This wikiHow teaches you how to fix a frozen (hanging) Android device or iPhone. There are various things that can cause a phone to freeze, but these problems can usually be resolved by restarting the device or performing an update.
Step
Method 1 of 2: On iPhone
Step 1. Connect the phone to the charger
There is a possibility that the phone battery has run out so the device cannot turn on. Connect your phone to a charger to charge it for a few minutes, then try one of the steps below.
- If you see a red battery indicator when you plug the charging cable into the device, it means the battery is dead.
- Make sure you use a charger that still works. If no battery symbol appears after you have charged your phone for 1 hour, try using a different charger/wall socket.
Step 2. Close the stuck app
If any particular app crashes, force close the app by performing the steps below:
- On iPhone X or later, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and stop in the middle of the screen. On iPhone 8 or earlier, double-tap the home button at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe the screen left and right to switch apps.
- If you want to close the app, swipe up on the screen.
Step 3. Restart iPhone manually
Press and hold the Power button on the phone until a slider that says slide to power off at the top of the screen. After that, turn off the phone by swiping the slider to the right. After the device has been off for a few minutes, turn the iPhone back on by pressing the Power button.
Do the next step if this method doesn't work
Step 4. Force restart the phone
If iPhone doesn't respond when you press the Power button or touch the screen, force restart iPhone. How to do it:
- iPhone X or later: Press the volume up button, then press the volume down button. Press and hold the button on the side of the device until the screen turns on and off. When the Apple logo appears, release the button.
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus - Press and release the volume up button quickly, and perform the same action with the volume down button. After that, press and hold the Power button until the device screen displays the Apple logo.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus - Press and hold the Power and volume down buttons simultaneously until the device screen displays the Apple logo.
- Another iPhone - Press and hold the Home and Power buttons simultaneously until the device screen displays the Apple logo.
Step 5. Check for any updates
If your iPhone freezes after updating to the latest operating system, there may be an update to address the issue. How to check for updates:
- open Settings
- Touch General
- Touch Software Update
- Touch Install Now if an update is available, and follow the instructions given on the device screen.
- You can also update with iTunes if your phone screen doesn't work.
Step 6. Delete recently installed apps
If iPhone freezes after you install one or more apps, delete the recently installed app to resolve this issue.
-
To see a list of application errors, go to Settings
Iphonesettingsappicon scroll down the screen and touch Privacy, scroll down the screen and touch Analytics, touch Data Analytics, then look for the name of the application that is often shown here.
- If you still can't use the iPhone screen, skip this step.
Step 7. Restore iPhone using iTunes
If your iPhone still freezes, restore the backup via iTunes. How to do it: connect the device to the computer, launch iTunes, open the iPhone page, click Restore iPhone, and follow the instructions given on the screen.
- If you don't have a backup, factory reset your phone.
- If using macOS Catalina, use Finder to reset iPhone, not iTunes.
Method 2 of 2: On Android
Step 1. Close frozen apps
Depending on the phone model you're using, follow the steps below to close the stuck app.
- Tap the icon that looks like three lines, or two overlapping squares. If you can't find it, swipe up from the bottom of the device screen, or press the button at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe the screen left and right to switch apps.
- If you want to close the app, swipe up on the screen.
Step 2. Connect the phone to the charger
There is a possibility that the phone battery has run out so the device cannot turn on. Connect the phone to the charger to charge it for a few minutes before continuing.
- If there's no sign of the phone charging after a few minutes, try using a different charger or outlet.
- For best results, use the phone's built-in charger.
Step 3. Try turning off the phone in the usual way
Press and hold the Power button until the Power menu appears, then turn off the phone by touching Power off. A few minutes later, press the Power button again to turn on the phone.
Do the next step if this method doesn't work
Step 4. Force restart the phone
If your phone doesn't respond after you press the Power button or touch the screen, try a force restart.
- Most Android devices can be force restarted by pressing and holding the Power and volume up buttons for about 10 seconds.
- If the Power and volume up buttons don't work, try using the Power and volume down buttons.
Step 5. Remove the battery if the phone won't force restart
If the device does not force restart, slide the back cover of the Android device and remove the battery. Ten seconds later, reinsert the device battery and close the lid.
This method can only be done on devices with removable batteries
Step 6. Delete apps that make Android freeze
If your phone freezes every time you open an app (or after you install one or more apps), it's probably the app that's causing your phone to freeze. The easiest way to solve this problem is to uninstall the app. Follow these steps to remove the app:
- Run the Google Play Store.
- Type the name of the app that you want to delete in the search field at the top of the screen.
- Touch Uninstall to delete the app.
Step 7. Factory reset the phone if the device still won't turn on
If the device still won't turn on after freezing, factory reset the phone to resolve this issue. Remember, factory resetting your phone will erase all data on it. So make sure you have backed up your data before doing so.
- Turn off the device.
-
Press and hold the Recovery mode button until the recovery screen appears. The key to be pressed will vary depending on the device being used:
- Most Android devices - Power button + volume down
- Samsung - Power button, volume up and Home
- Highlight Recovery using the volume down button, then press the Power button to select it.
- choose Wipe data / factory reset, then press the Power button. Touch Yes to confirm. When formatting is complete, the device will reboot. After that, you can set it up like a new device.
Tips
- If your phone is working again, it's a good idea to back it up immediately. A frozen phone is usually a sign of a bigger problem with the phone. This means, the data on the phone can be lost at some point if you don't back it up.
- Phones that have been exposed to water or other liquids will often freeze or become difficult to control. If your phone has recently been dropped in (or in) water, take it to a repair shop, and don't try to turn it on.
