The slide-to-power-off feature on iPhone needs a working touchscreen. If your screen is cracked or unresponsive, you can't do the normal shutdown. Luckily there are 5 other ways to power off.
Here's each method for different scenarios.
Force restart instead of shutdown
Force restart accomplishes a similar goal – the phone fully cycles. The exact buttons depend on your iPhone model.
iPhone 8 and newer: Press Volume Up, press Volume Down, hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo. Phone restarts cleanly.
iPhone 7 series: Hold Volume Down + Side button at the same time for about 10 seconds.
iPhone 6 and older: Hold Home button + Sleep/Wake button at the same time.
Turn off via Settings (no slider needed)
iOS lets you shutdown through Settings. Useful if you don't want to use the buttons or if AssistiveTouch is set up.
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Scroll to the bottom
- Tap Shut Down
- Confirm with the slider that appears
If the slider step still needs the touchscreen, the methods below work even with broken touch.
Use AssistiveTouch
AssistiveTouch puts a floating button on screen that includes shutdown options. Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch. Toggle on.
A small white circle appears on screen. Tap it. Tap Device. Tap More. Tap Restart.
Phone restarts without needing to slide anything. AssistiveTouch is meant for accessibility but it's a perfect workaround for broken-screen iPhones.
Drain the battery to off
The classic last resort. Let the battery die. When the battery hits 0%, the iPhone shuts off automatically.
To speed it up, max out the screen brightness, open multiple apps, play video at full volume. Battery dies in 1-2 hours of intense use.
This works but ages the battery slightly. Repeated full discharges shorten battery lifespan. Don't do this often.
Use a computer connection
If you have a Mac or PC, you can put the iPhone into recovery mode which effectively powers it off. Connect with a cable. Hold the force restart combo while connected.
Recovery mode screen appears on iPhone. From this state, unplugging powers it off. You can then leave it off as long as you don't plug into power again.
Quick reference
| Method | Needs touchscreen? | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Force restart | No | Quick restart, frozen phone |
| Settings shutdown | Yes (for slider) | Normal shutdown |
| AssistiveTouch | Yes | Cracked screen, hardware buttons broken |
| Battery drain | No | Last resort |
| Computer connection | No | Diagnostic purposes |
Use Voice Control
iOS Voice Control lets you say commands instead of touching. Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control > toggle on.
Once enabled, say "Turn off iPhone". The phone opens shutdown. Then say "Tap Power Off". The slide is triggered automatically.
Useful when both touchscreen and buttons aren't working properly. Voice Control needs to be on before the touchscreen failed though – enable it now even if you don't need it yet.
When the side button is broken
If the side button doesn't work, AssistiveTouch is your best option. It maps all the physical button functions to on-screen taps.
You can also map the Back Tap feature to shutdown. Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Pick double-tap or triple-tap. Set to Shortcuts > Lock Screen or another option.
Combine this with AssistiveTouch for full button-free control.
Get the broken hardware fixed
These workarounds are temporary. If your screen, buttons, or any hardware is broken, fix it. Apple Store or authorized repair shops.
Out-of-warranty repairs for screen damage are $159-329 depending on iPhone model. AppleCare+ covers it for $29-99. Worth checking your coverage before paying out of pocket.
Until then, force restart is the most reliable workaround that doesn't need anything else set up.
What hardware is broken on your iPhone? Tell me and I'll point to the specific workaround for your situation.