iPhone 7 Keeps Crashing and Rebooting After iOS Update? Here’s How to Fix It

If your iPhone 7 has suddenly started crashing, freezing, or randomly rebooting after installing an iOS update, you’re not alone. These issues are often linked to software conflicts, app glitches, or even storage-related problems—but the good news is, they’re usually fixable without needing to replace your phone.

Below are tried-and-true methods to help get your iPhone 7 stable again.

1. Force Restart Your iPhone

A force restart can clear out minor bugs and memory glitches that may have been triggered by the update.

Here’s how:

Press and hold both the Power (Side) button and the Volume Down button at the same time.
Keep holding for about 20–30 seconds until you see the Apple logo, then release.

This won’t delete your data and is safe to try as a first step.

2. Update All Apps

Outdated apps may not play well with the new iOS, which can lead to crashes.

Open the App Store.
Tap your profile icon, then scroll to see all available app updates.
Tap Update All or update apps individually.

After updates finish installing, reboot your iPhone again and test.

3. Reset All Settings

Sometimes the update messes with your settings and causes conflicts that slow down or crash your system.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
Tap Reset All Settings.
Enter your passcode if prompted, then confirm.

This won’t delete your apps or data, but it will reset things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and notification settings.

4. Factory Reset (Erase All Content and Settings)

If the issue persists, a full reset may be necessary to remove any lingering system glitches.

⚠️ Back up your data first using iCloud or iTunes.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
Confirm your passcode and start the reset.

Once done, you can set up your iPhone as new or restore from backup.

5. Restore iPhone via iTunes (Recovery Mode)

Still crashing or rebooting? A recovery mode restore can help fix major iOS corruption.

Here’s how:

Connect your iPhone to your computer using the Lightning cable.
Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina+).
Force restart the phone (hold Power + Volume Down) and don’t let go until you see the Connect to iTunes screen.
Choose Restore when prompted.

This erases your device and installs a fresh copy of iOS.

6. DFU Mode Restore (Last Resort)

If even recovery mode fails, try a DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode restore. This bypasses the OS entirely to reinstall everything from scratch.

This is best done with a step-by-step guide, so check out our iPhone 7 Tutorials section for detailed DFU instructions.

When to Contact Apple

If your iPhone 7 continues to crash and reboot after trying everything above, it might be a hardware issue. The battery, logic board, or other internal components could be malfunctioning.

Visit an Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider for diagnostics.
If your iPhone is under warranty or covered by AppleCare+, repairs may be free.