How to Fix a Frozen iPhone X, XS or XS Max

If your iPhone X, XS, or XS Max becomes unresponsive — black screen, frozen app, or touch not working — the fix is usually a simple force restart that does not erase any data. This guide walks you through the correct button sequence for these models, what to do if the screen stays black, and how to recover when a standard restart fails.

What You’ll Need

• Your iPhone X, XS, or XS Max
• A Lightning cable and a power source (optional, for the recovery mode step)
• A computer with the latest version of iTunes or Finder (macOS Catalina or later) — only needed if the phone won’t respond to a force restart

Step-by-Step

1. Check the basics first. If the screen is black, plug the phone into power with a Lightning cable and wait 5–10 minutes. A completely drained battery can look exactly like a frozen phone.
2. Force restart the iPhone. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Immediately press and hold the Side button (the power button on the right edge) until the Apple logo appears. This usually takes about 10–15 seconds. Keep holding even if the screen stays black — release only when you see the logo.
3. Wait for the phone to boot. After the Apple logo appears, let go of the Side button. The phone will take 30–60 seconds to start up. If it boots to the lock screen, the force restart worked.
4. If the screen is stuck on an app, try closing it. If the phone responds to touch but an app is frozen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle to open the App Switcher. Swipe the frozen app card upward to close it, then tap the app icon again to relaunch it.
5. If the phone still won’t respond, try recovery mode. Connect the iPhone to a computer with a Lightning cable. Press and quickly release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button. Keep holding the Side button while the phone is connected — do not release it when you see the Apple logo. Keep holding until you see a screen with a computer icon and a Lightning cable. This is recovery mode.
6. Restore or update from recovery mode. On the computer, open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (Windows or older macOS). You will see a prompt saying the iPhone has a problem and needs to be updated or restored. Choose Update first — this keeps your data and reinstalls the operating system. If Update fails or the phone remains frozen, choose Restore, which erases the phone and installs the latest iOS. After the restore, set up the phone as new or from a backup.
7. Exit recovery mode if you changed your mind. If you entered recovery mode but want to try a normal restart instead, press and hold the Side button until the computer icon disappears and the phone reboots. This takes about 15 seconds.

Common Mistakes

• Holding the Side button too early. The force restart sequence requires the Volume Up and Volume Down presses first. If you hold the Side button alone, you will just get the “slide to power off” screen — or nothing if the phone is frozen.
• Releasing the Side button too soon during recovery mode. In recovery mode, you must keep holding the Side button even after the Apple logo appears. Releasing it too early boots the phone normally instead of entering recovery mode.
• Using the Home button. The iPhone X, XS, and XS Max have no Home button. Pressing the Home button area does nothing — use the volume and side buttons only.
• Assuming data loss. A force restart never erases data. Only a Restore (not Update) in recovery mode wipes the phone, and even then you can restore from a backup afterward.
• Ignoring a dying battery. If the phone repeatedly freezes or shuts off, the battery may be failing. A force restart won’t fix a hardware battery issue.

Tips

• Keep iOS updated. Apple regularly releases bug fixes for freezing and crashing issues. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates.
• Free up storage. A nearly full phone (less than 1–2 GB free) can cause slowdowns and freezes. Check Settings > General > iPhone Storage and offload unused apps or delete large videos.
• Close background apps regularly. While iOS manages memory automatically, dozens of open apps can slow an older device. Swipe up on app cards in the App Switcher to close ones you are not using.
• Back up regularly. Use iCloud or a computer backup so that if a Restore becomes necessary, you lose nothing important.
• Remove a problematic case or screen protector. Some thick cases can press the Side button continuously, causing weird behavior. Test the phone briefly without the case.

Troubleshooting

The force restart does nothing — screen stays black.

• Plug into power and wait 15 minutes. A deeply drained battery may not respond to the button sequence immediately.
• Try a different Lightning cable and power adapter. A faulty cable can prevent charging even when plugged in.
• If it still won’t respond, connect to a computer and try recovery mode as described in Step 5. If the computer does not detect the phone, try a different USB port or cable.

The phone boots but freezes again after a minute.

• This often points to a software issue. Update iOS via Settings if possible, or connect to a computer and choose Update in recovery mode.
• If updates fail, a full Restore (erase) usually resolves persistent freezing. Restore from a backup made before the problem started.

Recovery mode is not appearing.

• Make sure you are holding the Side button continuously — do not release it when the Apple logo appears. The computer icon screen appears only after 10–15 seconds of continuous holding.
• If you see the Apple logo repeatedly appear and disappear, the phone is boot-looping. Keep it connected to the computer and try recovery mode again, holding the Side button longer.

The computer says “iPhone is in recovery mode” but Update or Restore fails.

• Restart the computer and try again with a different cable.
• Ensure the computer has an internet connection — the update downloads iOS from Apple’s servers.
• If it fails repeatedly, try a different computer if available.

The phone is physically damaged (cracked screen, water exposure).

• Software fixes will not help. Contact Apple Support or an authorized service provider for hardware diagnosis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a force restart erase my data?
No. A force restart is the same as pulling the battery on an older phone — it just reboots the system. All your apps, photos, and settings remain intact.

Why is my iPhone X frozen on the Apple logo?
A boot loop (Apple logo appearing and disappearing) usually means a failed software update or corrupted system file. Connect to a computer and use recovery mode with the Update option first.

How long should I hold the Side button during a force restart?
Hold it until the Apple logo appears, which typically takes 10–15 seconds. If the screen is black, keep holding for up to 20 seconds before giving up.

Can I fix a frozen iPhone without a computer?
Yes, for most cases. The force restart (Volume Up, Volume Down, Side button) works without any computer. A computer is only needed if the phone is stuck in recovery mode or won’t boot at all.

What is the difference between recovery mode and DFU mode?
Recovery mode shows a computer icon on the screen and allows Update or Restore through Finder/iTunes. DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode has a black screen and is a deeper restore used for firmware issues. For a frozen phone, recovery mode is the correct choice — DFU is rarely needed.

How often should I force restart my iPhone?
Only when it is actually frozen or unresponsive. Doing it daily is unnecessary and does not improve performance. If you need to force restart frequently, there is likely an underlying software or battery problem.

Related

• WhatsApp Delete for Both: How It Works
• Update Network Drivers Without Internet
• Spectrum WiFi Device Management: Identify, Pause, or Remove Devices