My iPhone 7 Won't Turn Off! Here's The Real Fix.

David Lynch

MARCH 14, 2017

Your iPhone 7 isn't turning off and you don't know why. This problem can be caused for a number of reasons, such as a software crash or faulty power button. In this article, I'll help you figure out why your iPhone 7 won't turn off and show you how to solve the problem once and for all.

Is My iPhone Broken?

At this point, we can't be sure why your iPhone 7 won't turn off. You may be experiencing a problem with the software or the hardware of your iPhone.

Let's talk about software first — the software is all the bits of code which operate your iPhone. Minor software issues like a corrupt file could be the reason why you can't turn off your iPhone 7. When something goes wrong with your iPhone's software, it often happens in the background without you even realizing!

A hardware issue might be a bit easier to spot. If your power button is jammed or broken, it could be the reason why your iPhone 7 isn't turning off. No matter what is causing your problem, our step-by-step troubleshooting guide will help you diagnose and solve the reason why your iPhone 7 won't turn off!

How To Fix An iPhone 7 That Won't Turn Off

5 Steps Total
1.

Hard Reset Your iPhone

A hard reset is usually a temporary solution to a software problem. It doesn't change anything at all — it just forces your iPhone to start from scratch, and often times the problem comes back.

How Do I Hard Reset My iPhone?

  1. Press and hold the power button and the volume down button together until the screen goes blank and the Apple logo appears on the screen.
  2. When the Apple logo reappears, let go of both buttons.
  3. When your iPhone turns back on, the hard reset is complete.

Hard Reset On iPhone X or Newer

Hard reseting an iPhone X is slightly different than other models of the iPhone.

  1. Quickly press the volume up button.
  2. Quickly press the volume down button.
  3. Press and hold down the Side button.
  4. Release the Side button when the Apple logo appears on the center of the screen.
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2.

Turn Off Your iPhone Using AssistiveTouch

If you're having trouble turning off your iPhone using your power button, you can use AssistiveTouch to create a virtual button that will let you turn off your iPhone.

How Do I Turn Off My iPhone Using AssistiveTouch?

First, we'll have to turn on AssistiveTouch:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Accessibility.
  4. Tap AssistiveTouch.
  5. Tap the switch next to AssistiveTouch to turn it on. You'll know the switch is on when it's green.
  6. A virtual Home button Assistive Touch Button will appear on your screen.

Next, we'll use AssistiveTouch to turn off your iPhone.

  1. Tap the virtual Home button that appeared when you turned on AssistiveTouch.
  2. Tap the Device icon, which looks like an iPhone.
  3. Press and hold the Lock Screen icon until slide to power off appears on your screen.
  4. Swipe the red power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.
  5. Wait approximately 30 seconds before attempting to turn your iPhone back on.
  6. To turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the power button until the Apple logo appears on your screen.
  7. If your power button doesn't work, you can turn your iPhone back on by plugging it into your computer using a Lightning cable.
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3.

Reset All Settings

Many iPhone problems are caused when Settings isn't set up correctly or by corruption within individual Settings app files. Restoring the Settings app back to factory defaults doesn't fix every iPhone software problem, but it is a go-to fix for Apple technicians because it does solve a lot of problems that would be very difficult to to track down by hand.

How Do I Reset All Settings?

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Transfer Or Reset iPhone.
  4. Tap Reset.
  5. Tap Reset All Settings.
  6. Enter your passcode, if prompted.
  7. Tap Reset All Settings again to confirm your decision.
  8. Your iPhone will shut down, complete the reset, and turn itself on again will automatically turn back on when the reset finishes.
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4.

DFU Restore Your iPhone

A DFU restore has the potential to fix software problems by completely erasing the code which may be causing your problem. The code is rewritten as if your iPhone is brand new, so the software problem may get solved.

Think of it like a house that has cracks in the foundation. Rather than try and fix the cracks, we are building an entirely new foundation.

If you can, back up your iPhone before completing a DFU restore. Any time you do a restore, it erases everything from your iPhone. However, after the restore is completed, you restore all your backed up data back onto your iPhone.

How Do I DFU Restore My iPhone?

How To DFU Restore An iPhone SE, 6s, Or Older

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the Home button and the power button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the Home button.
  5. Let go of the power button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. Your iPhone’s display will be completely black if you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. If it’s not, try again from the beginning.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 7 Or 7 Plus

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the power and volume down button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume down button.
  5. Release the volume down button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. You'll know your iPhone is in DFU mode if the display is completely black.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 8 Or Newer

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a charging cable.
  2. Open iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older) or Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer).
  3. Quickly press and release the volume up button.
  4. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
  5. Press and hold the side button until the screen goes black.
  6. When the screen goes black, press and hold the volume down button while continuing to press and hold the side button.
  7. Hold both buttons for five seconds.
  8. After five seconds, release the side button while continuing to hold the volume down button.
  9. Keep holding the volume down button until your iPhone appears in Finder or iTunes.
  10. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.
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5.

Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you're looking to save some money you're not covered by Apple's warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple?

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple's Mail-In Service

  1. Visit Apple's support website to begin the online mail-in repair process.
  2. Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

  1. Visit Apple's website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don't have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor's note: I'm a former Apple tech and we're not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)
  2. When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.
  3. Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you're under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you're not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.
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Your iPhone 7 Is Turning Off!

Your iPhone 7 is fixed and you've never been so happy to turn it off. Now that you know exactly what to do when your iPhone 7 won't turn off, be sure to tell all your friends and family on social media so they don't run into the same problem. Thanks for reading this article, and we encourage you to leave us a comment down below if you have any other questions about your iPhone!

  1. Hard Reset Your iPhone
  2. Turn Off Your iPhone Using AssistiveTouch
  3. Reset All Settings
  4. DFU Restore Your iPhone
  5. Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Applies To: iPhone 7

AUTHOR

David Lynch

David Lynch is an expert on cell phones, cell phone plans, and other tech. After using a flip phone into his early 20s, he learned the ropes about iPhones and Androids from a former Apple employee. Today, his articles and videos are read and viewed by millions, and he has been cited by major publications including Reader's Digest, Wired, CMSWire, Consumers Advocate, and more.

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