As leading smartphones go, the iPhone 12 series needs little introduction. Touted for their speed, cameras, and future-ready 5G connectivity, these devices have cemented Apple‘s position at the top of the mobile technology pyramid. However, even the mightiest gadgets occasionally need a hard restart or shutdown to maximize performance.
This guide will equip you to fully power down any iPhone 12 model through step-by-step directions for software menus and hardware buttons. You‘ll also learn professional troubleshooting techniques to revive frozen devices and dig deeper into the benefits behind occasionally turning off your phone completely.
Let‘s commence unraveling the shutdown secrets lurking within that glossy icons-filled interface!
Why Completely Power Down Your iPhone 12?
Before jumping into turn off procedures, let‘s briefly cover scenarios where fully shutting down your iPhone 12 can prove useful:
Resolving software glitches – As stable as iOS is nowadays, the occasional system stall or app crash still arises. Power cycling an unresponsive iPhone essentially functions as a hard reset that can resolve many bugs.
Preserving battery life – Although modern lithium-ion batteries lack "memory" that mandated periodic drain-and-recharge cycles, studies show completely depleting then recharging batteries maximizes lifespan. Powering devices down completely prevents background app activity from slowly draining batteries when idle.
Repairs/maintenance – Rules typically require fully shutting down electronics ahead of hardware repairs, case openings, water damage cleaning, and other maintenance procedures.
Reduce distraction/addiction – Let‘s face it, we‘re addicted to our devices these days, as evidenced by average screen times exceeding 4 hours daily in the US. Powering down forces beneficial timeouts that increase mindfulness, self-awareness, sleep quality, and even spur creativity per various studies.
Now let‘s tackle accessing those out-of-sight shutdown options within iOS settings and the external hardware buttons…
Turning Off Your iPhone 12 Through Settings
If you wish to power down your iPhone 12 through software menus rather than hardware buttons, here is how to access the shutdown settings:
Step 1: Accessing the Settings Menu
Like shutting down a computer through the Start menu in Windows, we begin by launching the Settings app on your Home screen, helpfully denoted by a cog icon:
With a quick tap, you‘re presented the familiar grid of system options:
From notifications to wallpapers, storage to screen time stats, and much more, these settings empower fine-tuning your device‘s preferences.
Our end goal lies in the General settings toward the middle, which houses the shutdown button we seek.
Step 2: Entering the General Settings Section
We tap the General icon to access the meat-and-potatoes settings directly influencing overall system functionality like date/time, auto-lock timing, and keyboard choices:
Continuing our journey down the list, we scroll toward the bottom through software update and background app refresh options until arriving at the…”Shut Down” button!
Step 3: Tapping Shut Down to Power Off the Device
Here lies the fateful Shut Down button we‘ve been seeking! A quick tap displays simple confirmation prompts to either halt the shutdown process or proceed:
Assuming you wish to continue, tap the “Confirm” button to initiate the system shutdown sequence. After 5-10 seconds the screen fades to black, indicating all components have successfully powered down (minus some always-on hardware logic/charging circuitry).
To revival your powered off iPhone 12, simply long-press the lock button until the Apple logo illuminates the display once again.
Thus concludes accessing shutdown mode through iOS settings. But for those seeking to conserve maximum battery juice during longer idle periods, directly powering down from hardware buttons proves most efficient since background apps/services are preempted from trickle draining precious battery reserves.
Turning Off Your iPhone 12 Through Hardware Buttons
Your iPhone sports a couple of exterior buttons intended for basic functions like locking the screen or adjusting volume. However, by combining button presses, you can rapidly access a full system shutdown minus the software navigation. Specifically, you‘ll employ a quick hold of both the Side button and either volume button.
Step 1: Identify the Volume and Side Buttons
The two buttons central to this process reside along the phone‘s edges, with the narrow Side button on the right:
Meanwhile, either of the thicker Volume Up or Down buttons set into the left edge will complete this all-important button combo.
