What Do I Do If My iPod or iPhone Freezes Up?

While it's less common these days than it used to be, it still happens from time to time that iPods (and iPhones and iPads, too) freeze up. If it does happen to you, the question you'll be asking is "what do I do if my iPod freezes up?" The answer is the same as when your computer freezes up: restart it.

The way you restart a frozen iPod, iPhone, or iPad depends on which model you have. Read on for links to instructions for every model.

iPod touch

Apple's "iPhone without the phone," the most popular iPod these days, restarts in the same way that the iPhone does.

• iPod touch, instructions for all models

iPod nano

This mid-range iPod has different restarts procedures based on different models, but most of them involve the Clickwheel.

• iPod nano, reset instructions for all models generation
  • Not sure which model you have? Check out these model descriptions to find out.

iPod Shuffle

At least one Shuffle model doesn't have any buttons at all. Combine that with all the different Shuffle form factors and the restart instructions are very different for different models.

• iPod Shuffle, instructions for 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 the Clickwheel.

• iPod Classic, instructions for 6th generation iPod

• iPod video, instructions for 5th generation iPod
• Clickwheel & Photo iPod, instructions for 3rd generation and 4th generation iPod
• Original iPods, instructions for 1st and 2nd generation models 
• iPod mini, all models
  • Not sure which model you have? Check out these descriptions to find out.

iPhone

Whether the hold button is on the top of your iPhone or on the side, the restart process is always the same.

• iPhone, instructions for all models

iPad

If you know how to fix a frozen iPhone or iPod touch, the iPad is a snap.

• iPad, instructions for all models