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Published on: 15.05.2023 | updated on: 01.04.2024
Finding that your iPhone 13 won't turn on is stressful. Not only are you unable to access your important files and messages, but also your expensive phone may be in need of major repairs. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to troubleshoot and fix an iPhone 13 that won't turn on, and with our step-by-step approach, you'll be able to get there on your own.
Our first step will be to diagnose the exact root cause of the problem. Is it a depleted battery? Is it a hardware malfunction? Or perhaps it's a software glitch? We'll go over all the methods of figuring this out as our first step.
Next, we will guide you through every way in which your phone can be fixed. Our guide will provide you with comprehensive tips that include some of the most common—and also rare—fixes, such as performing a soft reset or trying out a different charger. More often than not, our guide should be enough to get your phone back up and running.
If, at the end of our guide, your iPhone 13 remains dead, we advise that you turn toward reputable repair professionals. Before you do, make sure to go over every step of our guide on how to fix your iPhone 13.
If your iPhone 13 refuses to turn on, this is usually caused by one, or a combination of, the following issues:
Your charger or charging cable may be malfunctioning
The battery may be depleted or dead
A recent update or a faulty app is causing software glitches
Overheating, water damage, or other physical issues
Some of these problems are difficult to fix at home, but not impossible. Others are entirely fixable without the help of a technician. There are also many more causes behind an iPhone 13 failing to boot, which we will cover in-depth below. For now, here are some solutions that fix the vast majority of iPhone 13 issues:
Try out a different Apple-certified charger and charging cable
Plug the charger into a different outlet
Soft reset the phone by pressing and releasing the Volume Up button, then doing the same with the Volume Down button, and finally, the Side button until the Apple logo appears
If your phone begins charging upon trying a different adapter or outlet, you're all set—the charger was the problem and should be disposed of. If not, the soft reset might help get rid of any software glitches, at which point your phone should turn back on.
It's also possible that this bite-sized version of our guide may not be enough for you to fix your phone, especially if the problem lies deeper. You may be dealing with issues such as a damaged motherboard or a broken charging port. There are a few more things you can try, including cleaning the charging port and performing a hard reset, which we will describe below.
If nothing in this guide helps, your best bet is to reach out to a professional repair service so that your iPhone 13 can be brought back to life by experienced technicians.
At Simply Fixable, we work with skilled technicians who are experienced in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and resolving all types of issues faced by iPhones, including the iPhone 13. Throughout this article, the steps we outline to diagnose and resolve the issue of an iPhone 13 that refuses to boot have been carefully refined based on our experience dealing with this problem over countless different instances. Aside from the expertise of our technicians, the information in this guide has been written and reviewed by expert tech journalists with a background in mobile devices.
To turn your iPhone on, follow the steps outlined below:
Press and hold the side button and the volume button and drag the slider across to the right. The phone will turn off. If the phone doesn't respond when you turn it back on, then follow our troubleshooting problems and solutions below.
The iPhone 13 range, just like most electronics, will sometimes stop working or suffer from a malfunction. The main reasons for this include corrupt software, faulty third-party apps, overheating, a dead battery, or not updating your phone.
Let’s check out some of the situations below to work out why they happen and just what you can do about it.
Let’s check out some of these situations below to work out why they happen and what you can do about it.
The iPhone 13 Pro is similarly built to the iPhone 13, which is why it can suffer from all the same hardware and software problems. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the most common reasons why your iPhone 13 won’t turn on.
One reason your iPhone 13 Pro won’t turn on is due to a software crash. In most cases, the phone will function normally up until the crash, when the screen will go black and won’t power back on.
In most cases, the problem can be fixed with a simple reset of the phone. To do this, follow these steps:
Press and hold the power button along with the volume down button until the power-off slider appears. Slide to turn your phone off and wait for it to shut down properly.
You can also try to force restart the phone if that doesn’t work by quickly pressing and releasing the volume up button, followed by volume down. Next, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
If you just installed an app or game and the phone turned off after launching it, the new software is the most likely culprit. It’s best to delete the app and retry it again. If the problem persists, delete the app altogether.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max delivered a slew of upgrades compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, such as improved battery life or an even better camera. However, just like any iPhone (or smartphone in general), the iPhone 13 Pro Max might sometimes refuse to turn on.
