Hard Restart iPhone X: Force Restart Guide

A hard restart (also called a force restart) forces your iPhone X to reboot when it is frozen, unresponsive, or behaving erratically. It does not erase any data, so it is a safe first step before trying more drastic fixes. You do not need any tools or a computer, just the phone itself.

What You’ll Need

Your iPhone X
Working fingers (the buttons are used in a specific sequence)

Step-by-Step

Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Do not hold it. Just press it once and let go.
Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Same as above – one quick press and release.
Press and hold the Side button (the button on the right edge of the phone, sometimes called the Power button). Keep holding it.
Keep holding the Side button even after the Apple logo appears. Do not release it when the logo first shows. Continue holding for a few more seconds.
Release the Side button only after the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears again. The phone will then boot up normally.

That is the entire sequence. It takes about 10 seconds from start to finish. The key is the rhythm: quick taps for the volume buttons, then a long press on the Side button.

Common Mistakes

Holding the volume buttons. They must be pressed and released quickly. Holding them down will not trigger the force restart sequence.
Releasing the Side button too early. If you let go as soon as the Apple logo appears, the restart may not complete. You need to keep holding until the logo appears a second time (or the screen goes black and then the logo appears).
Pressing the buttons too slowly. The three presses should happen in quick succession. A pause of more than a second between them can cause the phone to ignore the sequence.
Confusing this with the iPhone 8 or earlier method. Older iPhones (iPhone 7 and earlier) use a different combination (Home button + Power). The iPhone X has no Home button, so this volume-button method is the correct one.
Thinking it will erase data. A hard restart is not a factory reset. It only interrupts the current session and reboots the operating system. All your photos, apps, and settings remain untouched.

Tips

Use it when the screen is black but the phone is on. If the screen is completely unresponsive or black, this is the first thing to try.
Try a normal restart first. If the phone is still somewhat responsive, try turning it off and on via Settings > General > Shut Down. Only use the hard restart if that doesn’t work.
Charge the phone if it won’t turn on. If the phone is completely dead, a hard restart won’t help. Plug it into a charger and wait a few minutes before trying again.
Do it in one smooth motion. Practice the sequence a few times when the phone is working normally so you know the feel of it before you actually need it.
If the phone is in a case, you may need to press harder. Thick cases can make the buttons harder to press. Remove the case if you are having trouble.

Troubleshooting

If the phone does not restart after following the steps above, try the following:

Repeat the sequence. Sometimes the first attempt doesn’t register, especially if your presses were too slow. Wait a few seconds and try again, making sure the volume presses are quick and the Side button press is firm and continuous.
Check the charging cable and port. If the phone is completely unresponsive, it may be out of battery. Connect it to a charger and look for the battery icon. If you see it, wait until it has some charge (at least 10-15 minutes) and then try the hard restart again.
Try a different charger and cable. A faulty cable can prevent charging. If you have another Apple-certified cable, try that.
Connect to a computer. Plug the iPhone into a computer with iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina or later). If the computer recognizes the phone, you may be able to update or restore it. If the phone is in Recovery Mode, you will see a prompt to restore or update.
Check for physical damage. If the screen is cracked or the phone has been dropped, the buttons may be damaged. If the buttons feel loose or don’t click, the issue may be hardware-related.
If nothing works, contact Apple Support. If the phone still won’t restart, it may need professional repair. Do not attempt to open the phone yourself, as this can cause further damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a hard restart delete my data?

No. A hard restart is like pulling the plug on a desktop computer. It clears the temporary memory (RAM) and reboots the operating system, but it does not touch your photos, messages, apps, or settings.

How is this different from a normal restart?

A normal restart (swipe to power off) tells the operating system to shut down gracefully, closing apps and saving data. A hard restart bypasses that process and immediately cuts power to the hardware. Use it only when the phone is frozen and won’t respond to normal shutdown.

Why do I need to press the volume buttons?

The iPhone X has no physical Home button, so Apple changed the force restart sequence. The volume button presses are a safety feature to prevent accidental restarts – you are unlikely to press all three buttons in that exact order by accident.

How often can I do a hard restart?

You can do it as often as needed. It does not damage the hardware or the software. However, if you find yourself needing to do it frequently, it may indicate a deeper software issue that could be fixed by updating iOS or restoring the phone.

What should I do if the Apple logo stays on the screen?

If the Apple logo appears but the phone doesn’t finish booting, wait a few minutes. If it stays stuck, try the hard restart again. If it still gets stuck, you may need to put the phone into Recovery Mode (connect to a computer and follow the on-screen prompts) to restore the software.

Does this work on other iPhone models?

No. The volume-up, volume-down, side-button sequence works on iPhone X, XS, XS Max, XR, 11, 12, 13, 14, and later models. For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, you hold the Side button and Volume Down together. For iPhone 6s and earlier, you hold the Home button and the Top/Side button together.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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