iPhone won't turn on? What to try before a repair

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

A black screen rarely means a dead iPhone. Usually the battery is completely empty or the software has frozen with the screen off. These steps cover both.

Step by step

1. Force restart

   On iPhone 8 and later: press and quickly release volume up, press and quickly release volume down, then press and hold the side button. Keep holding for at least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears. On iPhone 7, hold volume down and the side button together.

   Done

2. Charge for a full hour

   Use a wall charger and a cable you have tested on another device. A deeply empty battery may show nothing at all for the first minutes. After a while a battery symbol should appear.

   Done

3. Force restart again while plugged in

   Repeat the button sequence with the charger connected.

   Done

4. Check the charging port

   Shine a light into the port. If it is packed with fluff, the plug cannot make contact. Clear it gently with a wooden toothpick.

   Done

5. Look and listen for signs of life

   Flip the silent switch or press a volume button. If you feel a vibration or hear sounds but the screen is black, the phone is on and the display is the problem. That needs a repair.

   Done

6. Connect it to a computer

   Plug the iPhone into a Mac or a PC with the Apple Devices app or iTunes. If the computer recognises it, put the phone in recovery mode with the force restart buttons, keep holding until the recovery screen appears, and choose Update. Update reinstalls iOS without deleting your data.

   Done

Good to know

If the phone got wet or was dropped shortly before, do not keep trying to charge it. Take it to a repairer.

If the Apple logo appears and then the phone turns off again in a loop, use the computer step above.

Once it is running again, make a backup straight away: how to back up your phone.

In short: Force restart, charge for an hour, force restart again, then recovery mode with a computer.