Find out what to do if your iPhone is not booting past Apple logo. Don’t panic, you can easily fix the problem yourself.
One of the most annoying issues plaguing iOS users is the problem of iPhone not booting past Apple Logo. This issue can seemingly affect all iPhone models, but it occurs more often on older devices. There is nothing new about the problem of iPhone not booting past Apple Logo as it has existed on almost all iPhone models. The issue has affected many iPhone models, including iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, XS Max, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone SE.
Getting a good hang of the problem is key to discovering the cause and finding a possible solution. In that regard, we have first talked about what could be the possible reason why some iPhones don’t boot past Apple Logo before learning the different ways to resolve the issue.
Why Your iPhone Won’t boot past Apple Logo
There are a few reasons why your iPhone won’t boot past Apple logo such as:
- The iPhone’s software is corrupted. This issue can occur during data transfer or when installing the newest iOS update to an old iPhone model.
- You restored or transferred corrupted files from an iCloud or iTunes backup.
- The iPhone has been jailbroken, and it may have caused some software issues like a boot loop.
- You dropped your iPhone and the impact has messed up some internal components.
- Your iPhone is water damaged. Remember that although the iPhone is water-resistant, it’s not waterproof.
Below are some troubleshooting steps to fix the problem if your iPhone won’t boot past Apple logo screen:
How to fix iPhone not booting past Apple Logo Issue
1. Hard reboot your iPhone
Hard rebooting (or force resetting) will force your iPhone to initiate its reboot sequence even if you can’t access controls and settings on the screen. It’s a practical step that works across all iPhone models and solves most temporary software-related issues on these devices.
To hard reboot iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd generation), or Newer, follow the steps below:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
If all goes well, your iPhone will prompt you to enter your passcode.
If it doesn’t, repeat the above steps several times.
To hard reboot iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, follow the steps below:
- Press and hold the volume button and side button for 3-30 seconds, then let go.
- The screen should go black.
- The screen should light up once more in a few seconds with the Apple logo.
To hard reboot iPhone 6S, iPhone SE (1st generation), or Older
Press and hold the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the Apple logo disappears. When the logo appears, let go of the two buttons.
2. Reinstall iOS
After the force restart, if your iPhone is still not booting past Apple logo, try reinstalling iOS instead. There’s a good chance that your phone was interrupted in the middle of an update, causing iOS to become corrupt.
Connect your iPhone to a computer. If you use a macOS Catalina or later, open Finder first. If you are using a Windows PC or a Mac with a macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead.
Locate your iPhone in Finder or iTunes. Once it’s connected, follow the instructions above to force restart it again and continue holding the buttons involved in the process, until you see the Recovery Mode screen on your iPhone, which shows a computer icon.
When getting the update or restore options, choose Update. Your computer will download and reinstall iOS without erasing your data.
3. Do a Factory Restore
If your iPhone still won’t boot past Apple Logo, resetting the phone to factory settings may be enough for you to get rid of any software glitch, snapping it out of its logo loop.
Please note: if you don’t have a backup, you will lose all your data when you perform this step.
To complete a factory restore, enter Recovery Mode as described in the previous sections. But now, instead of choosing to update your iPhone, you should select the Restore option on your computer instead. We advise you to do this only after you have exhausted the previous options.
4. Try a DFU Restore
Device Firmware Update mode (DFU mode) is a restore option for your iPhone that overwrites any incomplete software and firmware with new code. As a result, there are quite a few iPhone problems that can be fixed using DFU mode.
Although it’s not recommended for physically damaged devices, you can give this method a try if your iPhone doesn’t fall into that category.
To apply this solution when your iPhone is not booting past the Apple logo, first use an Apple-approved USB cable to connect your iPhone to a computer. Then perform the steps below, based on your iPhone model.
After reaching the final step for each iPhone model, make sure that the screen stays black. If it does, it’s now in DFU mode, and you need to follow the prompts on your computer.
However, if you see the iPhone screen or iTunes icon, it’s in Recovery Mode instead. Reconnect your iPhone to your computer and repeat the instructions below. This time make sure you get the timing right.
For an iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd generation), or Later
Follow these steps:
- Press the Volume Up button and quickly release it, then do the same thing with the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button. Then, when you get a black screen, press and hold the Volume Down button.
- Keep holding these buttons for about five seconds. Then release the Side button while still holding the Volume Down button.
- Follow the prompts displayed on your computer.
For an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus
Follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Side button together with the Volume Down button.
- Keep holding both of these buttons for eight seconds before releasing the Side button.
- Keep holding the Volume Down button until your computer acknowledges your smartphone.
For an iPhone 6S, iPhone SE (1st generation), or Earlier
Follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button together with the Home button.
- Hold these buttons for about eight seconds, then release the Sleep/Wake button but keep holding the Home button.
- Keep holding the Home button until your computer acknowledges your iPhone.
5. Let the battery drain
If your iPhone won’t boot past Apple Logo, one solution that requires a little more time involves letting your phone battery drain completely. Depending on when the logo issue crops up, this process could take a few hours to several days.
Once its battery is completely dead, plugging the iPhone back in charger should initiate a normal reboot.
6. Get your iPhone Repaired in an Apple Store
If you’ve exhausted all the options above then it’s time to get your iPhone repaired professionally. If your iPhone is still under warranty, Apple should cover the repair for free, provided it isn’t damaged in any other way, such as liquid damage.
Getting your phone repaired may reveal hidden hardware issues. For example, your iPhone’s logic board might be damaged and need a replacement, which is why it won’t boot past Apple logo. Check this article to learn how to make a Genius bar appointment.
What else can you do?
Consider upgrading
Depending on the age of your iPhone, there may not be much else you can do. We’ve seen plenty of users online face this issue with older iPhone models. Repairs may cost more than the device itself.
In this case, it might be time for an upgrade. Apple launched the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, alongside the cheaper iPhone 14 and the range-topping iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, consider getting an older model if you don’t need the new features spread across these new devices. The iPhone 13 series and iPhone 12 series remain excellent iPhones in their own right.
Simple Solutions When Your iPhone won’t boot past Apple Logo
When your iPhone won’t boot past Apple logo, the most important thing to do is find out what might have caused it. Next, you can try the solutions we listed above to help solve the problem. When all else fails, please leave it to the professional technicians to fix your iPhone.