All the models of the 13th generation iPhone, meaning the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max sometimes suffer from the same issue where the phone or the screen won’t turn on. Fortunately, the phones are close enough in architecture that the fixes presented for either model will also apply to the rest of the lineup.
A dead battery could be the cause of your iPhone 13 Pro Max refusing to turn on.
You might have forgotten to charge your phone, and it’s completely dead. If that’s the case, a simple charge will fix the problem.
If your iPhone 13 won’t turn on after charging overnight, the charger could be the problem. Inspect the cord for damage and replace it if it’s in bad shape.
Ensure you charge your phone when the battery is low, and always inspect the charging cord and the charger for any damage or wear and tear.
We recommend using an Apple charger instead of aftermarket solutions, as some third-party chargers do not charge properly and can wreck your battery.
Note: To make things simple, weI will only refer to the iPhone 13 instead of referring to each model separately, i.e. iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Max. Unless mentioned otherwise, every problem and fix can apply to all three models of 13th-generation iPhones.
More often than not, the iPhone 13 fails to turn on because of a dead battery. Even if you think you’ve charged your phone, the cable may have been improperly plugged in, the charger may have malfunctioned, or there may have been a software glitch that prevented the charge.
Plug in the iPhone 13 charger and let the phone charge for about 15-20 minutes before you try to turn 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 life of your iPhone 13. As such, when the battery drops to 20%, make sure to charge your iPhone 13 as soon as possible, and avoid charging it to full unless necessary.
Fix 2: Inspect the Lightning cable and the charger
If you plug your phone in and it’s still not charging, the Lightning cable or the port may be the problem. To verify if the charger is working correctly, connect it to any other iPhone you may have access to.
If the charger is not working on the other iPhone, replace it with a new genuine Apple charger and Lightning cable.
Tip: Fast chargers generate more heat than slower chargers, so if you can afford the slow charge, use a 5-watt adapter from Apple. However, a 25W or 35W charger should be perfectly safe if it’s not broken.
If the iPhone 13 is not charging and turning on, the charging port might be damaged. To check the charging port, visually inspect it 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 can be hard to verify if the charging port is really damaged. So, if you have doubts, take your iPhone to an Apple Store or an authorized repair shop. Alternatively, you can save money on the charging port replacement by following our DIY charging port replacement guide.
Keep your iPhone 13 battery healthy by charging your phone when it’s at anywhere between 20% and 80%. Try not to leave your phone charging overnight too often as that will make it heat up unnecessarily and may affect the battery’s longevity.
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 issues, firmware problems, or application failure. Here’s how you can fix it.
Here’s what you need to do to force restart the iPhone 13.
For this method to work, you will need a Mac or a Windows computer.
It’s important only to download apps with good ratings and delete ones that don't work properly as soon as possible. Don’t make changes to the firmware unless you’re confident in what you’re doing, as this can cause a black screen Lastly, avoid jailbreaking the phone, as it can cause it to malfunction and die.
Sometimes corrupt apps can cause the iPhone 13 to shut down and refuse to turn back on.
Fix: Delete the Corrupt Apps 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 apps on the App Store have to follow Apple’s strict regulations, so they should be safe to download. Check the reviews if you want to be extra sure.
A corrupt firmware can make your entire iPhone malfunction. To fix a firmware crash, you will need to restore the iPhone, which will result in data loss. Fortunately, if you use iCloud for data storage, you can retrieve it after completing this process.
Fix: DFU Restore the iPhone 13
While it’s hard to prevent corrupt firmware, it’s easy to make it less of a hassle. To avoid data loss, always back up your iPhone data on iCloud. Set up automatic backups to make sure you never lose anything important.
Overheating can damage the insides of your iPhone, but the phone has a safety mechanic that prevents any serious damage: it turns itself off when the temperature is too high.
