iPhone won't turn on? 7 fixes for a black or frozen screen

An iPhone that stays black when you press the side button is usually not broken. Apple’s own advice starts with charging it for an hour, because a fully drained battery needs time before the phone can even show a battery icon. The fixes below go from the most likely cause to the least likely, and none of the first six touch your data.

What the screen is telling you

• Nothing at all: the battery is empty, the iPhone is frozen with the screen off, or the display has failed. Work through the fixes below.
• A red or empty battery icon: the battery is too low to start. Apple says to leave it charging for 30 minutes or longer until it turns on by itself.
• A battery with a cable icon: the iPhone needs power but is not getting it. Check the cable, the adapter and the outlet.
• A computer and a cable: the iPhone is already in recovery mode. Connect it to a computer and choose Update.
• The Apple logo, then black again: the iPhone is failing to start. See our guide to an iPhone stuck on the Apple logo.

How to fix an iPhone that won’t turn on

Screen black but the iPhone rings or vibrates?

Call your iPhone from another phone. If it rings or vibrates, or you hear sounds when you flip the Ring/Silent switch, the iPhone is on and only the display is not working. Try a force restart once more. If the screen stays black, the display or its connector is damaged and needs repair.

Before you book a screen repair, rule out two settings that make a working screen look dead. If you hear VoiceOver speaking when you touch the screen, Screen Curtain may be on: tap three times with three fingers to turn it off. If the screen is just extremely dim, ask Siri to “turn brightness up”. Both are rare, but they take seconds to check.

iPhone won’t turn on after an update

If the iPhone went black during or right after an iOS update, give it time first. Some updates show a black screen for several minutes while they finish, especially on older models. Leave it on a charger for 30 minutes and do not press any buttons. If it is still black, force restart it. If you then see the Apple logo with a progress bar, let it complete. If nothing changes, use recovery mode and choose Update; this reinstalls the same iOS version over the top without erasing your data.

iPhone won’t turn on after a drop

A fall can loosen or crack the display so the phone runs with nothing on the screen. Call the iPhone from another phone. If it rings, the phone works and the screen needs repair, and your data is safe. If there is no ring and no response to charging after an hour, the battery connector or board may be damaged. Either way, avoid pressing on a cracked screen and book a repair rather than repeatedly trying to start it.

Is my data safe?

In most cases, yes. Charging, force restarting and recovery mode with Update do not erase anything. Your data is only at risk if you choose Restore, or if a repair replaces the whole phone. Before that point, check what is already safe: sign in at icloud.com on a computer to see whether your photos, contacts and notes are there, and look in Settings › your name › iCloud › iCloud Backup on another Apple device for the date of your last backup.

If you have no backup and the phone will not start, tell the repair shop that the data matters. It changes how they approach the repair, and a phone revived for even a few minutes is enough to make a backup.

Signs it is a hardware problem

• No charging icon at all after an hour on a known good charger and cable.
• The back or screen is lifting, which can mean a swollen battery. Stop charging it.
• It got wet and now shows nothing, or only flickers.
• It gets hot while plugged in but never shows the Apple logo.
• Your computer does not see it at all, even in recovery mode.

If your iPhone got wet

Do not charge a wet iPhone or try to turn it on, since power running through wet parts causes the most damage, and newer iPhones may warn you about liquid in the port. Leave it off, dry the outside and tap the port facing down, then let it air dry for at least a day. Skip the rice and the hair dryer. If it still will not turn on after it is fully dry, book a repair quickly, because corrosion gets worse with time.

Before you take it to Apple

• Check your coverage at checkcoverage.apple.com with the serial number from the box or receipt. AppleCare+ makes most repairs much cheaper.
• Book at the Apple Support app or support.apple.com, or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Walk-ins may wait longer.
• Know your Apple Account password and your passcode. You may be asked for them when you check the phone in, and again when you set it up afterward.
• If the phone cannot be revived, repair shops can sometimes recover data from it. Ask before agreeing to a replacement unit, because a replacement will not have your data.

A battery replacement at Apple costs $69 to $129 depending on the model. Screen and board repairs cost more, and on an older iPhone it is worth comparing the quote with the price of a replacement or a refurbished phone.