How to Fix a Frozen iPhone 2024 [8 Easy Ways]

Is there anything more frustrating than a frozen screen when you’re using your iPhone? Whether it’s in the middle of an important call, in a gaming session, or as you’re trying to send a message, a frozen screen can disrupt your routine. Sometimes, an iPhone is frozen during iOS update. It’s as if your high-tech companion has run into a sudden chill. What to do when iPhone freezes?

Undoubtedly! It’s a common problem for iPhone users. However, the good news is there are simple solutions to get your device back to its smooth operations. From a basic restart to a quick adjustment in settings, you’ll find straightforward fixes here. Continue reading to discover how to bring your iPhone back to life.

Why Is My iPhone Freeze?

There are several reasons why your iPhone is frozen and doesn’t respond to touch. You can check in the following part:

1. Software Glitch: When there is an app not working, it can cause your iPhone to freeze and doesn’t respond.
2. Incompatible System: Your iPhone can be frozen after the iOS update because of the incompatible system.
3. Too Many Applications: You are running too many applications in the background.
4. Limited iPhone Storage: If the iPhone’s storage is almost full, it may become unresponsive.

Having known the possible reasons why an iPhone is frozen, you can check the following 8 methods to fix a frozen iPhone and make it run normally.

How to Fix iPhone Frozen Screen

When your iPhone’s screen is frozen, it won’t respond to your touch. This can be frustrating, but there are some easy fixes you can try.

Fix 1. Force Restart Frozen iPhone

Is your iPhone not working, and you are turning it off? If it doesn’t help, you may need to do a forced restart. The steps to do this depend on your iPhone model. There are three different methods.

How to Force Restart iPhone 8 or Later

1. Press the volume up button. Then release it.
2. Press the volume down button. Then release it.
3. Hold down the side button.
4. Release the side button as you see the Apple logo. Your iPhone will reboot.

How to Force Restart iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus 

1. Hold the power button and the volume down button together.
2. Release both buttons as the Apple logo shows up.
3. Your iPhone will reboot itself.

How to Force Restart iPhone Older iPhones with the Home Button

1. Press and hold the power button and the home button simultaneously.
2. Release both buttons as the Apple logo shows up. Your iPhone will reboot itself.

If the forced restart doesn’t unfreeze your iPhone, let’s try another solution.

Fix 2. Close All Apps

Are you worried about how to restart iPhone when frozen? Don’t worry anymore. You can close all apps to see if one of them is causing the issue. You can follow the below steps to close all apps forcefully.

Step 1. For iPhones with a Home button (iPhone 8 or older), press the Home button twice to open the App Switcher. Here, you can swipe away apps to close them.

Step 2. On iPhones without a Home button (iPhone X and newer), swipe up from the bottom and hold in the middle of the screen. It will open the app switcher.

Step 3. Then, swipe up on the app you want to close. If needed, do this for all open apps to close them.

If closing the apps doesn’t fix your iPhone, let’s try the next step to solve the problem.

Fix 3. Fix iPhone Frozen without Data Loss

Is your iPhone frozen, and you don’t know what to do? Let me tell you! Take a deep breath and be easy. AnyFix – iOS System Repair is here to help you in this difficult situation. It is a simple tool that helps fix lots of iPhone problems without deleting your stuff. It’s easy to use, even if you’re not good with technology. The best thing is it will keep all your photos and messages safe. Here is what AnyFix can do for you.

• Fix multiple iPhone/iPad Issues – Include iPhone frozen, black/white/blue screen, stuck on Apple logo, boot loop, etc. Cover almost all iOS issues.
• Fix easily and quickly – You only need to click the buttons to repair your device. And the issue will be removed in only 3 minutes.
• No data loss – 3 repair modes are for you to choose. And you can even use Standard Repair mode to fix without data loss.
• High compatibility – Support all iPhone and iPad models, including iPhone 15. Cover all iOS versions, like iOS 17.

Just free download AnyFix now. The following steps will help you to fix the iPhone frozen issue quickly.

Step 1 . Launch AnyFix on your computer. Then, choose System Repair mode.

Step 2. Connect your iPhone to the computer. Next, choose iOS Mode Stuck and click the Start Now button.

Step 3. Then, you can choose a mode to repair your iOS device. Now, choose the Standard Repair option.

