How to Turn Off iPhone 12

Shut down your iPhone fast

By
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
  • Ithaca College
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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Updated on May 29, 2021
Reviewed by
Jerrick Leger
Jerrick Leger headshot
Reviewed by Jerrick Leger
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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What to Know

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

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 iPhone 12.

How to Turn Off iPhone 12

You may want to power off the iPhone 12 if your battery is very low or if you're going to store your iPhone without using it for a while. Turning an iPhone 12 off and on is also good if your iPhone is acting weird, since a reboot is a good way to solve all kinds of problems. Whatever your reason, turn off the iPhone 12 by following these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Side button and either Volume Up or Volume Down button 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 these days 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 appears in the center of the screen. A few seconds later, the iPhone turns off.

Wanting 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 stops you 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). It's best used when your phone won't respond to normal ways of turning off the iPhone 12.

How to Turn On the iPhone 12 

If you've already 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 and take you to your home screen or ask you to enter your passcode.

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