How to Turn Off iPhone 12

Shut down your iPhone fast

by
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.
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Sam Costello
Updated on November 04, 2020
reviewed by
Jerrick Leger headshot
Jerrick Leger
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.
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Article reviewed on Feb 01, 2021
Jerrick Leger

What to Know

  • Press and hold the Side button and either Volume Up or Volume Down until the slider appears at the top of the screen.
  • Then move the Slide to power off slider all the way to the right.
  • To turn the iPhone 12 back on, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

This article explains how to power off the iPhone 12 and turn it on again. It also addresses any issues that could come up when trying to turn off the smartphone.

How to Turn Off iPhone 12

Besides a low battery, you may also want to power off the iPhone 12 if your iPhone is acting weird. Rebooting an iPhone is a good way to solve all kinds of problems. Whatever your reason, you can turn off the iPhone 12 by following these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Side button and either Volume Up or Volume Down for a few seconds. When the slider appears at the top of the screen, let go of the buttons.

    On older models, holding down the Side button was enough, but now that activates Siri.

  2. Move the Slide to power off slider all the way to the right to shut off the phone.

  3. A progress wheel will appear in the center of the screen. A few seconds later, the iPhone turns off.

Want to turn off your iPhone 12 to save battery life? It's not your only option. If you want to conserve battery while still being able to use your iPhone, try Low Power Mode. We also have other tips to conserve iPhone battery life.

How to Power Off iPhone 12 When the Basics Won't Work

In some cases, your iPhone might be malfunctioning in a way that prevents it from turning off in the usual way. If you follow the steps above and your iPhone 12 won't turn off, then you may need to try a different technique.

In that case, you need to try what's called a 'force restart' or a 'hard reset.' This is a type of restart that clears all of the iPhone's active memory (don't worry; you won't lose any data like photos and messages) and is best used when it won't respond to normal means of turning off the iPhone 12.

How to Turn On the iPhone 12 

If you've already successfully shut down your iPhone 12, eventually you'll need to know how to turn on the iPhone 12 again. To do that, press and hold the Side button. When the Apple logo appears on the screen, let go of the Side button. The phone will start up in a few seconds.

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