Restarting an iPhone 12 shuts iOS down and starts it again without deleting your apps, photos, messages, or settings. It can clear temporary glitches involving apps, wireless connections, or interface controls.
Restart an iPhone 12 normally
- Press and hold the side button and either volume button.
- Release the buttons when the power-off screen appears.
- Drag slide to power off.
- Wait until the screen is fully black.
- Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
You can also choose Settings > General > Shut Down to turn the phone off before starting it again.
Force restart an unresponsive iPhone 12
- Press and quickly release Volume Up.
- Press and quickly release Volume Down.
- Press and hold the side button.
- Release the side button after the Apple logo appears.
The force-restart sequence is useful when the touchscreen or normal power controls are not responding. If the same problem returns frequently, update iOS and check available storage rather than relying on repeated force restarts.