These tips will help you solve more complex or persistent iPhone issues. These methods go beyond basic fixes and can help diagnose and resolve hardware or software problems that require deeper analysis.
A force restart resolves many unresponsive device issues. Follow the method for your iPhone model:
- iPhone 8 and later:
- Press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 7/7 Plus:
- Press and hold the Volume Down and Sleep/Wake button together until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 6S and earlier:
- Press and hold the Home button and Sleep/Wake button together until the Apple logo appears.
Recovery Mode lets you reinstall or update iOS if the phone won’t boot properly.
1. Connect to a Computer: Use a Mac (macOS Catalina or later) or PC with iTunes installed.
2. Enter Recovery Mode:
- iPhone 8 and later: Press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the recovery screen appears.
- iPhone 7/7 Plus: Hold Volume Down and Sleep/Wake until the recovery screen appears.
- iPhone 6S and earlier: Hold Home and Sleep/Wake until the recovery screen appears.
3. Select an Option: On your computer, choose:
- Update: Reinstalls iOS without erasing data.
- Restore: Erases all data and reinstalls iOS.
DFU Mode is the deepest level of restore and bypasses the iOS bootloader to reload firmware.
1. Connect to a Computer: Open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (Windows/macOS Mojave and earlier).
2. Enter DFU Mode:
- iPhone 8 and later: Press Volume Up, then Volume Down, and hold the Side button until the screen turns black. Hold Volume Down while holding the Side button for 5 seconds, then release the Side button but keep holding Volume Down for another 10 seconds. The screen will remain black.
- iPhone 7/7 Plus: Hold Volume Down and Sleep/Wake for 8 seconds, then release Sleep/Wake while continuing to hold Volume Down until the computer detects the phone in DFU mode.
- iPhone 6S and earlier: Hold Home and Sleep/Wake for 8 seconds, then release Sleep/Wake while holding Home until detected.
3. Restore or Update in iTunes/Finder.
If Wi-Fi, cellular, or Bluetooth issues persist:
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- This erases Wi-Fi passwords, VPN configurations, and cellular settings.
To recalibrate your battery and improve accuracy:
1. Drain the battery completely until the iPhone shuts off.
2. Charge uninterrupted to 100%, leaving it connected for 30 minutes after reaching full charge.
3. Repeat this cycle 1–2 times.
Use diagnostic tools for deeper battery analysis:
1. Built-in Battery Health: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Look for:
- Maximum Capacity: Indicates the health of the battery. Below 80% may require replacement.
- Peak Performance Capability: If reduced, performance throttling is active.
2. CoconutBattery (Mac): Connect your iPhone to a Mac and use CoconutBattery to check cycle count and real-time health.
3. iMazing: A third-party app offering in-depth battery and system diagnostics.
System Data (formerly "Other") can take up storage unnecessarily:
1. Clear Safari Cache: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
2. Delete old iMessages: Settings > Messages > Keep Messages and set to 30 Days.
3. Offload unused apps: Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Enable Offload Unused Apps.
Check crash logs for insights:
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data.
2. Look for logs tied to the crashing app and note recurring errors.
For apps with persistent issues, clear their data:
- Delete the app (Hold the icon > Remove App) and reinstall it.
- For apps like WhatsApp, back up data in-app before deletion.