How to Fix A Frozen iPhone or A Frozen App on iPhone

November 24, 2025Louisa White

My iPhone 7 is frozen - How to fix?

"My iPhone 5 is completely frozen. It doesn't respond to any button pushing. I tried to turn the frozen iPhone off, but that didn't work either. Can anyone tell me how to fix this?" - Chris T

"Help! My iPhone 6s screen is stuck on the Apple logo, and it won't come out. Do I need to reset this frozen iPhone now, or do something else? Anything effective will be appreciated." - Alex

Seeing Chris and Alex's issues above, you force a smile on your face, maybe start to wonder about the last time when you're playing Pokémon Go on iPhone but suddenly it froze, and how your heart froze with that...

I'm not joking here, OK? A frozen iPhone/iPad is not a rare situation, and it can happen unexpectedly on the iPhone screen. You can see the iPhone 6/5s/5c/5 is frozen on the start-up screen, stuck on the Apple logo, or on a white or black screen, etc. Of course, most of them are similar issues, and you can easily unfreeze your iPhone by following the correct path. Anyway, if you're experiencing this common problem right now, here is a tutorial you can read on how to fix a frozen iPhone. This will help you a lot.

Part 1. Main Reasons Why Your iPhone Freezes
Part 2. Best Way to Fix a Frozen iPhone (Recommended)
Part 3. How to Fix a Frozen App on iPhone
Part 4. How to Restart a Frozen iPhone
Part 5. Hard Reset Your iPhone 5/6/7 to Fix a Frozen iPhone
Part 6. Unfreeze an iPhone Stuck in Recovery Mode
Part 7. Restore the Frozen iPhone to Factory Settings
Part 8. FAQs about Fixing a Frozen iPhone

Part 1. Main Reasons Why Your iPhone Freezes

There are several common causes behind an iPhone becoming frozen or unresponsive. You can avoid the problem from recurring by being aware of these causes. These are a few of the primary reasons:

• Insufficient Storage Space: When your iPhone runs out of storage, it can slow down or freeze while performing basic tasks.

• Too Many Apps Running in the Background: Having multiple apps open at once can consume system resources and cause lag or freezing.

• Outdated iOS Version: Your device may encounter compatibility problems or software bugs if it is running an outdated version of iOS.

• App Crashes or Bugs: Some third-party apps may have coding issues that cause your phone to freeze when opened or running.

• System Overload or Overheating: Prolonged gaming, running demanding programs, or overheating can all result in momentary freezing.

• Corrupted System Files: Your iPhone may become unresponsive due to corrupted system data resulting from errors made during updates, file transfers, or improper shutdowns.

Part 2. Best Way to Fix a Frozen iPhone (Recommended)

If you are already familiar with some basic methods for fixing a frozen iPhone, we will outline the best approach in the first part to help you resolve the issue. Want to fix an iPhone frozen directly? Here, we sincerely recommend the professional iOS System Recovery to help you resolve iPhone frozen issues. First, you can freely download and install it on your computer.

Main Features

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Choose between two repair modes: one to safely fix issues without erasing data, and another for a deep repair of severe system problems.
Fully supports the latest iOS versions and iPhone models, including iPhone 15 and earlier.
A simple interface guides users through every step, even without technical experience, ensuring a quick fix for frozen or unresponsive devices.

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Step 1. Launch iOS System Recovery

Launch this powerful iPhone frozen fixer software on your computer and connect your iPhone to it with a USB cable. Click "More tools" on the left column and then choose "iPhone System Recovery". Then you will enter the iPhone System Recovery window.

Step 2. Start to fix the iPhone that is frozen

Click the "Start" button to begin fixing your frozen. You need to put the iPhone into Recovery or DFU (Device Firmware Update) restore mode to fix an iPhone that is frozen.

Step 3. Download firmware package

Select the correct iPhone model and then click "Download" to download the device plug-in for the repaired device. It will take a few minutes to complete the download.

Step 4. Fix an iPhone frozen

iOS System Recovery will automatically resolve issues such as iPhone echo and frozen iPhones once the plug-in download is complete. After that, your iPhone will unfreeze and return to its normal condition.

Part 3. How to Fix a Frozen App on iPhone

If your iPhone becomes unresponsive while using a specific app, you can close it through the multitasking view. This simple method can help restore your device’s normal function before attempting more advanced fixes.

Here’s how to fix a frozen iPhone screen by closing the app

Step 1.

Double-tap the “Home” button to open the multitasking view.

Step 2.

