Why Does Your Phone Keep Restarting? 13+ Potential Issues and Solutions

Co-authored by Josef Storzi and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 References

Not being able to use your phone is super frustrating, but we’ll help you find a fix. Updates, full storage, and apps are the most common reasons a phone keeps restarting, and you can easily tackle these issues yourself. We’re going to walk you through all the potential problems your phone could be having from most common to least common. We can help you fix any phone, whether it's an Android or an iPhone.

1

Software Glitch

Download Article

Doing a force restart might fix the problem with an iPhone. ^{[1]
X
Research source} Simply turn off your phone and wait about 20 to 30 seconds. Then, turn your phone back on. ^{[2]
X
Research source} This might break the restart loop.
- This problem is less common with Androids.

2

System Update

Download Article

Old software might start to malfunction, causing your phone to restart. Open the settings on your phone. If you’re using an Android , click “system,” “advanced,” and then “system update” to see if you need an update. If so, follow the screen instructions to initiate it. ^{[3]
X
Research source} If you’re using an iPhone , click “settings,” “general,” and then “software update.” If you see an update, select “download & install.” ^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Backup your phone before you start the updates just to be on the safe side.
- Try another fix if your phone is fully updated or if the update doesn’t fix your restarting issue.

3

Full Storage

Download Article

A full storage can cause your phone to malfunction. ^{[5]
X
Research source} On an iPhone, open “settings,” then click on “general” and “ iPhone storage .” For an Android, select “settings,” then click on “storage.” ^{[6]
X
Research source} If your storage is full, free up space by deleting videos, photos, apps, app data, or files saved to your phone. ^{[7]
X
Research source} If this doesn’t fix the problem, you likely have another issue.
- For example, you might delete apps you aren’t using or media you downloaded to your phone, such as movies, music, or podcasts.

4

Outdated Apps

Download Article

Outdated apps can also make your phone crash and restart. For an Android, check for app updates by going to the Google Play Store, clicking on your profile, and selecting “manage apps & devices.” Select “updates available” and install any that are available. ^{[8]
X
Research source} For an iPhone, open the App Store , then select “updates.” Click on “update all” to update all of your apps or update each app individually by clicking the “update” button next to that app. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Don’t give up if this doesn’t work! There are still some fixes you can try.

5

Background App

Download Article

Try forcing the app to stop to see if this fixes the problem. On an Android, open “settings,” click on each app, and select “ force stop .” ^{[10]
X
Research source} On an iPhone, bring up the apps currently in use by swiping up from the bottom if your phone is an iPhone 10 or newer or by double-clicking your home button on an earlier model. Slide your finger to the left or right to see which apps are open, then swipe up on each app to close them. ^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Close all of the apps to make sure there are no issues. There’s no way to tell which open app is causing your problems.

6

Malicious Third Party App

Download Article

Restarting in safe mode can help you detect problematic apps. Look up the instructions for restarting your phone model in safe mode on the manufacturer’s website, as each phone has a different process. If restarting in safe mode fixes your issue, an app is probably what’s causing your phone to restart. After restarting your phone again the normal way, remove the apps you recently downloaded one by one to see if this fixes your issue. ^{[12]
X
Research source} If your phone is still restarting, you might have another problem.
- Keep in mind that restarting in safe mode will temporarily disable all of the apps you’ve added to your phone. Later, you can restart the apps by restarting your phone the regular way.

7

Debris in Ports

Download Article

Take off your phone case so you can inspect your phone. Then, check the ports for debris. If you find any, gently remove it with a pointy object, such as a toothpick. Finally, clean around the buttons. Check your phone to see if this fixed your problem. ^{[13]
X
Research source}
- This is more commonly an issue if your phone is restarting while you’re charging it.

8

Add-ons Covering Buttons or Sensors

Download Article

External accessories are fun, but they could cause problems. Things like external battery packs, car mounts, stands, PopSockets, and selfie sticks can trigger problems like constant restarting. Take these accessories off to see if the problem goes away. ^{[14]
X
Research source}
- This is a less common cause, but it’s good to rule it out before going in for a phone repair.

9

Settings

Download Article

It’s possible your current settings are causing your phone to restart. To reset them, open “settings” and click on “general.” Then, select “reset” and “reset all settings.” This may fix your problem. If not, you might need to do a full factory reset. ^{[15]
X
Research source}
- If you have an Android, you won’t be able to reset just your settings.

10

Old Battery

Download Article

An old battery may not hold a charge. If you can open the back of your phone, check the battery to see if it looks worn or loose. Otherwise, take your phone into the repair shop or the store where you bought it to get your battery checked. Replacing your battery may fix your restarting issue. ^{[16]
X
Research source}
- Unless you know your battery has problems, try the software fixes first. They’re more likely to be causing your phone to restart.

11

Recovery Mode

Download Article

Recovery mode resets your iPhone to factory settings with recent iOS updates. ^{[17]
X
Research source} Start by plugging your phone into your computer. Open Finder if you’re using macOS Catalina or Big Sur or iTunes if you’re using macOS or Windows. Press and release volume up on your phone, then press and release volume down on your phone. Hold and press the side button to turn off the phone, and keep holding it until you see a lighting cable with an arrow. Release the button to bring up a pop-up in Finder or iTunes. Click the button that says “restore” to totally reset your phone. ^{[18]
X
Research source}
- This will delete all of your data, but you can restore it to your phone using a recent backup.

12

Factory Reset

Download Article

Always backup your phone before doing a factory reset. ^{[19]
X
Research source} For an Android, open “settings” and click on “factory reset.” If you’re having trouble finding it, check your manufacturer’s website. ^{[20]
X
Research source} For an iPhone, open “settings,” then click on “general,” “reset,” and “erase all content and settings.” Finally, enter your phone’s passcode and press the “erase iPhone” confirmation button that appears. ^{[21]
X
Research source}
- After the factory reset, restore your phone using your most recent backup.
- Only do a factory reset if you’ve already tried all of the other software fixes.
- Keep in mind that a factory reset will clear everything off your phone. Make sure you do a backup first so you can restore your information, data, and apps.

13

Hardware Issue

Download Article

This is more likely to be the case if your phone is old or you dropped it. If software fixes aren’t helping, your hardware is likely the problem. iPhones restarts usually because either the microphone is damaged or the camera is damaged. If you have an iPhone, take your phone to the Apple Genius Bar. ^{[22]
X
Research source} For an Android phone, go to a repair shop or take your phone back to the place you bought it.
- Water damage is another cause phones always reboots, because water will damage the sensor and sensor failure will cause the reboot.
- If you have insurance on your phone, the repair or replacement may be covered.
- In some cases, you may need to replace your phone if it’s damaged beyond repair.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Make sure you backup your phone before you try any of these fixes just to be on the safe side.

Thanks
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 3
Software issues are usually the cause of constant restarting. Generally, installing all available system and app updates will fix the problem.

Thanks
Helpful 4 Not Helpful 8
If you recently dropped or damaged your phone, it’s more likely to be a hardware issue.

Thanks
Helpful 5 Not Helpful 7

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

Log in

Why Does Your Phone Keep Restarting? 13+ Potential Issues and Solutions

Steps

Software Glitch

System Update

Full Storage

Outdated Apps

Background App

Malicious Third Party App

Debris in Ports

Add-ons Covering Buttons or Sensors

Settings

Old Battery

Recovery Mode

Factory Reset

Hardware Issue

Expert Q&A

Tips

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Is this article up to date?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories