If your iPhone XS is frozen, unresponsive, or glitching out, a soft reset (a.k.a. force restart) can help get things back to normal — and it won’t erase any of your data. Here’s when and how to do it.
When to Use a Soft Reset on iPhone XS
Soft resetting forces your iPhone to reboot, which helps clear out system hiccups. You should try it if:
- Your screen is frozen or unresponsive
- Apps keep crashing
- The phone feels unusually slow
- The touchscreen or buttons aren’t working
A soft reset is safe and doesn’t touch your photos, messages, or apps.
How to Soft Reset iPhone XS
Follow these steps exactly:
- Press and release the Volume Up button
- Press and release the Volume Down button
- Press and hold the Side button (Power)
- Keep holding until the Apple logo appears, then release
It may take 10–20 seconds for the Apple logo to show. Once it appears, your phone is restarting normally.
If It Doesn’t Work, Try Again
Make sure you’re pressing the buttons in the correct sequence:
- Volume Up → Volume Down → then hold the Side button
- Don’t press and hold all buttons together — that won’t work on iPhone XS
Still stuck? You might need to plug your iPhone into a computer and restore it using Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows).
Alternative: Shut Down from Settings
If your screen is still responsive, you can shut it down the easy way:
- Go to Settings > General
- Scroll down and tap Shut Down
- Slide to power off
- Turn it back on by holding the Side button
This doesn’t restart the OS — just shuts the phone down cleanly.
When Not to Soft Reset
Avoid soft resetting if:
- You’re in the middle of an iOS update
- You have unsaved work open (you’ll lose it)
Let any updates finish first, and try to save your work if possible.
Why It’s Useful
Soft resetting is one of the easiest ways to fix random bugs, freezes, or app issues without needing a full reset or trip to the Apple Store. Every iPhone owner should know how to do it — it’s a quick, risk-free fix for a lot of common problems.