By the DevX mobile testing team. We tested every power-off method in this guide on iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, and iPhone SE (3rd gen) running iOS 18 and iOS 17. We verified button-based shutdown, Settings shutdown, Siri shutdown, AssistiveTouch, and force shutdown for unresponsive phones. All steps confirmed working as of March 2026.
Turning off your iPhone isn’t as simple as pressing one button — it depends on your model, and there’s an important difference between a normal shutdown and a force shutdown. Here’s every method to power down any iPhone.
How To Turn Off iPhone 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, X (Face ID Models)
- Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button simultaneously
- The “slide to power off” slider appears
- Drag the slider to the right
- Your iPhone powers down completely
Important: If you only press the Side button alone, you’ll activate Siri (or the Lock Screen on older iOS versions), not the power-off menu. You must hold the Side button AND a Volume button together.
How To Turn Off iPhone SE, 8 (Home Button Models)
- Press and hold the Side button (right side of the phone)
- The “slide to power off” slider appears
- Drag the slider to power off
How To Turn Off iPhone From Settings (No Buttons)
This works on every iPhone model:
- Go to Settings → General
- Scroll to the very bottom
- Tap Shut Down
- Drag the slider to power off
This is especially useful if your Side button is broken or hard to press.
How To Turn Off iPhone Using Siri
Say “Hey Siri, turn off my phone” or “Hey Siri, shut down.” Siri will ask you to confirm — tap Shut Down to power off.
How To Force Shutdown a Frozen iPhone
If your iPhone is completely unresponsive and the normal power-off method doesn’t work:
iPhone 8 and Later (including SE 2nd/3rd gen, X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- Press and quickly release Volume Up
- Press and quickly release Volume Down
- Press and hold the Side button until the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears
- Release the Side button — your iPhone will restart
iPhone 7
Press and hold Volume Down + Side button together until the Apple logo appears.
iPhone 6s and Earlier
Press and hold Home + Side (or Top) button together until the Apple logo appears.
A force shutdown does not delete any data — it’s safe to use whenever your phone is frozen.
How To Turn Your iPhone Back On
After powering off:
- Press and hold the Side button (or Top button on older models)
- Keep holding until the Apple logo appears
- Release the button and wait for your iPhone to boot up
After a power-off, you’ll need to enter your passcode (Face ID/Touch ID won’t work until you enter your passcode at least once after startup).
When Should You Turn Off Your iPhone?
- On an airplane — turn off completely or use Airplane Mode
- To save battery in emergencies — if you need your phone to last but can’t charge it
- Phone is overheating — power off and let it cool down
- Before a long period of non-use — storing the phone for weeks or months
- During firmware issues — some troubleshooting steps require a full power cycle
For everyday use, you don’t need to turn off your iPhone. A weekly restart (power off then back on) is enough for optimal performance.
More iPhone Guides From DevX
- How To Restart iPhone: Force Restart & Soft Reboot (2026)
- How To Factory Reset iPhone (2026)
- How To Close Apps on iPhone (2026)
- How To Clear Cache on iPhone (2026)
- How To Turn Off Android Phone (2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I turn off my iPhone by pressing the Side button?
On iPhone X and later, pressing only the Side button activates Siri instead of the power menu. You need to press the Side button AND a Volume button simultaneously. Alternatively, use Settings → General → Shut Down.
Does turning off my iPhone save battery?
Yes — a powered-off iPhone uses essentially zero battery. However, for daily use, Low Power Mode (Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode) is more practical since it reduces background activity without requiring a full shutdown.
Will turning off my iPhone stop alarms?
Yes. If your iPhone is powered off, alarms will NOT sound. Make sure your phone is on (even if on Do Not Disturb or silent mode) for alarms to work.
What’s the difference between turning off and restarting?
Turning off shuts down the phone completely — it stays off until you manually press the Side button. Restarting powers off and immediately turns back on. Both clear temporary memory and stop all processes.
