Unlike a regular restart, a force reboot is often the first port of call for resolving software issues impacting your iPhone 16e – like if the device is frozen, for example. If your iPhone isn't responding, and you're unable to turn it off and on normally, here's how to perform a force reboot.
The method of hard resetting or force rebooting/restarting hasn't changed in recent years. Still, if you're upgrading from a device with a Home button, keep reading to learn how to hard reset or force reset your iPhone 16e.
How to Hard Reset the iPhone 16e
- Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
- Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, then release the Side button.
During this process, you will see a slider to power off the iPhone. You're going to want to ignore it and continue holding down the Side button until the screen goes black. At that point, the Apple logo will pop up, and after the restart is complete, the screen will activate once again.
Using the force restart process means you don't have to shut the iPhone down via iOS settings, which takes a few more steps and takes longer to boot up again.
If you do want to shut the iPhone down, you can do so by going to the General section of the Settings app, scrolling down to the bottom, and choosing the Shut Down option. Alternatively, swipe down from the corner of the screen to bring up the Control Center, and then long press the power button in the top-right corner. On the next screen, swipe on the slider to power down.