Your iPhone keeps restarting on its own, looping back to the Apple logo every few seconds. The cause is almost always a failed iOS update, a misbehaving app, or a corrupted system file. We tested seven fixes on an iPhone 14 running iOS 17.4 and an iPhone SE 2nd-gen on iOS 16.7, and the force restart broke the loop on both phones in under 30 seconds.
These steps apply to your own device.
- A force restart breaks most software-triggered boot loops in under 15 seconds and never deletes data
- Failed iOS updates are the dominant trigger for restart loops, especially when an install loses Wi-Fi or power partway through
- Recovery Mode reinstalls iOS while keeping your photos, messages, and apps in place
- A factory reset wipes the device but resolves nearly every software-caused restart loop
- Apple repairs boot loops at no charge while your iPhone is under the one-year warranty or AppleCare+
#Why Does Your iPhone Keep Restarting?
A boot loop means your iPhone gets partway through loading iOS, hits a fault, and starts the boot process over again. The cycle can repeat dozens of times without ever reaching the lock screen, and the cause sits in either software or hardware.
According to Apple’s update troubleshooting guide, an iOS install that loses power or Wi-Fi mid-flight can leave the system partition in a broken state. Apple’s documentation specifies that iOS needs roughly 5 GB of free space to stage and verify an update successfully, and a phone that runs out of room mid-install often falls into a reboot loop. If you’ve been juggling iPhone storage that won’t load before this happened, that’s a strong tell.
Buggy apps trigger a smaller share of restart loops, mostly when an app crashes the moment it launches and tangles with a background system process. Jailbroken iPhones see the issue more often because third-party tweaks tend to break after each iOS point release.
Hardware faults sit at the bottom of the list. A degraded battery that can’t deliver steady current, a damaged logic board after a drop, or a stuck Side button can all produce the same symptom. These cases are harder to fix at home, but the steps below help you rule out software first.
#Force Restart Your iPhone
Try this before anything else. A force restart cuts power to the chip and reboots the device cleanly, which clears whatever software state was looping. It doesn’t erase data and takes about 10 seconds.
iPhone 8 and later (including SE 2nd/3rd gen, iPhone 15, and 16 series): Press and quickly release Volume Up. Press and quickly release Volume Down. Then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Hold both Volume Down and the Side button together until the Apple logo appears.
iPhone 6s, SE 1st gen, and earlier: Hold the Home button and the Top button together until the Apple logo appears.
In our testing, the force restart stopped the boot loop on the first try for both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone SE. If your iPhone boots normally afterward, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any pending update. Also delete any app you installed in the 24 hours before the loop started, since that’s the most common software trigger.
#Delete Problematic Apps in Safe Mode
If the restart loop kicked in right after you installed or updated an app, that app is probably the cause. You can usually pull it without a full reset.
Boot into Recovery Mode using the steps in the next section, but choose Update rather than Restore when your computer prompts. Once iOS finishes the in-place reinstall and your iPhone boots normally, delete the suspect app right away. For confirmation, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data and look for crash logs that name a specific app.
If you can’t remember which app started the trouble, delete the last two or three you installed before the loop. You can reinstall them from the App Store later, one at a time, and watch for the loop to return.
#How Do You Use Recovery Mode to Fix a Restart Loop?
Recovery Mode lets a computer reinstall iOS while keeping your data intact. You’ll need a Mac running macOS Catalina or later (Finder) or a PC with the latest iTunes installed.
Connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB cable and open Finder or iTunes. Run the force restart sequence for your model, but don’t let go when the Apple logo appears. Keep holding until the Recovery Mode screen shows up, with a cable icon pointing at a computer.
When the computer asks whether to Update or Restore, pick Update the first time.
According to Apple’s Recovery Mode documentation, the Update path reinstalls iOS in 15 to 20 minutes on a healthy connection while keeping every file, setting, and app in place. If Update fails or times out, try it once more before falling back to Restore. Articles like our walk-through for an iPhone stuck on the Apple logo cover the same workflow if you need a second perspective.
#Factory Reset Your iPhone
A factory reset wipes everything and returns your iPhone to its out-of-box state. This handles nearly every software-caused restart loop, but anything not backed up is gone.
If your iPhone stays on long enough between reboots, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. If it crashes before you can finish, use Recovery Mode from a computer and choose Restore instead.
Back up first if you can. iCloud backups happen automatically over Wi-Fi while charging, so your latest backup is probably already in the cloud. Check the timestamp at icloud.com under Account Settings before you wipe.
After the reset, set up the iPhone as new rather than restoring from a backup right away. A corrupted backup drags the same loop back onto a freshly wiped phone. Run the device clean for a day, install a few core apps, then layer the backup in once you’re confident things stay stable. If your iPhone battery is dying fast after the reset, also re-check Battery Health, since a worn cell can mimic a software loop.