In most cases, 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 it cool off. Once the temperature is back to normal, try to turn it back on again.
The safe ambient temperature for an iPhone is 32°F to 95°F. Below that or over that, refrain from using your phone for prolonged periods. Hardware-intensive tasks can also heat up the phone, so avoid doing things like streaming, gaming, or recording videos for too long.
Sometimes, you might face an issue with your iPhone 13 where the screen gets stuck or frozen on the black screen of death and won't turn on.
If your iPhone 13 went black and won't turn on, this can happen due to a temporary glitch in the iOS. The battery might also be depleted.
Force restarting your iPhone can fix the temporary software glitch and get the iPhone 13 screen out of the stuck state.
To do this, press the volume up button on your iPhone 13 and release it immediately. Next, do this with the volume down button and then press the side button till the Apple logo pops up on the screen.
If the problem persists, charge your iPhone 13 for 10 minutes and do a force restart while it’s still connected to the charger.
Most times, you can’t prevent it–it’s a glitch in the system and it can happen, and a simple reset should fix the problem.
It’s a good idea to restart your phone once every week or so to flush out the system and get rid of any possible glitches. In addition, don’t forget to download regular updates from Apple.
Have you deliberately turned off your iPhone, and now, it refuses to turn back on ? You’re not alone in this problem, and there are many ways to fix it.
The most common causes of an iPhone 13 that won’t turn on include low battery, software glitches, overheating, or hardware problems.
Start by charging your iPhone 13 for up to 1 hour. If that doesn’t work, the iOS may need to be updated or restored. Here’s how you can update it.
Always keep your phone updated to the latest version of iOS. Go through your phone and remove files, apps, and games that you no longer need. If any apps tend to malfunction, it’s better to uninstall them.
Overheating can cause your phone to shut down in order to protect the components from any more serious damage. At that point, you may be unable to turn your phone back on.
If your iPhone is hot to the touch and won’t turn on, this can happen when you use it in a hot environment or run too many resource-heavy apps, making the hardware work hard to keep up.
The best way to turn on an overheated iPhone 13 is to remove the phone case if you’re using one, take the device away from direct sunlight, and let it cool off. You can place a fan next to it to speed up this process.
Once it turns back on, prevent this from happening again by reducing screen brightness, avoiding using the phone in hot areas, and limiting resource-intensive app usage.
There are a few things you can do here to prevent the problem from happening again. The first one is to buy a proper Apple iPhone case that has proper ventilation. Third-party covers can be made of the wrong material, which can cause the phone to overheat. Avoid using the phone when it is charging or when it is installing an app or syncing photos. If too many things are going on in the background, the phone has to work harder, and you risk overheating it.
A few users run into a seemingly strange issue where their iPhone 13 won’t turn on after charging overnight.
If your iPhone won’t turn on after you’ve charged it for the whole night, the lightning cable, power adapter, charging port, or battery could be faulty.
Here’s what you can do to turn your phone back on after it’s been charging for several hours.
To turn your iPhone on after charging, press the power button for at least 30 seconds. If that doesn't help, you can try to clean the charging port with a microfibre cloth or compressed air, but be careful not to use too much of it. Let your phone dry after using compressed air before you try to turn it back on.
Another possibility is that your iPhone 13 Lightning cable, adapter, or battery is faulty and needs replacing. If you’re using aftermarket solutions, buy an original Apple charger and adapter and try those out.
If that doesn’t help, the battery may be dying, so your best bet is to take the device to an Apple Store or an authorized repair shop to get it fixed.
Avoid charging your battery past 80%, as this can drastically shorten the battery life. Always use an official Apple charger as third-party solutions can cause the battery to overheat and malfunction. Keep your phone clean and consider using a case to protect it from dust and debris.
When your iPhone 13 turns off for seemingly no reason at all, it can be confusing and frustrating. Here’s what you can do about it.
Most of the time, this comes down to a depleted battery, overheating, or software issues.
First, let your iPhone 13 cool down before and use an official Apple adapter to charge the battery completely to rule out any battery-related problems.
