Turn Off iPhone Without Buttons (iOS 11)

If your iPhone’s side or Home button is stuck, broken, or just unresponsive, you can still power it down on iOS 11 using a hidden software menu. This guide walks you through the AssistiveTouch method, which requires no physical buttons at all, plus a few workarounds for when the screen itself is the problem.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone running iOS 11 (any model that supports iOS 11, including iPhone 5s and later)
• Access to the Settings app (if your screen is still working)
• Patience – the process takes about 30 seconds once set up

Step-by-Step

1. Open Settings. Tap the grey gear icon on your Home screen.
2. Go to General. Scroll down and tap “General” (it’s usually the fourth group from the top).
3. Tap Accessibility. In General, look for “Accessibility” – it’s near the top, with a blue-and-white icon.
4. Select AssistiveTouch. Under the “Interaction” section, tap “AssistiveTouch.”
5. Turn on AssistiveTouch. Toggle the switch at the top to green. You’ll immediately see a grey, semi-transparent circle appear on your screen – that’s the AssistiveTouch button.
6. Open the AssistiveTouch menu. Tap the floating circle. A menu pops up with icons like “Home,” “Siri,” and “Device.”
7. Tap “Device.” This is the icon that looks like a phone with a gear behind it.
8. Press and hold “Lock Screen.” In the Device submenu, you’ll see a “Lock Screen” button (it shows a lock icon). Press and hold it – don’t just tap.
9. Keep holding until the power screen appears. After about 3 seconds, the familiar “slide to power off” screen will slide up. Keep holding until you see it.
10. Release and swipe. Let go of the button, then swipe the red “slide to power off” slider from left to right. Your iPhone will begin shutting down.
11. Wait for the screen to go black. The Apple logo may flash briefly, then the screen goes completely dark. Your iPhone is now off.

To turn it back on, you’ll need to use the physical side or top button – there’s no software-only way to power on an iPhone. If that button is broken, you’ll need to plug it into a charger or computer; the iPhone will auto-boot when it detects power.

Common Mistakes

• Tapping instead of holding. The most common error is tapping “Lock Screen” – that just locks the screen, not power off. You must press and hold for several seconds.
• Using the wrong menu. The “Lock Screen” option is under “Device,” not under the main AssistiveTouch menu or under “Home.”
• Forgetting to enable AssistiveTouch first. If you haven’t turned it on in Settings, the floating button won’t appear.
• Releasing too early. If you let go before the power slider appears, nothing happens. Keep holding until you see it.
• Confusing “Sleep/Wake” with “Lock Screen.” The AssistiveTouch button is labeled “Lock Screen,” not “Power.” It’s the same function as pressing the physical side button once.

Tips

• Set up AssistiveTouch before you need it. If your buttons are already broken, you can still navigate to Settings with the screen, but it’s easier to enable AssistiveTouch while everything works.
• Add AssistiveTouch to your Control Center. In iOS 11, you can add an AssistiveTouch toggle to Control Center: go to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls, then tap the green + next to “AssistiveTouch.” This gives you a one-tap shortcut to enable/disable it.
• Use “Restart” from AssistiveTouch. In the same Device menu, there’s also a “Restart” option (iOS 11.2 and later). Tap it to reboot your iPhone without any buttons – it’s even faster than powering off and on.
• Move the AssistiveTouch button. Drag the floating circle to any edge of the screen so it doesn’t block your content.
• Reduce the button’s opacity. In AssistiveTouch settings, you can set “Idle Opacity” to a low percentage (e.g., 15%) so it’s less distracting when not in use.

Troubleshooting

• The AssistiveTouch button doesn’t appear. Go back to Settings > General > Accessibility > AssistiveTouch and make sure the switch is green. If it is, try turning it off, wait 5 seconds, then turn it back on.
• Holding “Lock Screen” does nothing. This can happen if your screen is registering touches incorrectly. Try tapping “Lock Screen” once first, then immediately press and hold it again. If that fails, restart your iPhone using the physical buttons (if they work) and try again.
• The power slider appears but won’t swipe. This is usually a screen calibration issue. Wipe the screen with a soft, dry cloth to remove any moisture or dirt. If it persists, you may need to force restart the iPhone (press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears).
• Your iPhone is completely unresponsive (screen black). If the screen is off and you can’t turn it on, plug it into a charger. If it’s just dead, it will boot automatically. If it doesn’t, try a force restart – but note that this requires the physical buttons. If those are broken, you’ll need to visit an Apple Store or authorized repair center.
• AssistiveTouch is enabled but the menu is missing. Tap the floating circle – if it doesn’t open the menu, drag it to a different spot on the screen. Sometimes it gets stuck at the very edge. If that doesn’t help, restart your iPhone (using the physical buttons if possible).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off my iPhone without any buttons if AssistiveTouch is not already enabled?

Yes, as long as the screen works. Navigate to Settings > General > Accessibility > AssistiveTouch and turn it on. From there, follow the steps above.

Will this method work on all iPhone models with iOS 11?

Yes, it works on every iPhone that supports iOS 11, from the iPhone 5s through the iPhone X. The steps are identical.

How do I turn my iPhone back on after using this method?

You must use the physical side or top button. If that button is broken, plug the iPhone into a power source – it will turn on automatically when it detects a charge.

Is there a way to restart without powering off completely?

Yes, in the AssistiveTouch Device menu, tap “Restart” (available in iOS 11.2 and later). This reboots the iPhone without needing to slide the power slider.

Does this drain battery faster?

No, AssistiveTouch uses negligible battery when idle. The floating button is just a visual overlay; it doesn’t consume significant power.

Can I remove the AssistiveTouch button after turning off my iPhone?

Once your iPhone is off, the button is gone. When you turn it back on, the button will reappear. To disable it permanently, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > AssistiveTouch and toggle it off.

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