To restart (reboot) an iPhone 13, press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, drag the slider, wait about 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. If the screen is frozen and the slider won’t appear, force restart instead: press and quickly release volume up, press and quickly release volume down, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Restarting does not erase your photos, apps, messages, or settings. These steps apply to every iPhone 13 model (iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max). They were checked against Apple’s iPhone User Guide for iOS 27, the current version as of October 2026, and the button steps are the same on earlier iOS versions.
Contents
- Which restart method should you use?
- Know your iPhone 13 buttons
- Restart iPhone 13 with the buttons
- Restart iPhone 13 from Settings (no buttons needed)
- Turn off iPhone 13 from Control Center
- Force restart a frozen iPhone 13
- If your iPhone 13 won’t restart or turn on
- Restart, force restart, and reset: what’s the difference?
- Frequently asked questions
Which restart method should you use?
| Situation | Method to use |
|---|---|
| iPhone works, but an app or feature is acting up | Restart with the buttons |
| A button is broken, or you prefer not to use the buttons | Restart from Settings |
| Screen is frozen, black, or won’t respond to touch | Force restart |
| Force restart doesn’t help, or the phone is stuck on the Apple logo | Charge it, then use recovery mode on a computer |
Start with a normal restart whenever the screen still responds. It shuts the phone down in an orderly way. Use a force restart only when the normal method doesn’t work.
Know your iPhone 13 buttons
The iPhone 13 has no Home button. It uses three physical buttons:
- Side button: the long button on the right edge. It locks the screen and turns the phone on.
- Volume up: the upper button on the left edge.
- Volume down: the lower button on the left edge, below volume up.
The small switch above the volume buttons is the Ring/Silent switch. It plays no part in restarting.
Restart iPhone 13 with the buttons
A “restart” means turning the phone off and then back on. This is the method Apple lists first for iPhone 13.
- Press and hold the side button and either volume button at the same time. After a moment, sliders appear at the top of the screen, including one labeled for powering off.
- Release the buttons and drag the power-off slider to the right. The screen goes dark.
- Wait about 30 seconds so the iPhone shuts down completely.
- Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears, then let go.
- When the Lock Screen appears, enter your passcode. After a restart, iPhone asks for the passcode before Face ID works again.
Let go as soon as the sliders appear. If you keep holding the buttons, an Emergency SOS countdown starts, and iPhone can call emergency services when it ends. If a countdown begins by mistake, release the buttons right away.
For a step-by-step look at only the power-off part, see our guide on how to turn off iPhone 13.
Restart iPhone 13 from Settings (no buttons needed)
iOS can shut the phone down from the Settings app. This helps if the volume buttons are damaged. You still need a way to turn the phone back on (see step 5).
- Open the Settings app on the Home Screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Shut Down. The power-off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to the right. Wait about 30 seconds.
- Turn the iPhone back on. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. If the side button doesn’t work, connect the iPhone to a charger; an iPhone generally turns on by itself when it’s plugged into power while off.
Step 5’s charger behavior is long-standing iPhone behavior, but Apple’s current shutdown guide doesn’t describe it. If the phone doesn’t start on the charger, leave it connected for a few minutes and check again.
Turn off iPhone 13 from Control Center
Apple’s iOS 27 guide also lists a power control in Control Center:
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
- Touch and hold the power icon in the top-right corner of Control Center.
- Drag the slider to turn off the iPhone.
- Wait about 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
If you don’t see a power icon there, your iOS version may be older; use the Settings method instead.
Force restart a frozen iPhone 13
A force restart (also called a hard reset or hard reboot) cuts the current session and starts iOS again, even when the screen won’t respond. It doesn’t erase your content. Use it when the screen is frozen, stays black, or the power-off slider won’t appear.
Do the first two steps quickly, one right after the other:
- Press and quickly release the volume up button.
- Press and quickly release the volume down button.
- Press and hold the side button. Keep holding it, even if the power-off slider appears. Don’t drag the slider.
- When the Apple logo appears, release the side button. Apple notes that the logo can take longer than 10 seconds to appear.
- Wait for the Lock Screen, then enter your passcode.
The order matters: volume up first, then volume down. If you press them in the wrong order, or pause too long between them, the phone usually just shows the power-off slider or adjusts the volume. Start again and press the buttons faster.
If your iPhone 13 won’t restart or turn on
Work through these steps in order.
