So, if your iPhone keeps turning itself off and, weirdly enough, won’t even turn back on afterward, you’re not alone. Plenty of folks hit this snag, and honestly, it can be a pain because it feels like your device is just dead. The usual culprits? Maybe a sneaky iOS bug, hardware issues (like water damage or a fall), or overheating. Whatever the cause, this guide is here. It’s all about fixing that stubborn problem so your iPhone behaves again — or at least doesn’t make you lose your mind trying to revive it. Expect some troubleshooting steps that range from quick waiting games to deeper resets or hardware checks. Fingers crossed, some of these fix it without needing an actual repair. Because, of course, Apple and their hardware make it harder than necessary sometimes.
Best Tips to Fix iPhone Turning Itself Off
Here are a few tried-and-true ways to get your phone back in business. Some are quick, some take a little patience, but they all tend to solve what seems like a seemingly impossible problem.
1. Put the iPhone into Charging
This might be obvious, but it’s worth pointing out. If your iPhone’s battery hit zero without notice, it might just be shutting down to save itself. Connect it to a charger — ideally a genuine Apple one or a reputable third-party charger — and leave it for a bit. Sometimes, on some setups, the battery indicator can get wonky or the phone just refuses to turn on if the battery’s totally empty. After a few minutes of charging, try turning it on again. On some devices, you might see the charging icon pop up, which is a good sign. On others, it might take a longer charge before the screen lights up, but surprisingly, this can fix the issue entirely.
2. Let the iPhone Temperature Cool Down
It’s kinda weird, but the iPhone has this safety feature where it’ll shut itself off if it gets too hot. Not sure why it works, but it seems to be there to prevent hardware damage. If your device just suddenly powers down and feels warm, give it a break. Take off any thick case — or better yet, remove the case altogether — and leave it somewhere cool. Do not stick it on charge while hot; that can make matters worse. Wait until it cools down and see if it powers back up. This is especially common if you’ve been outdoors on a hot day or running intensive apps that heat up the device.
3. Update iPhone
If your iPhone’s been running a beta iOS or an older version, bugs happen. Sometimes those bugs cause the phone to just shut down randomly. Updating is a good move because Apple rolls out patches for these issues. Open Settings, go to General, then tap Software Update. If an update is available, you’ll see a notification or a prompt to download and install. Make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi and have enough storage. On some setups, this fixes the random shutdown issue because it patches whatever buggy code was causing the phone to turn itself off. On one setup it worked, on another… not so much, but it’s worth a shot.
4. Fix the Water Damage on Your iPhone
This is a biggie if your phone recently took a dip. Water damage can cause all sorts of weird issues, including the phone shutting down unexpectedly. Apple has this Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI), a tiny white or red dot inside the SIM tray slot. If water gets in, it turns red. Grab a flashlight, eject the SIM card, and peek inside. If it’s red, the water probably damaged some internal components. Water damage isn’t always immediate, and sometimes the device can reboot a few times before giving up. The best move is to take it to an Apple Store or an authorized repair shop to get it checked. DIY fixes will often do more harm than good here.
5. Force Restart the iPhone
Sometimes, bugs freeze the device and a force restart is the quickest fix. How you do this depends on your model. For iPhones with Face ID or iPhone 8 and newer, press volume up, then volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo shows up. Essentially, it’s a quick combo that forces a reboot. For iPhone 7 series, press and hold Volume Down and Sleep/Wake buttons together until the Apple logo flashes. For older models like iPhone 6, hold down Sleep/Wake + Home buttons until the logo appears. Sometimes, this resets whatever weirdness is causing the shutdown. It’s annoying, but it often works like a charm.
6. Reset the Settings of iPhone
Resetting all settings might seem drastic, but it can erase any corrupt configs causing the shutdown. Before doing this, backup your data to iCloud or iTunes because it resets everything — Wi-Fi passwords, preferences, etc. To do this, open Settings, tap General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone. Select Reset All Settings and enter your passcode if prompted. This isn’t a full wipe like a restore, but it’s often enough to fix odd behaviors like spontaneous shutdowns.
7. Get the iPhone to Apple Support
If none of the above helps, and your device’s still stubborn, maybe it’s hardware. Take it to an Apple Store or authorized repair shop. If you bought it from a carrier or store, they might have a fix or replacement. Otherwise, just hit Apple Support online. Sometimes, particularly with hardware issues like battery faults or internal component failures, only they can properly diagnose and fix what’s wrong.
Wrapping Up
Fixing a stubborn iPhone that keeps shutting off isn’t always straightforward, but chances are, with a bit of patience, it’s fixable. From charging and cooling it down to updating or resetting, these steps have helped lot of people avoid costly repairs or replacements. It’s all about troubleshooting the common culprits first before jumping to more invasive options.
Summary
- Charge the iPhone if it was out of juice.
- Let it cool down if it’s hot.
- Update iOS if you’re on a beta or outdated version.
- Check for water damage — look at that tiny indicator!
- Force restart the device.
- Reset all settings as a last resort before hardware checks.
- Visit Apple Support if nothing else works.
Wrap-up
Hopefully, some of these tips get your iPhone back to normal and save you a trip to the repair shop. Not always fun, but sometimes, a little troubleshooting is enough to bring it back from the dead. Good luck, and fingers crossed this helps!