If that fails follow our steps for updating the phone via a Mac or a Windows PC, outlined above. That should get rid of any potential software glitches.
Assuming none of this helps, contact an experienced professional. You may need to have the battery in your iPhone replaced, or perhaps another hardware problem could be causing these issues.
First of all, don't place the phone in highly humid areas or in direct sunlight to prevent overheating. You also want to avoid using the phone when it is charging and keep it up to date to keep it running smoothly.
iOS updates come with many features, but some users have reported that their iPhone 13 won't turn on after downloading the latest iOS patch.
Corrupted firmware files or a system crash can lead your iPhone not to turn on after the update.
If your iPhone 13 won't turn on after a firmware update, enter the Recovery mode to restore or update the software. We’ve outlined all the steps for you above.
Note: You can also force restart your iPhone to recover it from a system crash. Do this by pressing and letting go of the volume up button, then volume down, and then holding the side button until the phone restarts itself.
Make sure to stay on top of all updates and download them whenever they’re available. Sometimes, a glitch may slip in with an update, but in those cases, you usually just need to wait for Apple to get it fixed. Updating via iTunes is one way to prevent the phone from shutting off.
It can be concerning when you try to turn off your iPhone 13 after a hard reset, but it won’t seem to power off.
Faulty hardware or minor software glitches can cause your iPhone 13 not to turn off even with a hard reset.
To make your iPhone 13 turn off after an unsuccessful hard reset, go to Settings > General, and then select Shut Down. Drag the power off slider and see if your phone turns off.
If not, there could be a problem with the hardware, such as the side button. Take your device to a professional iPhone repair shop to have the technicians inspect it for you.
Preventing This Problem
Keeping your phone in good shape should help you avoid this problem. Don’t tweak any major settings unless you know what you’re doing; avoid downloading apps from untrustworthy sources, and keep your phone charged.
Sometimes, your iPhone may refuse to turn on and won’t even charge. While it can be a problematic experience, you can quickly resolve this issue with a few simple hacks
The main reason behind this is a dead battery. Other times it can be a software glitch or a malfunction somewhere in the system.
The first thing to do is to clean out the charger port and ensure no dirt is stopping it from reaching the charging cable. Next, try a new Lighting cable and adapter .
If that fixes the problem, just let your phone charge up to full and enjoy. If not, perform a hard reset (as outlined above, as that should flush out any software glitches.
Check the charging port for dirt every time you plug your phone in to charge, as plugging the cable into a dirty port can push the dust further in.
It’s a good idea to replace your charger every so often, at most once every two years, to ensure it’s in top shape. Don’t forget to also reset your phone every few weeks to clear out any active apps and processes.
The iPhone 13 mini is a significantly smaller version of the iPhone 13, making it a perfect pick for smaller hands. It has reduced specifications, though, and may run into the same problems as all the other iPhones do.
Water damage can make it impossible for your phone to start up. When water or moisture get into the components of the phone, it can lead to corrosion and hardware issues.
If your phone has suffered water damage, you may be able to salvage the situation if you catch it early enough. Try drying the phone out using a hair dryer–making sure to not let it heat the phone up too much. Alternatively, putting it in a bowl of rice can help remove some of the water. However, unfortunately in most cases, water damage can cause serious damage and your iPhone mini will likely need to be replaced by an authorized Apple technician.
If you’re often around water or extremely humid environments, it’s worth keeping your iPhone in a waterproof case at all times. In general, however, it’s best to keep your phone away from such settings. Additionally, avoid exposing it to direct sunlight, as prolonged exposure can damage the phone.
If your iPhone has crashed, there are a few things you can do to try and address the problem before you send your phone to Apple or a third-part store for repairs.
Most commonly, iPhone 13s crashing and not turning back on are caused by the following two issues:
Either of the above cases can cause your iPhone 13 to fail to start up and operate normally.
The best way to fix a dead battery is to charge it for about an hour, and then try to start up your iPhone. Check its side buttons to make sure there isn’t any debris lodged underneath them, preventing them from working. If you discover the button is indeed being obstructed by a piece of debris, try carefully dislodging it with a fine implement like a toothpick.