Swipe left or right to find the frozen app that’s not responding.

Step 3.

Swipe the app upwards off the screen to close it completely.

Step 4.

Reopen the app to check if it now runs smoothly.

Note: This method only works if the Home button still responds to touch. If pressing the Home or Power button doesn’t do anything, proceed to the next step to force restart your device.

Part 4. How to Restart a Frozen iPhone

You can attempt a force restart to get your iPhone or iPad to function again if it is completely unresponsive, not even the Home button will work, or if it is stuck on the lock screen. This method doesn’t erase your data, so it’s safe to perform.

Here’s how to do it step by step:

Step 1.

Press both the "Sleep/Wake" button, located on the side of the iPhone 6 and later or on top of the iPhone 5/5s/5c/SE.

Step 2.

Wait a few seconds until the red power slider appears on the screen.

Step 3.

Drag the slider to completely power off your iPhone.

Step 4.

After the screen turns off, press and hold the “Sleep/Wake” button again until you see the Apple logo.

Your iPhone should now restart normally. This is one of the simplest ways to how do you fix an iPhone that is frozen without using any third-party tools.

Part 5. Hard Reset Your iPhone 5/6/7 to Fix Frozen iPhone

A hard reset is a stronger restart that refreshes the phone’s memory and can unfreeze a device that won’t respond to normal restarts. Use this when your iPhone is completely unresponsive. If you’re wondering how to fix a completely frozen iPhone, follow the steps below for iPhone 5 / 5s / 5c / SE (1st gen), iPhone 6, and iPhone 7 models.

Step 1.

Press and keep both the "Home" and "Sleep/Wake Power" buttons simultaneously.

Step 2.

Hold down both buttons for at least ten seconds.

Step 3.

When the screen displays the Apple logo, release both buttons.

Step 4.

Wait for your iPhone to finish booting. Once it restarts, test it to see if it responds as expected.

Part 6. Unfreeze an iPhone Stuck in Recovery Mode

In some circumstances, such as when you've updated iPhone software but the iPhone/iPad screen freezes during/after the update, showing the Apple logo or leading into a reboot loop, that's when you need to consider iPhone Recovery Mode. Here are the specific steps:

Step 1.

Connect your iPhone to a computer and open iTunes.

Step 2.

While your iPhone is connected, force it to restart. Press and hold the “Sleep/Wake” and “Home” buttons at the same time. Don't release when you see the Apple logo. Keep holding until you see the Recovery mode screen.

Step 3.

When you get the option to restore or update, choose “Update”. iTunes will try to reinstall iOS without erasing your data.

Part 7. Restore The Frozen iPhone to Factory Settings

If nothing else works and you want a clean slate, restoring your iPhone to its factory settings will remove the software issue causing the freeze. Make sure to back up your data first. You’ll lose apps, photos, messages, and settings after the reset. If you need to save your files, back up iPhone data to a computer before proceeding.

Step 1.

Connect it to your computer and back up via Finder (macOS Catalina and later) or iTunes (Windows / older macOS).

Step 2.

On the iPhone, open “Settings” and tap “General”.

Step 3.

Scroll down and select “Transfer or Reset iPhone” or “Reset” on older iOS versions.

Step 4.

Choose “Erase All Content and Settings”. If prompted, enter your passcode and Apple ID password to confirm.

Step 5.

Confirm the erase and wait. The device will erase, restart, and show the initial setup screen.

Step 6.

After the reset, restore your data from the backup you created using a computer backup or iCloud during setup.

Reminder: Restoring to factory settings will delete all data on the device. Only proceed after you’ve completed backup iPhone data to computer or another backup method.

Don't miss: How to close a frozen app on your Mac

Part 8. FAQs about Fixing a Frozen iPhone

How does a hard reset differ from a soft reset?

A soft reset simply restarts your device without erasing any data. In contrast, a hard reset physically cuts the power to your iPhone, temporarily deleting memory before restarting, which can resolve issues that have resulted in an unresponsive screen.

What if my iPhone freezes during charging?

Perform a force restart immediately after unplugging your charger. If the issue occurs frequently, check your cable or power adapter for any problems.

Can a low battery cause freezing?

Yes. If your iPhone’s battery is below 10% or the battery health is degraded, performance may slow down and lead to freezing issues.

Conclusion

We primarily discuss iPhone freezing issues in this post. We show you several methods to fix a frozen iPhone X, 8, 7, 6, or 5 and teach you how to fix a frozen iPhone screen. Hope you can easily get out of the iPhone frozen condition after reading this post.

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