How to Turn Off iPhone 15 (All Models)

This guide shows you how to power down any iPhone 15 model, including the standard, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max. You’ll learn the two official methods, what to do if the screen is unresponsive, and how to restart instead of fully turning off.

What You’ll Need

• Your iPhone 15
• Your passcode (required to turn it back on)
• No other tools or accessories are needed

Step-by-Step

There are two ways to turn off an iPhone 15. The first uses the physical buttons, and the second uses the Settings app. Both work on every iPhone 15 model.

Method 1: Using the Side Button and Volume Button

1. Press and hold the Side button (on the right edge of the phone) and either the Volume Up or Volume Down button (on the left edge) at the same time.
2. Keep holding both buttons until the “slide to power off” slider appears at the top of the screen. This usually takes about 2 to 3 seconds. Do not release the buttons as soon as you feel a vibration or see the Emergency SOS screen.
3. Release both buttons once the slider appears.
4. Drag the slider from left to right using your finger.
5. Wait for the screen to go completely black. The phone is now off. You can verify it is off by pressing the Side button briefly – nothing should happen.

Method 2: Using the Settings App

1. Unlock your iPhone 15 and open the Settings app (the gray gear icon).
2. Scroll down and tap General.
3. Scroll to the very bottom of the General screen.
4. Tap Shut Down.
5. Drag the “slide to power off” slider that appears from left to right.
6. Wait for the screen to go black. The phone is now off.

Common Mistakes

• Holding the buttons too long: If you hold the Side button and a volume button for about 6 seconds or more, the iPhone will trigger the Emergency SOS countdown instead of showing the power-off slider. If you hear a countdown or see a red slider, release the buttons immediately and try again with a shorter press.
• Pressing only the Side button: On iPhone 15, pressing and holding only the Side button does nothing by default (it used to work on older models). You must press a volume button at the same time.
• Releasing the buttons too early: If you release the buttons as soon as the screen dims or you feel a haptic tap, the slider may not appear. Keep holding until you actually see the slider.
• Confusing “off” with “sleep”: Pressing the Side button once just locks the screen and puts the phone to sleep. The phone is still on. To turn it off, you must use one of the two methods above.

Tips

• Turning it back on: To power the iPhone back on, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, then release. You will need to enter your passcode.
• Restart vs. Shut Down: If you are having minor glitches (apps freezing, Bluetooth issues), a restart is often faster and fixes the problem without a full shutdown. To restart, turn the phone off using either method above, then turn it back on immediately. You do not need to wait.
• Force restart: If the screen is frozen or the touchscreen is not responding, a normal shutdown won’t work. Instead, press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears (about 10 seconds). This does not erase data; it just forces the phone to reboot.
• Battery saving: Turning the phone off completely saves battery, but merely locking the screen (sleep) uses very little power. If you only need to stop notifications, use Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode instead of powering down.
• Charging while off: If you plug the iPhone into a charger while it is off, it will automatically turn on after a few seconds. This is normal behavior.

Troubleshooting

If the phone does not turn off as expected, try these steps in order.

1. The slider doesn’t appear after holding the buttons: Make sure you are pressing the Side button and a volume button simultaneously, not one after the other. Try pressing the other volume button (if you used Volume Up, try Volume Down).
2. The screen is unresponsive and you cannot drag the slider: The touchscreen may be frozen. Perform a force restart: press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. This will restart the phone, which usually clears the freeze.
3. The phone turns back on by itself: If you connect it to a charger or place it on a wireless charger, it will power on automatically. Disconnect it from power before checking if it is off.
4. Emergency SOS keeps triggering: This happens when you hold the buttons too long. Release the buttons as soon as you see the slider. If the Emergency SOS screen appears, tap “Cancel” or press the Side button to dismiss it. The phone will not call emergency services unless you slide the red slider or continue holding for the full countdown.
5. The Settings app won’t open or crashes: If you cannot access Settings, use the button method (Method 1) instead. If that also fails, force restart the phone as described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t holding the side button turn off my iPhone 15?

Apple changed this behavior starting with iPhone 15 (and iPhone X and later). Holding just the Side button now triggers Siri or does nothing. You must hold the Side button together with either volume button to see the power-off slider.

Will turning off my iPhone 15 lose any data?

No. Shutting down the phone simply powers it off. All your photos, messages, apps, and settings remain exactly where they were. You will need your passcode when you turn it back on.

How long does it take to turn off?

Once you drag the slider, the screen goes black within a few seconds. The phone is fully off at that point. There is no lengthy shutdown sequence like on a computer.

Can I turn off my iPhone 15 without the buttons?

Yes. Go to Settings > General > Shut Down, then drag the slider. This is the only button-free method built into iOS.

What is the difference between turning off and restarting?

Turning off powers down the phone completely. Restarting means turning it off and then on again immediately. Restarting is useful for clearing minor software glitches; turning off is for long-term storage or saving battery when you won’t use the phone for a while.

Does my iPhone 15 turn on automatically when plugged in?

Yes. If the phone is off and you connect it to a power source (cable or wireless charger), it will boot up automatically. To keep it off, do not connect it to power until you are ready to use it.

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