How Do I Reset An iPhone?

Apple iPhones have been brilliantly designed and put together to perform as intended. They have a reputation for being reliable and versatile. But problems do sometimes happen. If your iPhone is malfunctioning in any way, you might want to do a reset. However, a reset might not be the best solution. Instead, bring it to Gamers Warehouse in Tucson for an expert diagnostic. Our experienced technicians can fix your malfunctioning iPhone and may even be able to get it back to you that same day.

You may want to reset an iPhone if it freezes or crashes. Sometimes, the phone freezes on the screen with the Apple logo. A reset can sometimes help, but in other cases, it may do more harm than good. To be clear, there are three different levels of iPhone resets.

The first is just a simple restart. Turn the iPhone off and then turn it back on again. This can often fix simple software glitches. The second method is what’s known as a soft reset (although if you Google it, you’ll notice that some websites refer to it as a hard reset). A soft reset will force a restart, but it won’t erase any of your files or data.

The third method is a restoration to factory settings—what some people refer to as a hard reset. This method will erase all of your data, so you should only do this if both of the first two methods fail to fix your iPhone. You can also do a factory reset if you intend to sell your iPhone and want to erase your private data.

iPhones are complex computers. Just like your laptop or iPad, your iPhone runs a ton of processes in the background. These processes are essential for keeping the clock running, playing music, and processing the touch of your fingertips on the screen.

When you do a soft reset by forcing a restart, the iPhone cuts its power going to the logic board. This means that all of those processes are suddenly interrupted, and this can cause serious problems. You might not notice these problems right away. However, later down the road, your iPhone may become more susceptible to overheating or draining its battery far more quickly than it should. This is one of the reasons why it’s best to take your iPhone to an expert technician instead of trying to reset an iPhone yourself.

If you feel that you absolutely must force a restart despite these possible complications, the method for doing it depends on the model of iPhone you have. Remember that a soft reset won’t delete any data on your device. Here’s what to do for an iPhone 5:

Press and hold the power and home buttons simultaneously. After about 10 seconds, the Apple logo will appear.

To soft reset an iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, or iPhone SE, follow these steps:

Press and hold the sleep/wake button and the home button simultaneously.

To soft reset an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold down the volume button and the sleep/wake button simultaneously. Release these buttons when the logo appears. To force a restart on an iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, or later model, follow these steps:

If all else fails, or if you want to sell your iPhone, you can restore it to factory conditions. This will delete all of your data, so you will need to back up your data first. Use a USB cable to connect the phone to your laptop to transfer the data from the phone to your hard drive.

When you’re ready to reset to factory conditions, tap on “settings” and then “general.” Look for the reset option and select it. This will give you a list of reset operations to choose from. The factory reset option is labeled “erase all content and settings.” Select that, and then confirm that you want to erase the iPhone. Then, leave the phone alone until it’s finished with the operation.

If you are unable to reset an iPhone because it won’t respond to reset commands, it’s best to bring it into a technician with expert knowledge in fixing iPhones. Gamers Warehouse is open seven days per week to help Tucson-area residents with their iPhones and other smartphones. We specialize in iPhone repair, and can perform most repairs while you wait! Plus, we guarantee our work with our 90-day warranty. We’re conveniently located on the second floor in the Tucson mall, so stop by or give us a call at (520) 477-8822.