Guide · Stuck on logo

Phone stuck on the Apple logo or boot looping? Here's what to try, in order.

The screen lights up, shows the logo, and then either sits there forever or restarts and tries again. It looks like a dead phone, but in most cases it's a software problem, and the fixes below go from the gentlest to the most drastic. Work through them in order so you don't erase anything you didn't have to.

1

Give it time and power first

If the phone was in the middle of an update, it may just be slow, and a progress bar can sit still for a long while. Plug it into a wall charger and leave it alone for a good half hour. A phone with a nearly empty battery can also loop on the logo, so a proper charge sometimes solves it on its own.

2

Force a restart

On iPhone 8 and later, press and release volume up, press and release volume down, then hold the side button until the logo reappears, ignoring the slider if one shows. On an iPhone 7, hold volume down and the side button together, and on older models, hold the home button and the side or top button. On most Android phones, hold the power button for up to thirty seconds, or power plus volume down on many models. Button combinations vary by model, so check your maker's support page if these don't match.

3

Android only: try safe mode

iPhone doesn't have an equivalent, but many Android phones can boot into safe mode, which loads without third-party apps. The method varies by maker, and often involves holding volume down while the phone starts. If it boots in safe mode, a recently installed app is the likely culprit, so remove the newest ones and restart normally.

4

Use a computer to update or recover it

For an iPhone, connect it to a Mac or a PC and put it in recovery mode, using the steps on Apple's support site for your model. When the computer offers Update or Restore, choose Update first, which tries to reinstall the software without erasing your data. If the download takes long enough that the phone exits recovery mode, let it finish and repeat the steps. On Android, the recovery menu may offer a cache wipe, which keeps your data, though what's offered depends on the model.

5

Erase only as a last resort, and know your backup

If Update fails, the next option is Restore, or a factory reset on Android, which erases the phone. Before you do that, check what your backup covers: iCloud or a computer backup on iPhone, your Google account backup on Android. A backup is the only reason an erase is not a loss. If the loop continues even after a restore, the cause is probably hardware, such as the battery or storage, and a repair shop or the phone maker is the next stop.

While the phone is stuck

Your number shouldn't be stuck on a logo with it.

If MobileyMe is set up on your account, sign in to MobileyMe on any other phone and your contacts and texts come with you. Calls you place show your number, and on iPhone, an incoming call to your number rings the signed-in iPhone.

When your own phone is back, log out of the spare. Logging out wipes it. MobileyMe is free to download on the App Store and Google Play, and it works with US and Canadian numbers only.

See how it works →

Questions people ask

How long should I wait if it's stuck during an update?
A big update can take a while, and the progress bar sometimes stalls without anything being wrong. If the phone is plugged in and nothing at all changes for an hour or more, move on to a force restart. Don't interrupt an update that is still moving.

Will I lose my data if I fix a phone stuck on the logo?
Not necessarily. A force restart doesn't erase anything, and Update in recovery mode on an iPhone tries to reinstall the software while keeping your data. Restore and factory reset do erase it, so check your backup before choosing one.

Does a boot loop mean my phone is dead for good?
Usually not. Most boot loops come from a failed update, a corrupt app, or a full or glitchy storage, and a restart or recovery can clear them. If nothing works, it may be a hardware fault, and a repair shop or the maker can tell you whether it is worth fixing.

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