Step 4. Click the Download button to start downloading the firmware for your iOS device.

Step 5. After downloading, click the Fix Now button. The Repair Completed page will appear as the repairing process completes.

If your iPhone is still frozen after using AnyFix, let’s not give up. We have another solution to try next.

Fix 4. Delete Problematic Apps

If the methods above failed to fix the issue with your frozen iPhone, let’s try a different approach. Hopefully, you will get your answer on how to fix a frozen iPhone.

Sometimes, certain apps can cause system instability. It’s worth considering the possibility of problematic apps causing the freeze. To address this, follow these steps to identify and remove any troublesome apps:

Step 1. Think about any apps you downloaded or updated recently. These might be the ones causing the problem.

Step 2. To delete an app, lightly touch and hold its icon on your iPhone’s home screen until it jiggles.

Step 3. Tap on the minus sign or the ‘x’ on the app you want to delete.

Step 4. Confirm by tapping ‘Delete.’

Step 5. After deleting the app, restart your iPhone to see if it’s working better.

If you’re not sure which app is the problem, look for apps that crash often. Don’t open at all, or make your phone slow. Removing these apps can make your iPhone run smoothly again.

Let’s keep the momentum going and discuss another solution.

Fix 5. Free Up iPhone Space

You can try this fix if none of the above solutions worked for you. And you are still finding the answer on how to restart your iPhone when frozen. Freeing up space on your iPhone can often resolve freezing issues, especially if your storage is full. Here’s what you can do:

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see tips on how to free up space.

Step 2. Look at the recommendations, such as offloading apps you don’t use or optimizing your photo storage.

Step 3. Scroll to see which apps use the most space.

Step 4. Tap on an app to see options for deleting documents and data.

Step 5. Follow the prompts to clean up each app and increase your available storage.

If freeing up space doesn’t fix your frozen iPhone, there’s another potential fix we can try.

Fix 6. Clear App Data

When your iPhone freezes, sometimes the issue is too much data clogging up an app. Clearing this data can help the app run better. This doesn’t mean you have to lose the app. You can remove the extra data and keep the app itself. Here’s how you do it in a few simple steps.

Now, follow the steps:

Step 1. Open Settings on your iPhone.

Step 2. Tap General, then iPhone Storage.

Step 3. Pick an app with data to clear.

Step 4. Choose “Offload App” to clear space without deleting the app or “Delete App” to remove everything.

Step 5. Restart your iPhone to see if it fixed the iPhone frozen issue.

If clearing the app data hasn’t done the trick, don’t worry! We have another technique to try that might solve the problem.

Fix 7. Update iOS Version

If an unstable or corrupted iOS update is making your iPhone freeze, fixing it can be easy. Just update your iPhone to the latest stable iOS version. You don’t need extra tools for this, but your iPhone should respond to your touches. Here’s how, but first, make sure your iPhone is responsive.

Step 1. Go to Settings and tap General.

Step 2. Choose Software Update.

Step 3. If there’s an update, download and install it.

Updating might take some time. But it can smooth out those freezes without needing third-party apps.

If updating doesn’t unfreeze your iPhone, let’s move on to the next fix.

Fix 8. Factory Reset iPhone

A factory reset is a more extreme step, but it can help with a frozen iPhone. It erases everything and starts fresh, just like when it was new. Remember, this means all your data gets deleted.

Before you do this, make sure to back up your photos, messages, and other important stuff to iCloud or your computer. After the backup, you can reset your iPhone to its original settings.

Here’s how to do a factory reset:

Step 1. Tap on Settings and choose General, then Reset.

Step 2. Select ‘Reset All Settings.’

Step 3. If asked, enter your passcode or Apple ID password.

Step 4. Confirm by tapping ‘Erase iPhone.’

The screen will turn off for a bit. When it turns back on, the reset is done.

The Bottom Line

In wrapping up, understanding how to fix a frozen iPhone is key to overcoming this common inconvenience without stress. Fortunately, there are different solutions you can try, from a force restart to clearing up space and even a factory reset. And if you don’t want to lose data to solve this problem, AnyFix must be your best choice. Just download AnyFix and have a try.

Always back up your data before attempting a reset. Also, keep these tips in mind as your trusted guide whenever you encounter an iPhone freeze. With these strategies, you’re well-prepared to defrost any issue and keep your iPhone running at its best.