If the power-off slider never appears or the iPhone refuses to shut down, the issue is usually the wrong button combination, a frozen system, or physical buttons that are not registering.
These steps apply to iPhones running recent iOS versions, including Face ID models and Home button models.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if holding the side button does nothing, the slider will not appear, or the phone stays on after you try to shut it down.
Use the Correct Power-Off Gesture
- On Face ID iPhones, press and hold the Side button and either Volume button together until the slider appears.
- On Home button iPhones such as iPhone SE, press and hold the Side button or Top button by itself.
- Drag the power slider fully from left to right.
- Keep your finger on the slider until the shutdown begins.
- If no slider appears after a few seconds, move to force restart or AssistiveTouch.
Force Restart a Frozen iPhone
- iPhone 8 and later: press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: hold the Side button and Volume Down together until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 6s and earlier: hold Home and the Side or Top button until the Apple logo appears.
A force restart does not erase the iPhone. It is the right move when the screen or system is too frozen for a normal shutdown.
Use AssistiveTouch If Buttons Do Not Work
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.
- Turn on AssistiveTouch.
- Tap the floating button.
- Tap Device.
- Touch and hold Lock Screen until the power-off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to turn off the iPhone.
This bypasses the physical Side and Volume buttons and is useful while you diagnose a stuck or damaged button.
If It Keeps Happening
Remove the Case
A tight or poorly aligned case can press buttons constantly or stop them from clicking cleanly. Test with the case removed.
Let Moisture Dry
If the iPhone was recently splashed, let it dry in a ventilated place before testing buttons again. Avoid forcing air directly into button openings.
Touch Problems Are Different
If AssistiveTouch cannot bring up the slider because touch is also unresponsive, focus on force restart and possible display problems.
Repair Physical Button Damage
Buttons that feel stuck, mushy, broken, or stopped working after a drop usually need hardware service rather than more settings changes.
Sources
- Apple Support: Turn off and restart your iPhone
- Apple Support: Force restart your iPhone
- Apple Support: Turn on AssistiveTouch on iPhone