How to fix iPhone stuck

Experiencing an iPhone stuck at startup can be incredibly frustrating, leaving you cut off from your essential apps and contacts. JUSTICE OKAMGBA writes on the practical solutions to fix this issue

When Duke Kaka (not his real name), a 25-year-old footballer from Lagos Island, found his iPhone 12 Pro Max stuck in a seemingly endless loop of the Apple logo turning on and off, he was nearly caught off guard.

“The Apple logo comes up and goes off continually for almost 15 hours. The phone never switches on. I was restless,” he explained to The According.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is indeed an expensive phone in Nigeria, with prices ranging from N425,000 to N600,000, depending on the storage capacity and condition.

This makes it unaffordable to many people due to its high cost, and Kaka just got him in February 2024.

Despite seeking advice from friends and watching countless troubleshooting videos, Kaka couldn’t bring his iPhone back to life.

“I needed to switch to my Android phone to perform my work duties,” he added, emphasising the disruption caused by his iPhone’s malfunction.

The trouble began when Kaka’s iPhone was at three per cent battery life. He made some calls before it powered off, then plugged it in to charge.

However, the next morning, his phone still would not turn on. “I woke up in the morning only to realize that the phone couldn’t switch on,” Kaka explained.

After attempting various fixes himself, Kaka took his phone to a technician.

“It was just a case of trial and error; he could not fix it.” As a last resort, Kaka considered restarting his phone using a laptop, but he had left his laptop at work. With no immediate solution in sight, he decided to wait until Monday to try his final option.

In a surprising turn of events, after leaving his phone unplugged for several hours, Kaka returned to find his iPhone miraculously back on.

“It was a crazy moment for me; I could not contain my happiness,” he stated.

Software engineer Emmanuel Ojukwu said in a chat with The According that when iPhone batteries are down for a long time, it can be challenging to get them back to full capacity.

This is because prolonged battery drain can cause the battery to degrade and lose its ability to hold a full charge, the full stack developer said.

Another iPhone user, who had experienced a similar situation, suggested trying a few troubleshooting steps first to see which would work.

He advised pressing the Volume Up button and releasing it quickly, then pressing the Volume Down button and releasing it quickly, and finally pressing and holding the Power button until the Apple logo appeared.

The user also mentioned trying to charge the phone, noting that if the battery charging logo showed up, it might indicate the need for a new charger.

If those steps did not work, he recommended another method: performing a reboot using a laptop.

Further, other factors can lead to this problem, including software glitches, failed updates, or hardware malfunctions.

Software glitches occur due to bugs in the operating system, conflicts between apps, or corrupted files.

Sometimes, a sudden power loss during a crucial operation or an unexpected system error can result in software issues that prevent the iPhone from booting up properly.

A phone technician, Adeniyi Salau, said installing updates is crucial for maintaining your iPhone’s performance and security. However, if an update process is interrupted—whether due to a low battery, insufficient storage, or a network issue—the installation can fail.

“If an update fails, it can mess up the system, causing the iPhone to get stuck on the startup screen. This often happens when updating to a new major iOS version,” Salau stated.

Hardware problems can also cause an iPhone to get stuck at startup. This might include issues with the battery, internal storage, or other important parts.

Physical damage, like dropping the phone or getting it wet, can affect how well the hardware works. Even normal wear and tear over time can cause startup problems.

If you find yourself in a similar situation with your iPhone stuck during startup, here are some steps you can follow to try and resolve the issue:

Reboot using a laptop

Connect your iPhone to a computer using a USB cable.

Select your iPhone on the computer.

Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.

Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.

Press and hold the side button until the recovery mode screen appears.

Keep holding the buttons until you see the recovery mode screen

A screen showing a cable and the iTunes or Finder logo will indicate that your iPhone is in recovery mode.

Choose to restore or update

When prompted, choose the “Update” option. This will attempt to reinstall iOS without erasing your data. If the update process takes more than 15 minutes, your iPhone will exit recovery mode. In this case, repeat the steps above.

Use a professional tool

Tools like iMyFone Fixppo and UltFone System Repair can help fix iOS-related problems, including the iPhone not turning on after an update.