1. Charge it. A completely drained battery can look like a frozen phone. Connect the iPhone to a working charger and cable. Apple’s advice is to charge for one hour and then try again. If you see a low-battery image on the screen, check the cable, adapter, and Lightning port, then charge for 30 minutes or until it starts.
2. Try the force restart again. Charge first, then repeat the force restart steps above, pressing the volume buttons quickly.
3. Check the screen and buttons. If you hear sounds or feel vibrations but the screen stays black, the display may be the problem, not the software. If one of the buttons doesn’t click, use the Settings method above to shut down and a charger to start up.
4. Use recovery mode if it’s stuck on the Apple logo. If the phone starts but stays on the Apple logo or a progress bar, you may need recovery mode. Apple says the progress bar after an update or restore can move slowly or appear stuck, so give it time to finish first in that case. Recovery mode needs a computer: a Mac with the Finder, or a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app.
- Connect the iPhone to the computer with a cable and keep it connected.
- Press and quickly release volume up, then press and quickly release volume down.
- Press and hold the side button. Keep holding it past the Apple logo until the “Connect to computer” screen appears on the iPhone.
- On the computer, choose Update when asked. This reinstalls iOS, and Apple says to try it before Restore.
- Choose Restore only if Update doesn’t work. Restore erases everything on the iPhone, so you’ll need a backup to get your data back.
If the download takes more than 15 minutes, the iPhone can leave recovery mode. Let the download finish, then repeat steps 2 and 3. Our guide to putting iPhone 13 in recovery mode covers this process in more detail.
5. Get service. If none of this works, Apple says the iPhone might need service. Contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.
Restart, force restart, and reset: what’s the difference?
These terms get mixed up, and one of them erases your phone.
- Restart (reboot): turn the phone off with the slider, then back on. No data is lost.
- Force restart: restart the phone with a button sequence when the screen won’t respond. No data is lost.
- Factory reset: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. This deletes everything and returns the phone to its out-of-box state. It is not a fix for a frozen screen, and you should back up first.
Frequently asked questions
Will restarting my iPhone 13 delete anything?
No. A normal restart and a force restart both keep your photos, apps, messages, and settings. Only an erase (factory reset) or a restore in recovery mode deletes data. Anything you were typing in an app and hadn’t saved may be lost, so save your work first if you can.
How long does an iPhone 13 take to restart?
The shutdown takes up to about 30 seconds, and starting up usually takes under a minute. During a force restart, Apple notes the Apple logo can take more than 10 seconds to appear. A restart that also installs an iOS update takes longer.
How often should I restart my iPhone 13?
Apple doesn’t recommend a schedule. Restart when something isn’t working as expected, such as an app that keeps freezing, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that won’t connect, or a phone that feels slow. Apple’s guide suggests turning the iPhone off and on first, and forcing a restart if that doesn’t fix the problem.
Can I restart my iPhone 13 without the side button?
You can shut it down without buttons: Settings > General > Shut Down. To turn it back on without the side button, connect it to a charger. The AssistiveTouch accessibility feature (Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch) also adds an on-screen menu that Apple says you can use to restart the device. Open the menu and look for Restart; it’s usually under Device > More.
Can Siri restart my iPhone 13?
You can try saying “Siri, restart iPhone” and confirming if Siri asks. This command isn’t listed in Apple’s iPhone User Guide, so if Siri doesn’t act on it, use the buttons or Settings. Siri can’t force restart a frozen phone.
Why does my iPhone 13 ask for my passcode after restarting?
This is a security feature. After any restart, iPhone requires your passcode once before Face ID unlocks it again.
Is a force restart bad for my iPhone?
No. Apple lists a force restart as a standard step for an iPhone that isn’t responding, and it doesn’t erase your content. Apple’s guide still suggests a normal off-and-on restart first, and a force restart when that doesn’t help or the screen won’t respond.
Next step
If your iPhone 13 works normally after the restart, you’re done. If the same problem keeps coming back, check for an iOS update in Settings > General > Software Update, since updates often fix the bugs that cause freezes. For full details from Apple, see Turn iPhone on or off, Force restart iPhone, and If your iPhone won’t turn on or the screen is black.
Matthew Simpson has been creating online tutorial for computers and smartphones since 2010. His work has been read millions of times and helped people to solve a number of various tech problems. His specialties include Windows, iPhones, and Google apps.