What Is a Hard Reset on iPhone or iPad (and How It Differs from a Factory Reset)?

A hard reset, also called a “force restart”, is a quick way to get your iPhone or iPad working again when it freezes, stops responding, or shows a black screen. Unlike a factory reset, a hard reset does not erase your data – it simply forces the device to restart.

In this guide, you’ll learn when to use a hard reset and how to do it on every iPhone and iPad model.

When Should You Hard Reset Your iPhone or iPad?

Frozen or unresponsive screen – The screen doesn’t respond to taps or swipes.
Black or white screen – Your device shows no image or is stuck on a white screen.
App or system crashes – An app causes your iPhone or iPad to freeze.
Overheating or performance lag – Device becomes hot and sluggish.
Connectivity problems – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular services freeze and won’t toggle.

iPhone and iPad hard reset guide showing when to force restart, including frozen device, software glitches, black or white screen, overheating, network issues, and app overload.

What Does a Hard Reset Do (and Not Do)?

Does: Force your device to restart and clear minor system errors.
Does Not: Delete your apps, photos, messages, or other data.

A Hard Reset is different from:

Soft Reset: A regular restart by turning the device off and on.
Factory Reset: Erases all data and restores your iPhone/iPad to factory settings.

How to Hard Reset Your iPhone

iPhones with Face ID (X, XS, XR, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 series)

Quickly press and release Volume Up.
Quickly press and release Volume Down.
Press and hold the Side (Power) button until the Apple logo appears.
Release the button.

iPhone diagram showing the Volume Up and Side buttons for hard reset and Face ID models

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus

iPhone model 8 series diagram showing the Volume Down and Side buttons for hard reset

Quickly press and release Volume Up.
Quickly press and release Volume Down.
Press and hold the Side (Power) button until the Apple logo appears.
Release the button.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

Press and hold Volume Down and the Side (Power) button together.
Continue holding until the Apple logo appears, then release both.

iPhone model 7 series diagram showing the Volume Down and Side buttons for hard reset

iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and SE (1st generation)

iPhone model 6 series diagram showing the Home and Side buttons for hard reset

Press and hold the Home button and Top/Side (Power) button at the same time.
Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

How to Hard Reset Your iPad

iPads with a Home Button

Press and hold the Home button and the Top (Power) button together.
Keep holding until the Apple logo appears.

Diagram of iPad showing the Home and Power buttons for hard reset

iPads without a Home Button

Diagram of iPad showing the Volume and Power buttons for hard reset

Quickly press and release Volume Up.
Quickly press and release Volume Down.
Press and hold the Top button until the Apple logo appears.

If a Hard Reset Doesn’t Work

Charge your device for at least 15 minutes and try again.
Update iOS or iPadOS to the latest version.
Use Recovery Mode with Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows) to restore your device.
Contact Apple Support if the problem persists.

Final Tips

Keep your software updated to prevent crashes.
Back up your device regularly to iCloud or your computer.
Only use hard resets when necessary – they’re a last resort, not a routine fix.