — for serious DIY repair only
Required for safe electronics cleaning
Required for safe electronics cleaning
⚡ Quick Fixes That Work
Before paying for repair, try these:
- 🔌 20W Fast Charger ($25) - Often the charger is bad
- 📱 New Lightning Cable ($16) - Cables fail silently
- 🔋 Portable Battery Pack - Jump-start dead devices
Try These Fixes (In Order)
1 Force Restart Your iPhone
A force restart clears temporary glitches without erasing data. This fixes most "won't turn on" issues.
iPhone 8 and later (including iPhone 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, X, SE 2nd/3rd gen):
- Press and quickly release Volume Up
- Press and quickly release Volume Down
- Press and hold the Side Button for 10-15 seconds
- Keep holding until you see the Apple logo
iPhone 7 / 7 Plus:
- Hold Volume Down + Side Button together
- Keep holding for 10-15 seconds until Apple logo appears
iPhone 6s and earlier:
- Hold Home Button + Side/Top Button together
- Keep holding for 10-15 seconds until Apple logo appears
2 Charge for 30 Minutes
A completely dead battery won't show any signs of life - not even a charging indicator - for several minutes.
- Connect your iPhone to the original charger (or a known-good one)
- Use a wall adapter, not a computer USB port
- Wait at least 15-30 minutes
- Look for the charging screen (battery icon)
- If no response, try a different cable and adapter
3 Check for Physical Damage
Inspect your iPhone for signs of damage that could prevent it from turning on:
- Water damage: Check the SIM tray for a red/pink indicator
- Swollen battery: Is the screen bulging or separating from the frame?
- Charging port debris: Look for lint or dirt in the port
- Drop damage: Any new dents or cracks?
4 Try DFU Mode Restore
DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode can fix software corruption that prevents booting. This will erase your data - only try if you have a backup or nothing else works.
Requirements:
- Computer with iTunes (Windows) or Finder (Mac)
- USB cable
iPhone 8 and later:
- Connect iPhone to computer
- Quick-press Volume Up, then Volume Down
- Hold Side Button until screen goes black (~10 sec)
- While holding Side Button, also hold Volume Down for 5 seconds
- Release Side Button but keep holding Volume Down for 10 seconds
- If screen stays black, you're in DFU mode
- iTunes/Finder will prompt you to Restore
5 Hardware Issues
If none of the above worked, you likely have a hardware problem:
- Dead battery - Battery won't hold charge at all → Replace battery
- Faulty charging port - Not making connection → Replace charging port
- Logic board damage - Usually from water or drops → Professional repair needed
- Power IC failure - Internal chip damage → Professional repair needed
🛠️ Tools You'll Need
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📋 Difficulty & Time
🔧 Diagnose & Fix Won't-Turn-On: Step by Step
Step 1: Charge for 30+ Minutes
If the battery is fully dead, the device shows nothing on screen even when plugged in for the first few minutes. Connect to a known-good charger and wait 30 minutes minimum before assuming it's broken.
Step 2: Force Restart (the most common fix)
Force restart bypasses any frozen software state:
- iPhone 8 and later: Press Vol Up → Vol Down → hold Side button until Apple logo (about 10 seconds)
- iPhone 7: Hold Side + Vol Down until Apple logo
- iPhone 6s and earlier: Hold Home + Side until Apple logo
- iPad with no Home button: Same as iPhone 8+
- iPad with Home button: Hold Top + Home until Apple logo
Step 3: Try a Different Cable + Adapter + Outlet
Often the device IS charging but the indicator doesn't show due to a bad cable. Try at least 2 different cables and 2 different power sources.
Step 4: Inspect the Charging Port
Lint can completely block charging. With a flashlight, look for compacted gray fuzz at the back of the port. Use a plastic pick (never metal) to clear it.
Step 5: Recovery Mode Restore
If force restart doesn't bring it back: connect to a Mac/PC, open Finder (or iTunes on PC), put the device in Recovery Mode, and click Update (NOT Restore — Update preserves your data).
- iPhone 8+: connect to computer, press Vol Up + Vol Down + hold Side until Recovery Mode screen
- iPad without Home: same as iPhone 8+
- iPad with Home: hold Top + Home until Recovery Mode screen
Step 6: Check for Liquid Damage
Look at the SIM tray slot — there's a small white strip inside. If it's red/pink, the device has been wet. Even drops of moisture can prevent boot. Place in silica gel for 24+ hours, do NOT power on, and try again.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming it's broken after only 5 minutes of charging
- Skipping force restart and going straight to Apple
- Using random USB cables (counterfeit ones don't deliver enough power)
- Powering on after liquid exposure (causes corrosion)
🏥 When to Call a Pro
If the device shows no signs of life after force restart + recovery-mode restore + clean port + 1 hour charge, you have a hardware issue. Apple diagnoses for free at the Genius Bar. Logic board issues run $300–$700 to fix; sometimes replacement is cheaper than repair.
⚡ Quick Fixes That Work
Before paying for repair, try these:
- 🔌 20W Fast Charger ($25) - Often the charger is bad
- 📱 New Lightning Cable ($16) - Cables fail silently
- 🔋 Portable Battery Pack - Jump-start dead devices
Common Causes
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No response at all | Dead battery or software crash | Charge + Force restart |
| Shows charging but won't boot | Software corruption | DFU restore |
| Gets hot but no display | Display failure or logic board | Screen replacement or pro repair |
| Died after water exposure | Water damage | Water damage guide |
| Apple logo loop | Software or storage issue | DFU restore |
⚡ Quick Fixes That Work
Before paying for repair, try these:
- 🔌 20W Fast Charger ($25) - Often the charger is bad
- 📱 New Lightning Cable ($16) - Cables fail silently
- 🔋 Portable Battery Pack - Jump-start dead devices
Still Not Working?
If your iPhone still won't turn on after trying all these steps, it's likely a hardware issue that needs professional diagnosis.
Get Pro Help →📦 Mail-In Repair Service
Not comfortable doing this yourself? Send your device to a professional repair shop.