What You Need to Do to Fix a Frozen iPod or iPhone

Every iPod, iPhone, or iPad owner has run into a frozen device at least once or twice. Luckily it's less common these days than it used to be, but that makes it even more annoying when it does happen. If you're staring at a frozen device, the question you'll be asking is "what do I do if my iPod freezes up?"

The answer is simple and the same as when your computer freezes up: restart it. How you restart a frozen iPod, iPhone, or iPad depends on which model you have.

This article provides information on every model and a link to step-by-step instructions for restarting each of them.

iPhone

Every iPhone used to have the same restart process, but then the iPhone 7, 8, and X came along. Because they have different hardware options, restarting them is different, too.

• iPhone, instructions to restart all models, including iPhone 7, 8, and X

iPad

Every iPad model uses the same restart process that older iPhones and the iPod touch do. Press a few buttons and you'll restart right away.

• iPad, instructions to restart all models

iPod touch

Apple's "iPhone without the phone," the most popular iPod model these days, restarts just like an iPad and some older iPhones.

• iPod touch, instructions to restart all models

iPod nano

Each version of the portable and powerful iPod nano has looked very different, which means restarting each one is slightly different. (Not sure which model you have?

Check out these model descriptions to find out.) That said, most of them restart using the Clickwheel.

• iPod nano, reset instructions for all models generation

iPod Shuffle

Restarting these devices usually requires pressing buttons, but one Shuffle model doesn't have any buttons at all. Combine that with the different Shuffle form factors and the restart instructions are very different for each model.

• iPod Shuffle, instructions for restarting 1st-4th generation models

Older iPods

With so many different models in the original iPod line, you'd think there might be a lot of different ways to restart them. Not so much: it's mostly based on the Clickwheel.

• iPod Classic, instructions for 6th generation iPod
• iPod video, instructions for 5th generation iPod
• Clickwheel iPod & Photo iPod, instructions for 3rd generation and 4th generation iPod
• Original iPods, instructions for 1st and 2nd generation models 
• iPod mini, all models

With so many different iPod models that seem fairly similar to each other, knowing which you have can be tricky. Learn about each iPod model here so you can make sure to read the correct instructions.