If your iPhone 7 Plus started crashing or shutting down randomly after installing iOS 11.4.1, you’re not alone. This kind of issue is frustrating — and while it can happen due to wear and tear, it’s not uncommon for software updates to trigger app or system instability too.
Below are all the practical fixes you can try to stop your iPhone from crashing or turning off unexpectedly.
Close All Background Apps
After an iOS update, apps left running in the background may get corrupted and cause crashes.
To close background apps:
- Double-press the Home button to open the app switcher.
- Swipe up on each app preview to close them all, especially Spotify, Facebook, or any apps that were open before the update.
Restart or Force Restart Your iPhone
A basic restart clears temporary glitches and system cache.
To do a regular restart:
- Hold the Power button until “slide to power off” appears.
- Slide it off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
To force restart:
- Hold both the Power and Volume Down buttons together for at least 10 seconds.
- Let go when the Apple logo appears.
No data will be lost doing either of these.
Update All Your Apps
App crashes can lead to system instability — especially if apps haven’t been updated for the latest iOS.
To update your apps:
- Open the App Store.
- Tap the Updates tab at the bottom.
- Tap Update All, or individually update high-usage apps.
When done, restart your phone and see if the problem persists.
Factory Reset Your iPhone (If Issues Continue)
If the crashing continues, a factory reset might be necessary to clear deeper bugs.
Before doing this, make sure to back up your data.
To reset your iPhone:
- Go to Settings → General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings.
- Enter your passcode and confirm.
- Wait for the phone to wipe and restart — then set it up as new.
You can also do this through iTunes if your phone isn’t stable enough to do it from Settings.
Restore Your iPhone via iTunes (Recovery Mode)
If a reset didn’t help, try doing a Recovery Mode Restore using a computer.
Here’s how:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes (latest version).
- Force restart the phone (Power + Volume Down) but keep holding until you see the Connect to iTunes screen.
- On your computer, choose Restore when prompted.
This will reinstall iOS and give your iPhone a fresh start.
Still Not Fixed? Try a DFU Restore
DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode is the deepest restore method — use this only if nothing else has worked.
This process bypasses the bootloader and reloads both the firmware and OS from scratch. You’ll find detailed DFU instructions on our iPhone 7 Plus Troubleshooting Page.
Reach Out for More Help
If the crashes and shutdowns keep happening even after a DFU restore, contact Apple Support or your carrier. There may be a hardware issue — or Apple may need to release a fix if this is a known iOS bug.
You can also visit an Apple-authorized service center for diagnostics in case your device has hidden damage.