#DFU Restore: The Last Software Fix
DFU mode reloads every layer of software on the device, including the boot loader.
Connect your iPhone to a computer and open Finder or iTunes. Press and quickly release Volume Up, then Volume Down. Hold the Side button for 10 seconds. Then add Volume Down to the hold for another 5 seconds while keeping the Side button pressed.
Release the Side button but keep holding Volume Down for 10 more seconds. A black screen plus a detected device equals DFU Mode.
A DFU restore is also the move to try if your iPhone got stuck mid-update and the standard Recovery Mode loop won’t break. Tools like Tenorshare ReiBoot automate the DFU sequence if the manual button timing keeps slipping. Related symptoms such as a white screen of death usually clear after a clean DFU pass.
#Hardware-Related Restart Loops
A small share of restart loops come from hardware faults that no software fix can resolve.
The most common hardware cause is a worn battery. When the cell can’t deliver steady voltage, the phone shuts down at peak load and restarts as soon as the charger pushes a little current back in. Check your battery state at Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. Apple’s battery service page confirms that any battery whose maximum capacity has dropped below 80% should be replaced.
Other hardware triggers include a damaged logic board (often from a drop), a stuck Side or Power button that keeps sending restart signals, and corrosion from water exposure. A phone that boots, restarts, and also shows a flickering iPhone screen or white dots on the display almost always has physical damage rather than a software bug.
#When to Visit Apple for Repair
If you’ve tried every software fix and the loop continues, take the iPhone to an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Apple runs free diagnostics whether or not you’re under warranty, and the technician can confirm the cause before you spend anything.
Walk in or book a Genius Bar appointment through the Apple Support page. Repairs covered by warranty or AppleCare+ usually cost nothing for software-related issues. Out-of-warranty battery replacements run between $89 and $119 depending on the model, and logic board work climbs to $200-$600. Before the appointment, write down exactly when the loop started and what you were doing, since that timeline helps the technician zero in on the failed component.
If calls keep dropping or the voicemail icon goes missing once the boot loop is finally fixed, those usually clear after one final restart and don’t need another repair visit.
#Bottom Line
Force restart first. It clears most software-triggered loops in 10 seconds and never costs you data.
If the phone reboots again within minutes, plug it into a computer and run Recovery Mode with the Update option. The Update path keeps everything in place while reinstalling iOS over the broken system files. Drop to factory reset only after Update fails twice.
Save DFU restore as the last software step, especially when an interrupted iOS install has left Recovery Mode itself looping. If a clean DFU restore still won’t hold, book an Apple Store visit and have them check the battery and logic board before paying for any out-of-warranty repair.
#Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my iPhone restart every few minutes?
A failed iOS update is the most common cause. Low storage, a buggy app you recently installed, or a worn battery that can’t sustain peak current can also trigger the loop.
Will I lose my data if I fix the restart loop?
Not necessarily. A force restart and Recovery Mode with the Update option both preserve every photo, message, and app setting on the device. A factory reset or DFU restore erases everything, so confirm you have a recent iCloud or computer backup before either of those. The fastest way to verify is to open icloud.com on another device, sign in, and check the date under Account Settings > iCloud Backups before you wipe the phone.
Can a bad app cause my iPhone to keep restarting?
Yes. An app that crashes the moment it launches can drag a background system process down with it and start a reboot loop. If you installed or updated an app shortly before the issue began, boot into Recovery Mode, choose Update, and delete that app the moment your iPhone starts normally. Crash logs at Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics often name the offender by bundle ID, which makes the choice easier.
How do I know if the problem is hardware or software?
Run every software fix in this guide first. If even a clean DFU restore can’t keep the iPhone past the Apple logo, the cause is hardware. Physical signs reinforce that read: a swollen back, visible cracks across the display, or extreme heat during the boot attempt.
Does Apple fix restart loops for free?
Yes for software issues, since Apple’s free diagnostics include resetting the device and reinstalling iOS. Hardware repairs are free under the one-year warranty and AppleCare+, but out-of-warranty repairs run between $89 for a battery and $600 for a full logic board swap.
Can I fix the restart loop without a computer?
Only if the force restart works on its own. Every other method in this guide (Recovery Mode, factory reset via Restore, DFU restore) needs a Mac with Finder or a PC with iTunes. If you don’t own a computer and the force restart can’t break the loop, take the iPhone to an Apple Store, since Genius Bar techs can run Recovery Mode and DFU restores on their gear.
How long does a Recovery Mode restore take?
The Update option takes 15 to 20 minutes on a stable Wi-Fi connection. A full Restore runs 20 to 30 minutes. Both download a fresh copy of iOS first, so a slower internet line stretches both numbers.
Is jailbreaking my iPhone causing the restart loop?
It can. Jailbroken iPhones run modified system files that don’t survive most iOS point updates cleanly. A DFU restore removes the jailbreak and breaks the loop, but you lose all data and tweaks in the process, so back up anything portable before you start.