How to Restart iPhone 12 - Step-by-Step Guide

You’re scrolling Instagram when suddenly, your phone freezes.

I can feel your eyes rolling. Is there a way to fix this?

Sure!

In this article, I’ll show you how to restart iPhone 12. 

In addition, I’ll explain the difference between normal, hard, and factory reset and when it’s best to use them.

Ready?

Let’s get into it!

How To Restart iPhone 12 

Let's see how to reset your iPhone:

1. Press and hold the side button and the Volume Up or Down button simultaneously.
2. Release them and you’ll see this on the screen.

1. Slide your finger through the sign.
2. Once the screen is black, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

Even though this is the simplest way do to that, it can save you a lot of nerves.

Another way you can restart your iPhone 12 is by the device’s Settings app.

Let’s see the steps:

1. Open the Settings app.

1. Click on General.
2. Scroll down.
3. Click Shut down.

1. When the screen goes black, press the side button until the Apple logo comes out.

Pretty simple, right?

Now, those are the easiest possible options. But they are not the only ones.

How to Hard Reset iPhone 12

Also known as force restart, it’s one of the most popular methods. You have to:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Do the same with the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the side button.
4. Ignore the screen change and continue pressing the side button.
5. Release it when the screen is all black and wait for the Apple logo to show. 

So, moving on to the next method.

I really don’t recommend it and here's why:

How to Factory Reset iPhone 12 

This is an extreme measure and it would be your last resort - it deletes all the data from your device. There are two options on how you can do that. 

The easiest way is through your device’s Settings app. The other one is through iTunes on Windows or Finder on Mac, if your phone is not in a condition to do the first method.

Let’s go over them:

Via Settings

As we stated, all the data from your device will be deleted, so make sure you back everything up on the iCloud.

You can do that by opening Settings and clicking on Apple ID. Then select iCloud > iCloud Backup > turn it on and click on Back up now.

You should remove your Apple ID before you go through the reset if you’re trading in your device or selling it.

Open Settings, click on your Apple ID, scroll down and click on Sign out. Then enter your password and tap Turn off.

After you’ve done this, let’s see how to factory reset iPhone 12.

This process can take up to 10 minutes. But overall, it’s pretty simple:

1. Click on Settings.

2. Go to General.

3. Scroll down.

4. Click on Transfer or Reset iPhone.

5. Tap on Erase All Content and Settings.

6. Click on Erase iPhone.

After you reset your iPhone 12 to factory settings, it restarts and displays the initial setup screen. You can now sell it, rebuild it from scratch or restore data from backup.

Through iTunes 

Connect your device to your computer and open iTunes.

1. Click on the phone icon. 
2. Select your preferred method for backing up.
3. Click on Back up now.
4. Tap Restore iPhone and follow the onscreen instructions.

Through Finder

For this to work, you first need to connect your device to your Mac. Then:

1. Select your phone in the Finder sidebar.
2. Press on General in the button bar.
3. Select your preferred method for the backup.
4. Click on Back up now.
5. Tap Restore iPhone and follow the instructions.
6. Press on General in the button bar.

When to Use the Different Restarting Methods?

In most cases, for example, you won’t need a factory reset. But how can you be sure?

Here’s the drill:

Normal Reset

When you restart your phone the normal way, it resolves most software issues on your device. 

It’ll turn off all software applications, and then the operating system. Any background processes will be saved and exited securely.

You should use it when:

• you encounter a software issue,
•  an app isn’t working properly 
• the device is a slower than usual.

Hard Reset

The only difference between a normal and a hard reset on iPhone is how your power gets cut.

This process restarts your device on a hardware level. The battery will stop connecting to your phone to cut off the power and force it to reboot. 

You should use this method when your device is unresponsive. For example, if the iPhone 12 screen is frozen or completely black. 

You don’t have to worry about losing data, everything will be in its place when you reboot.

Factory Reset

As I mentioned before, this should be your last resort.

It reverts your phone to its factory settings and deletes all of your information. You’ll have to set up your device from scratch or restore your data from iCloud.

This method is useful if your device is severely malfunctioning.

Wrap Up 

It has happened to all of us. We’re doing something to entertain ourselves and boom - the phone stops responding.

It can be especially annoying if are in the middle of something actually important.

This is why I made this guide - so you can become a pro at restarting your iPhone 12.