What does the article cover?

This article highlights the five reasons why the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro MAX fail to turn on. A total of eight fixes are covered with a step-by-step guide on each, so users can get their iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro MAX to turn on in no time. 

Key Takeaways

• The iPhone 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro MAX can randomly fail to turn on due to multiple reasons. 
• The five main reasons for this issue are a dead battery, black screen of death, corrupt application or firmware, and overheating. 
• This issue is not always a hardware fault and can be diagnosed and fixed.
• The main fixes are charging the iPhone 13, inspecting the lighting port, charger, and the charging port, force restarting the iPhone, using recovering mode and iTunes, DFU restoring the firmware, and lowering the temperature. 

Not being able to turn on the iPhone 13 can get very annoying. Perhaps you want to answer an important call or have a crucial message requiring immediate attention. Either way, having a running and functioning iPhone 13 is very important. 

If your iPhone is not turning on, don’t lose hope because, more often than not, this issue can be resolved by simple fixes. In this article, we present to you simple fixes to get iPhone 13 to turn on. 

So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it. 

iPhone 13 won't turn on

The iPhone 13 became an instant hit when it launched. It provided a similar feel and experience to the more expensive Pro and the Pro MAX model because not many features were missing in the iPhone 13. 

Despite being a great phone, the iPhone 13 is prone to screen failure. Oftentimes, it just fails to turn on for no apparent reason. When it does happen, it is quite frustrating, but later in the article, we will see some fixes for this issue. 

iPhone 13 Pro won't turn on

The iPhone 13 is not the only phone in the lineup with boot-up issues. This problem also plagues the iPhone 13 Pro. It too, like the iPhone 13, sometimes fails to turn on. There are multiple problems causing this issue which we will take a look at further in the article and also highlight the possible fixes for each problem. 

iPhone 13 Pro MAX won't turn on

The iPhone 13 Pro MAX was leaps and bounds in terms of performance and features compared to the iPhone 12 Pro MAX. The new features mean new problems which are not been experienced before. One such problem is the iPhone 13 Pro MAX failing to turn on at random times. Much like other iPhone 13 models, the iPhone 13 Pro MAX also suffers from this issue. 

All the models - the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro MAX show the same signs of the screen not turning on. Therefore, they all are closely related. So, all the reasons and the fixes we will talk about next apply to all models in the iPhone 13 lineup. 

How to Fix an iPhone 13, 13 Pro, and 13 PRO MAX that won’t turn on.

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Note: To make things simple, I will be only using the iPhone 13 name. So where ever you see the iPhone 13 name in the proceeding text, you should know that I am talking about all three models - the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro MAX. I will specify if a certain step only works for the Pro model and not the non-pro variant of the iPhone 13. 

Problem 1: Dead battery 

More often than not, the iPhone 13 fails to turn on because of a dead battery. You think you have charged the iPhone 13 overnight, but sometimes the lightning cable is not properly plugged in, or the phone does not charge for whatever reason. 

Fix 1: Charge the phone

Plug the iPhone 13 into the charger and let the phone charge for about 15-20 mins before you try turning it on. 

Always use the original Apple-supplied lightning cable and adapter to charge the iPhone. If you want to avoid having a dead battery, make it a habit to charge the iPhone when it drops below 20%. 

Tip: By keeping the battery between 20% and 80%, you can prolong the battery health of your iPhone 13. So, when the battery drops to 20%, make sure to charge your iPhone 13 as soon as possible. 

Fix 2: Inspect the lightning cable and the charger

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If the iPhone 13 is not displaying the charging screen, maybe something is wrong with the charger and the lightning cable. To verify if the charging and the lightning are working correctly, plug the charger into any other iPhone you may have. 

If you don’t have access to a second iPhone, borrow the iPhone from a friend or a colleague. If the charger is not working on the other iPhone, replace it with a new genuine Apple charger and lightning cable. 

Tip: Fast chargers are more fragile than 5W chargers. Fast charging can also damage battery health. If you can afford the slow charging speed, get a 5W Apple charger for your iPhone 13. 

