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Why is my new iPhone 16 not turning on?

I have the new Iphone 16 and last night I charged it and turned it all the way off and since 6:30 this morning I have not been able to turn it back on. I have tried two chargers, three outlets, Ive tried the side button tricks, and nothing is working. its been almost 8 hours, how do I get it to turn back on?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 16, iOS 18

Posted on Oct 9, 2024 12:18 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 9, 2024 2:50 PM

I don’t know what “side button tricks” you tried or how you tried them. The "Up, Down, Side" instructions require some precision:


  • Press and quickly release VOLUME UP


     then

  • Press and quickly release VOLUME DOWN


     then

  • Hold the SIDE button until an Apple logo appears (15-30 seconds), ignoring "slide to power off" if it appears


The operative word here is QUICKLY; and try it a couple of times, the timing is a little tricky. If done correctly this will always work unless the phone has a hardware problem. 


36 replies

Jan 1, 2025 4:10 PM in response to Science-Curmudgeon

If you are running a beta (a bad idea for your primary communication device) you will get very frequent updates, as bugs are reported and fixed. 18.1 is NOT the fully updated release. 18.2 is current for ALL models that can support it (iPhone XR, iPhone SE 3rd edition, iPhone 11 and everything after it). And there are beta versions higher than 18.2. If your phone isn’t offering to update to 18.2 when you go to Settings/General/Software Update something is very seriously wrong with it. That is what you need to get fixed, it can explain all of your issues.

Jan 1, 2025 1:53 PM in response to Randysea

Randysea wrote:

I did follow your instructions and upvoted them, too. It works but isn't a permanent fix to an ongoing problem.

When I got my replacement 16 Pro, I let it immediately update to 18.2. I've had two "not turning on" events since then. The second was this morning. Most of the time (in two weeks) it's started normally.

OK, so let’s check for other things that can cause iOS to freeze:


  • Do you have any apps installed that purport to make your phone safer from hacking, an antivirus, an app that says it will speed up your phone, one that claims to “clean” it, or to manage memory?
  • Do you have a VPN installed?
  • Any apps that are “traditionally” unstable, such as Facebook or Facebook messenger?

Dec 25, 2024 2:52 PM in response to _Olivia_c

Why is that, Lawrence? I thought it was a good idea to turn it fully off at least once a day. Overnight seems like a good time. I keep it near my bed but turned off because I don't want it to ring or vibrate if someone calls in the middle of the night. In an emergency, I'd be reached on my landline. But I also want the mobile handy if I need it for some reason.

Jan 1, 2025 11:32 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

I'd like to thank everyone for all the helpful hints and ideas. I can say that, once I succeeded in restarting the iPhone 16 Pro Max and installing the patch that was waiting, I have not had a single repeat.


My intuition is that there is a timing issue buried in the microcode on the chip that is compensated for by that last patch. Who knows? It might have been a bit hit by a random cosmic ray. I just recall that in my circuit design class (decades ago!) it was devilishly hard to guarantee a clean boot from a powered off state especially when there are billions of circuits on the chip. Propagation delay across the chip can be an issue that is hard to predict. I'll be happy if the repeat rate is below a few times/year.

Jan 1, 2025 11:54 AM in response to Randysea

The issue occurred the first night after purchase. There were a bunch of patches that loaded in quick succession after I got the phone home. There was one more that installed in the morning after I use the emergency startup sequence described above. I don't have a list of installed patches or that the patch actually helped with this issue. It may have been a coincidence. Either way, the issue has not reoccurred. At least now I know how to do a forced startup. The timing of the quick press sequence seems a bit sensitive though. It took me several tries before it worked. Pressing the volume buttons in the right sequence also seems important. Lawrence's advice is accurate. Slow deliberate pressing isn't fast enough, but "Flight of the Bumblebee" is too fast.

Jan 1, 2025 12:40 PM in response to Randysea

Randysea wrote:

Whatever it's called, how do I get what Science Curmudgeon is talking about that fixes the problem?

I should note that I got my iPhone 16 pro directly from Apple less than two weeks ago, as a replacement under AppleCare for the same that I received and broke a few days before.

Did you follow the instructions in the Top Ranking Reply near the top of this page?

Jan 1, 2025 1:46 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

hmmm... I got two updates a few hours apart the same day I got the phone (The first in the store and the second after I got home). After the forced startup the next day, I got one more. (I used the phrase "a bunch" to indicate "several".) I have both "beta updates" and automatic updates enabled. My iPhone now claims to be running 18.1 and is "fully up to date". I have not received the 18.1.1 or 18.2 update yet. Is there a way to expose the version history of the phone?


I suspect that Apple's update process knows the exact configuration of the chipset inside my phone and flows a correct update accordingly. Not all phones are from the same production lot. There may be relevant variations that the update process needs to consider. I also do not know the timing algorithm for updates.


Updating a billion phones across the planet is a complex task and there is more than one way to do it, e.g., the DevOps daily method of near continuous micro updates WebEx uses is the other extreme.


Jan 9, 2025 5:37 AM in response to Randysea

It nothing else works, take the iPhone 16 to an Apple store and use the warranty to replace it. There might be a manufacturing defect on one of the production lines at one of the factories that wasn't caught before phones were shipped to stores. Quality Assurance is a self-correcting filter, but there are occasional escapes. That's when manufacturer warranties help.

Why is my new iPhone 16 not turning on?

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