The buttons on the side of your phone are used for its sleep and power functions. When these buttons aren’t functioning correctly, the phone may refuse to turn on. To prevent debris from making its way into the crevices around these buttons, make an effort to store your phone in a cover or case at all times.
You might have encountered an issue where your iPhone 13 refuses to turn on. Having attempted pressing every button on your device to no avail, it’s time to look for alternate solutions. . Let’s take a look at what may be causing this issue.
Certain apps may cause issues with your device’s operating system. This tends to happen more often with outdated apps and jailbroken iPhones–however it can happen with legitimate firmware and up-to-date apps, too. When this happens, this friction between your device’s iOS and the faulty application can cause your phone’s screen to go black and remain that way.
Perform a hard reset on your phone. If you’re able to boot it up, navigate to your app store and delete your most recently installed apps. If you have any updates available, download and install them.
Oftentimes, third-party apps and jailbroken phones can increase the likelihood of an iPhone 13 running into a situation where it won’t turn back in.
A good way to avoid this situation is to avoid jailbroken phones, and to only download verified applications from the App Store. In general, try keeping your apps up to date, and avoid using outdated apps.
Occasionally, your phone’s screen might appear black and ostensibly off. However, the phone may actually be on, albeit with certain settings causing the screen to remain off. Let’s take a look at some of the settings that may be causing this.
Sometimes, when the screen goes black, it may be a result of your device’s settings to auto-lock, or timeout its display to a black screen.
Typically, this setting is turned off by default. However, if you're unfamiliar with iPhones, you may have accidentally activated this feature without noticing.
Luckily if this is the problem, there is an easy fix.
All you need to do is go to the settings, adjust the screen time-out, and auto-lock in the display and brightness section. Restart your phone after changing settings so the phone can start fresh with the new settings.
There is really no prevention to this problem. If it happens again, you may have accidentally changed the settings and not realized. Keep your phone locked to avoid changing settings when the phone is floating around your pocket or handbag.
The best way to prevent your iPhone from turning off and failing to turn back on is to look after it as best you can.
Always put a heavy-duty cover on the screen so the screen doesn't shatter when you drop it
If Apple’s repair costs are prohibitively expensive for you, consider opting instead for a reputable third-party store that offers affordable iPhone 13 repair costs.
Model name |
Simply Fixable iPhone repair cost |
Apple iPhone repair cost |
$120 |
$272 |
|
$115 |
$239 |
|
$162 |
$305 |
|
$176 |
$339 |
Table 1. iPhone 13 repair cost per model
*Data in the given table is based on Simply Fixable's market research and the official Apple website
Your iPhone 13 not turning on can easily catch you off-guard, especially if it worked perfectly the last time you used it. However, by following the various fixes we’ve outlined 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.
Reviewed by Monica J. White
Linkedin: Monica J.White
Expertise: Technology, PC Hardware, Software, Gaming
Monica is a journalist with a lifelong interest in technology. Monica attended King's College London and obtained her bachelor's degree in English Language and Linguistics. She then went on to get a master's at that same university, this time focusing on Global Media Industries. She first started writing over ten years ago and has made a career out of it, with a special focus on PCs and mobile devices. She enjoys the challenge of explaining complex topics to a broader audience, whether it's how semiconductors work or how to troubleshoot a tablet. Her work has previously appeared in Digital Trends, Tom's Hardware, Pay.com, SlashGear, Forbes, Springboard, Looper, Money, WePC, and more.
Professional Content Creator
LinkedIn: Hollie Spooner
Hollie is a technical writer with over 15 years of experience specializing in creating content to help keep the rest of the world informed and updated on all tech-related subjects. Hollie has created content for many writing platforms in the tech and IT industry, and her passion for turning words into helpful articles is still growing. Hollie holds several certifications, like "Professional Article and Blog Writing", "Writing Editing and Publishing", "Creative Writing" and "Technology Digital Solutions" by Open Education and Thompsons Education Direct. When she isn’t creating content for the web, she is enjoying a crazy life with her family and friends.
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