If your iPhone keeps restarting, stays on the Apple logo, or stalls during startup or recovery, work through the steps below in order. Start with the least invasive check, use the button sequence that matches your model, and try Update in recovery mode before anything that erases the phone. Stop and contact Apple when the official steps do not resolve the problem.
“Boot loop” is a convenient everyday name, but it is not Apple’s diagnosis. Apple’s support articles describe observable states: an iPhone stuck or frozen on the Apple logo, a progress bar that has stopped moving, or a Restore screen. Apple’s guidance tells you what to do in each state, not why a particular phone loops, so none of the steps below assume a specific cause.
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Identify what your screen is showing
The right fix depends on the exact state, so start by matching your screen to one of these:
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- An Apple logo with no progress bar, where the phone restarts or stops there.
- A “Connect to computer” or Restore screen, which means the phone is already in recovery mode.
- A black or unresponsive screen.
Also note whether the problem began during an update, restore, or migration. A slow progress bar in that situation is often not a fault at all. The black-screen case is different: the steps on this page address startup stalls on the Apple logo and recovery screens. If the phone will not power on at all, Apple’s guidance for that situation is separate, and the steps below will not apply.
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Give a progress bar time before intervening
Apple’s progress-bar guidance says: “The progress bar may move slowly or appear static, but it’s important to let the device complete the process.” After an update, restore, or erase, the bar can also complete and then start again.
For an iOS 13 or later restore or migration that shows the Apple logo and a progress bar, Apple’s stuck-logo guidance says to wait until the bar has not moved for at least one hour before moving to computer recovery. If the phone is installing an over-the-air update, keep it connected to power while you wait.
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Force restart with the button sequence for your model
A force restart reboots the phone without erasing anything. Use the row that matches your model. If you are not sure which group your iPhone belongs to, open Settings, then General, then About, and check the Model Name.
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|---|---|---|
| iPhone 8 and later, including the newer SE models covered in Apple’s recovery guide | Quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then press and hold Side until the Apple logo appears. Release Side at that point. | Use the same two quick presses, then press and hold Side. Keep holding through the Apple logo until the recovery or Connect to computer screen appears. |
| iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus | Press and hold Side (Sleep/Wake) and Volume Down together until the Apple logo appears. | Press and hold Side and Volume Down together until the recovery screen appears, not just until the Apple logo. |
| iPhone 6s and earlier, including the first-generation iPhone SE | Press and hold Home and the Side (Top) button together until the Apple logo appears. | Press and hold Home and the Side (Top) button together until the recovery screen appears. |
Do not use one button recipe for every iPhone. Pressing the wrong combination on a newer model will not enter recovery, and a sequence that works on an older model can fail on a newer one.
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Enter recovery mode and choose Update
Recovery mode lets your computer reinstall or update iOS. Apple’s recovery guidance requires a USB cable connection to a computer for this, so you will need the following before you start:
- A USB cable that supports data transfer and fits both your iPhone and your computer. A cable that only charges will not work for this step. No specific brand or connector is required, so check the ports on your devices before buying anything.
- A Mac or Windows PC with the correct application, listed below.
| Computer | Application to open |
|---|---|
| Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or later | Finder |
| Mac running macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier | iTunes |
| Windows PC | Apple Devices app (or iTunes) |
Apple’s app names and supported macOS versions change over time, so confirm that the application shown on your computer matches the table before you follow the steps.
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- On a Mac, make sure macOS is up to date. On a PC, install the latest Apple Devices app.
- Open the application listed for your computer, then connect the iPhone with your data-capable USB cable.
- Enter recovery mode using the button sequence for your model from the table above. Keep holding until the recovery or Connect to computer screen appears.
- When the computer detects the phone in recovery mode, it will offer Update or Restore. Choose Update first.
- Leave the cable connected and let the process finish. Do not disconnect the phone or the computer while it runs.
Update first, because Restore erases the iPhone
Update and Restore are not interchangeable, and the difference is your data.
| Option | Effect on your data | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Update | Reinstalls or updates iOS while preserving personal data, according to Apple’s recovery instructions. | Always the first choice when the computer offers it. Apple does not guarantee it will succeed. |
| Restore | Erases the iPhone and installs a fresh copy of iOS. Data that is not already in a backup or other copy will be lost. | Only after Update has been tried and has failed, or has not been offered, and you accept the erase. |
Apple’s stuck-logo guidance states the warning directly: “If you choose Restore, it will erase your iPhone.” Before you click Restore, confirm what is backed up and decide whether you can accept losing anything that is not.
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When to stop and contact Apple
Stop troubleshooting at home and move to Apple’s service guidance in any of these cases:
- Update and Restore both fail in recovery mode.
- A side or Volume button is broken or stuck, so the required sequence cannot be entered.
- The progress bar stays unresolved after you have waited the full period and tried the official steps.
Apple’s guidance does not establish that the battery, logic board, storage, or any other internal part is at fault when a phone loops, and a boot-loop symptom alone does not tell you which part is involved. Let an Apple Store, Apple Support, or an authorized service provider run the diagnosis.
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