Apple

How to Force Restart or Hard Reset iPhone 14

Published

1 year ago

09/19/2023

If your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max suddenly freezes up, you’ll want to perform a force restart or hard reset.

iPhone 14 users are complaining about a variety of problems as we push deeper into 2023. The list of problems includes common issues like random lockups and freezes. While these are more common on older iPhone models, Apple’s current flagships aren’t immune.

If your iPhone 14 locks up, and you’re unable to scroll or swipe, try hard resetting the device. This process only takes a few seconds and it should return your device to a normal state. It doesn’t wipe any data from your phone, it simply forces your phone to restart.

If your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max is freezing up on a frequent basis, you might need to update your applications via the App Store, update your phone’s software, or investigate other potential solutions. You’ll want to check out our guide to fixing common iPhone 14 problems.

Here’s what you need to do to fix your frozen iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

How to Hard Reset iPhone 14

If you upgraded to an iPhone 14 from an iPhone model that’s older than the iPhone X, you might not know how to hard reset your phone because you need to use a new button combination.

Instead of using the old process, which required you to hold down two buttons to force restart the iPhone, you need to press two buttons quickly and then press and hold a third button.

The new process might take you a few tries to master, but once you’ve done it a few times, you should be able to commit it to memory.

If your iPhone 14 isn’t responding to gestures, here’s what you need to do in order to hard reset the device:

Press on the Volume Up button located on the left side of the phone and let go.
Press on the Volume Down button and let go.
Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

You need to press the volume up and volume down buttons very quickly, but not at the same time. The side button is what Apple calls the power button on newer iPhone models.

After a few seconds of holding down the side button, your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max should restart itself.

If you start having to do this frequently, you should try resetting all of your device’s settings in the Settings app. In more severe cases, you may need to speak with Apple customer service and see if they have a solution for your issues. Remember, your iPhone 14 is still covered by a warranty and there’s a chance you’ll need to send it in for repairs or a replacement.

If your iPhone 14 doesn’t startup or turn on normally, Apple recommends plugging the phone into a charger to let it charge for up to an hour.

If you still see a black screen or you’re still having issues with the touchscreen after following that step, you’ll want to get in contact with Apple’s customer support.

4 Reasons Not to Install iOS 17.7 & 11 Reasons You Should

Install iOS 17.7 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, and you missed older software, think about installing Apple's iOS 17.7 update right away.

iOS 17.7 delivers 15+ new security patches and they will help keep your device and its data protected from harm. You can learn more about them on Apple's security site.

If you skipped an older version of iOS 17, you'll get the patches from the updates you skipped with your upgrade.

iOS 17.6 featured 30 security patches, iOS 17.5 delivered 15 security patches, the iOS 17.4.1 update included two security patches, and iOS 17.4 had four security patches on board.

The update also delivered quantum security protection for iMessage. The company says the upgrade gives iMessage "the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world."

The iOS 17.3 update brought 15 new security patches to iPhone. The software also added Stolen Device Protection to iPhone.

It increases the security of your iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID to gain access to passwords, make purchases in Safari, and more. This is useful if someone gets access to your iPhone and its passcode.

iOS 17.2 delivered 10 new security patches to iPhone. If you wish to find out more, you can head on over to Apple's security site for the details.

iOS 17.2 also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. The company also fixed an exploit that let the Flipper Zero multi-tool lock up iPhones.

iOS 17.1.2 had two security patches on board. Both were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more, you can do so right here.

iOS 17.1 brought 18 security fixes to iPhone. It addressed issues within Weather, Status Bar, WebKit, and more.

iOS 17.0.3 brought two patches for two security issues Apple identified within the software. If you want to read about the patches, head here.

iOS 17.0.1 delivered three important patches to iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website.

As for iOS 17 itself, it brought 40+ new security patches with it. A staggering number to say the least. If you want to learn more about them, head over to Apple.

In addition to those patches, iOS 17 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages.

It now includes content sent by AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime, and the systemwide photo picker. You now have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them.

There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks.

Apple's also improved sharing permissions and you now have more control over what you share with the apps on your device.

The company also notes that starting in iOS 17, Voice Memos encrypts the titles of recordings stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves.

If you skipped older versions of iOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your iOS 17.7 update as well.