Fix 3: Inspect the charging port 

If the iPhone 13 is not charging and turning on, maybe the charging port is damaged. To check the charging port, visually inspect the port to see if there are any bent or broken pins. Scratches along the side of the port can also indicate damage. 

That being said, without opening the iPhone 13, it is hard to verify if the charging port is really damaged. So, if you have doubts, take your iPhone to an Apple store or a repair shop. Or you can save money on the charging port replacement by following our DIY charging port replacement guide. 

Problem 2: Black screen of death

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The black screen of death is a unique state in which the iPhone screen does not turn on. The black screen of death in iPhone 13 is typically caused by battery, firmware, or application failure. Here’s how you can fix it. 

Fix 1: Force Restart the iPhone 13

Here’s what you need to do to force restart the iPhone 13. 

• Tap and release the volume up button. 
• Tap and release the volume down button.
• Press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo on the screen. 
• Release the power button when you see the Apple logo and let the iPhone boot up. 

Fix 2: Fix the iPhone 13 using iTunes

For this method to work, you will need a Mac or a windows computer. 

• Connect your iPhone 13 to the Mac or a computer. 
• Open the Finder if you are on macOS Catalina or newer and iTunes if you are on macOS Mojave or earlier. On Windows, you will only find the iTunes folder. 
• While your iPhone 13 is connected to the Mac or computer, tap and release the volume up button followed by the volume down button. Finally, press and hold the power button until you see the recovery screen. 
• Select the update option and follow the on-screen instructions until the process is fully completed. 

Problem 3: Corrupt Applications 

Sometimes corrupt applications can cause the iPhone 13 to shut down and not turn on.

Fix: Delete the Corrupt Applications from your iPhone 13

To solve this issue, force restart the iPhone using the above listed method and then delete the application causing the issue. 

Tip: Only download applications from the App store and do not use third-party sources. All applications on the App Store have strict checks and balances, so it is highly unlikely that you will find a corrupt application on the App store. 

Problem 4: Corrupt Firmware

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A corrupt firmware results in the entire software of the iPhone malfunctioning. To fix a firmware crash, you will need to restore the iPhone, which will result in data loss. If you have stored all your data on iCloud, you can retrieve it after completing this process. 

Fix: DFU restore the iPhone 13 

• Connect the iPhone to the Mac or computer.
• Open the iTunes folder if you are on macOS Mojave or earlier and Windows. Alternatively, open the Finder if you are on macOS Catalina or newer.
• Tap and release the volume up button on the iPhone.
• Tap and release the volume down button on the iPhone.
• Press and hold the power button until you see the recovery screen on the iPhone. 
• On the Mac or computer screen, select the restore option. 
• Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process. 

Tip: To avoid data loss, always back up your iPhone data on iCloud. Set up automatic backups so your iPhone can automatically save data without you having to worry.

Problem 5: Overheating 

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Overheating is very bad for the iPhone 13 as it can damage the sensitive electronics of the phone. To save its electronics from overheating, the iPhone 13 has a mechanism where it shuts off the phone if the temperatures exceed a certain safe threshold. 

Fix: Let the iPhone cool off.

In most situations, the iPhone will display a high-temperature error message if it overheats. However, if your iPhone is hot to the touch and not turning on, let the phone cool off. Let the iPhone rest, and do not try turning it on repeatedly. Once the phone has cooled off, you can try turning it back on again. 

Tip: The safe ambient temperature for an iPhone is 32°F to 95°F. If you are using the iPhone 13 where temperatures are below 32°F or above 95°F, refrain from using the phone continuously for more than one hour. In general, you should not continuously use the phone for more than two hours for hardware-intensive tasks like gaming or video recording. 

Conclusion 

iPhone 13 not turning on can catch you off-guard, especially if the phone worked perfectly the last time you used it. However, with all the different fixes we have provided you in this article, you can easily solve this issue and get your iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro MAX up and running in no time. 

 

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