The slide-to-power-off on iPhone is what most people use to shut down. But what if the screen is unresponsive? Or the touch is broken? Or the side button stopped working? Apple built several ways to power off iPhone that work even when the standard slide does not.
Knowing all of them keeps you out of trouble when your iPhone misbehaves. Here is the complete walkthrough.
Through Settings
The Settings app has a Shut Down option hiding in General. Open Settings, tap General, scroll all the way to the bottom and tap Shut Down. The slide to power off appears and you swipe to shut down.
This still has the slider but the path uses only touch input. So if your side button is broken or stuck, this method works without ever needing a button press. Useful when hardware buttons fail but touch still works.
Using Siri
Siri can shut down your iPhone hands-free. Say Hey Siri or hold the side button if Siri responds to long press. Then say Turn off my iPhone or Shut down. Siri asks for confirmation and you tap Power Off to complete.
This is the easiest method when your hands are full or the screen is dirty. Works on iPhone XS and later models that support Hey Siri natively. The voice command itself does not require touching the screen at all if Hey Siri is enabled.
Force Restart When iPhone Is Frozen
If iPhone is frozen and touch is completely unresponsive, force restart is the way out. Different from a normal power off but achieves a similar reset. The button sequence depends on which iPhone you have.
For iPhone 8 and newer (including X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17), the sequence is press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. For iPhone 7 specifically, hold Volume Down and Side button together. For iPhone 6s and older models, hold Home and Side button together.
Letting the Battery Drain
This is the last resort if nothing else works. If your buttons are broken, touch is broken and Siri does not respond, the only way to power off is to let the battery die. It takes hours but always works.
Useful when you need to get the iPhone fully off before taking it to a repair shop. Once the battery dies, the iPhone is off and stays off until charged. Disconnect from any chargers during this process so the battery actually depletes.
AssistiveTouch for Broken Buttons
If your side button is broken, AssistiveTouch lets you simulate button presses through the touch screen. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Touch, tap AssistiveTouch and turn it on.
A floating button appears on screen that you can drag anywhere. Tap it, pick Device, then Lock Screen (long press). The slide to power off appears. Drag to shut down. This is a lifesaver if your side button is mechanically broken because it gives you a touch-based way to do everything the side button normally does.
Turning iPhone Back On
To turn iPhone back on after shutting down, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. The boot takes about 30 seconds. If your side button is broken, plug iPhone into a charger. iPhone automatically powers on when it starts charging from completely off. Useful workaround when side button cannot trigger boot.
Shut Down vs Restart vs Force Restart
These three options sound similar but do different things. Shut Down powers iPhone fully off. It saves battery but means no calls, alarms or notifications until you turn it back on. Restart reboots iPhone, same as shutting down then turning on. Apps reopen fresh and memory clears.
Force Restart is the most aggressive option, used when iPhone is stuck or frozen. It force-reboots without a proper shutdown process. Despite sounding scary, force restart is safe and does not delete data. The difference is just that the OS does not get a chance to gracefully save state before the reboot.
When to Use Each Method
Picking the right method depends on what is wrong with your iPhone. The decision tree is straightforward once you know the options.
For a working iPhone in normal use, the simplest path is Settings > General > Shut Down or holding Side and Volume Up. For a frozen iPhone where touch does not respond, force restart is the answer. For a broken side button, use AssistiveTouch instead. For a broken touch screen, ask Siri or let the battery drain naturally.
Final Thoughts
To turn off iPhone without the slide, use Settings > General > Shut Down, ask Siri or use AssistiveTouch. Force restart for a frozen iPhone using the right button sequence for your model. Each method has its specific use case based on what is broken or what you cannot do with the standard slide. Knowing all of them means you are never stuck with an iPhone you cannot power off.
If you have a creative way to turn off a stuck iPhone, share it in the comments.