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Even if Apple is trying to prevent damage to the display of the iPhone with better and better glasses, it still happens from time to time that exactly that happens. If not only the glass is damaged, but also the electronics underneath are damaged, then you quickly have an iPhone in your hand that is still switched on and can no longer be operated. This means that it is also impossible to switch off the device using the touch control.
Alarm can no longer be deactivated
Basically, that wouldn't be a big problem, because after a day or two the iPhone is empty anyway and switches itself off, but if you have activated an alarm clock or had a timer running, then it can quickly become annoying, because you can also use these ringtones no longer switch off via the display.
iPhone screen frozen
A similar problem arises when the iPhone no longer responds to touch inputs due to software problems. You can then call up the window with the "Switch off" slider via the standby button, but you cannot operate the slider itself.
Solution: switch off via key combination
In order to be able to switch off the iPhone without using the touch display, you have to use the hardware buttons that the iPhone has. Since these are not the same for all models, there are different ways of turning off an iPhone.
Solution for iPhone X and newer, iPhone SE 2 and iPhone 8
The following solution applies to iPhone models iPhone X and newer, as well as iPhone SE 2 and iPhone 8 . With these devices you can switch off with the following key combination:
- briefly press the button at the top left (volume button)
- briefly press the bottom left button (volume down button)
- Press and hold the right side button
If you press and hold the side button, the screen with the switch-off slider appears after 3 seconds. Now don't let go, but keep pressing it briefly until the screen goes dark. Then let go.
If the display is defective and no longer shows anything, it is of course not possible to tell when it is going dark. Here you just have to hold down 4 or 5 seconds and hope that you get the right amount of time.
If you hold the button down for too long, the iPhone will restart. In this case, however, at least the tones of the timer or alarm clock are switched off.
Solution for iPhone 6S and older and iPhone SE 1
The models iPhone SE 1, iPhone 6S and even older iPhones have a (hopefully functional) home button. These devices are switched off as follows:
- Press and hold the home button and power button (standby button) at the same time
- Release when the white Apple logo appears
The home button is always at the bottom center of the display, while the sleep button is on the top right side on some models, while older iPhones have the button at the top right edge.
Solution for iPhone 7
One might think that the iPhone 7 is switched off in the same way as the older iPhone models with a home button. However, it is the exception here and is switched off as follows:
- Press and hold the lower left button (volume down button) and the right side button for a long time
- Release the keys when the white Apple logo appears
With these instructions, you should now be able to turn off your iPhone without touch operation.