Step 2: Press Both Buttons to Access the Power Slider
With your phone unlocked and the screen active, simultaneously press and continue holding BOTH the Side button and either Volume buttons for approx. 5 seconds until a Power icon slider emerges:
While maintaining pressure on both buttons, use an available digit to swipe the slider to the right, which commences the shutdown sequence.
Step 3: Wait for Complete Shutdown
Keep holding both buttons until the display goes fully black, then release. This should take around 5-10 seconds depending on model. Unlike shutdown through menus which keeps background apps running until the OS halts them, this hard button shutdown cuts power more abruptly.
To revive your dormant iPhone 12 after a button-based shutdown, press and hold the Side button as normal until the Apple logo illuminates the display.
Thus concludes the more battery-efficient button-based shutdown method! But what about situations where your iPhone becomes unresponsive and normal restart procedures fail? Read on for an emergency reboot procedure known as force restarting.
Force Restarting Frozen or Unresponsive iPhone 12 Models
Let‘s shift gears to discuss force restarting iPhone 12 models, sometimes necessary when devices freeze up or become non-responsive to input and fail to restart normally.
Per Apple‘s own support guidance, following symptoms might indicate a force restart is needed:
- Phone freezes with app stuck on-screen
- Device fails to power off when holding Side button
- Failure of a standard reboot to revive your iPhone
So how does one "force restart" an iPhone?
The process involves rapidly pressing the Volume Up > Volume Down > then pressing-and-holding the Side button to coercively reboot the device even if standard methods are unresponsive. Specifically:
- Quickly press then release the Volume Up button
- Quickly press then release the Volume Down button
- Finally, press and continue holding the Side button through the Apple logo
Assuming the process completed successfully, you should see the familiar white-on-black Apple logo as the device reboots normally.
Is data lost from force restarting my iPhone?
Nope! A force restart works essentially like cutting power then restoring it on a computer. No settings, documents, or media are lost in the process. However it will abruptly close all running apps.
Think of force restarting as an emergency reboot option for rare situations where your iPhone 12 enters an unresponsive, frozen state unfixed by standard power cycling.
Additional Benefits of Powering Down Your iPhone
Beyond the obvious benefits of troubleshooting or necessities of equipment repair, intentionally powering your phone off periodically boasts other advantages rooted in productivity, mental health, and overall life balance:
Improved productivity – In an age of constant notifications and distraction, the ping of a new email pulls focus. Several studies have measured significant IQ drops when distracted by phone alerts versus focusing solely on a task. Turning off phones improves productivity.
Life balance – ensuring your entire life doesn‘t revolve around a 5 inch screen proves healthy. By powering down devices completely for blocks of time, you can devote fuller attention to family, friends, hobbies, sports, and more with fewer disruptions.
Reduced anxiety/depression – while correlations don‘t equate to causation, multiple studies link social media usage and screen addictions to rising anxiety and depression in teens. Unplugging from devices forces healthier digital diets.
So don‘t feel guilty about intentionally turning off your iPhone for stretches of time. Balancing physical reality and virtual spaces helps maintain holistic health.
Now let‘s shift gears and cruise through some fast iPhone 12 facts as we wrap up!
Quick iPhone 12 Background & History
Before wrapping up, let‘s highlight some standout specs and knowledge around the iPhone 12 lineup:
How many models constitute the iPhone 12 series?
- 4 Models: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Max
What sizes, displays, and screen technology do the various models use?
| Model | Screen Size | Display Type | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 | 6.1" | OLED | 2532×1170 |
| iPhone 12 Mini | 5.4" | OLED | 2340×1080 |
| iPhone 12 Pro | 6.1” | OLED | 2532×1170 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | 6.7” | OLED | 2778×1284 |
What colors can you buy iPhone 12 models in?
The regular iPhone 12 and Mini are sold in Black, White, Green, Blue, and Product RED. Meanwhile the higher-end Pro editions come in Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Pacific Blue.
How has the iPhone evolved since the original 2007 model?
With each successive iPhone generation, Apple has focused on improved power, battery life, displays, and especially camera technology. While far from exhaustive, this table captures some key areas of innovation across iPhone generations that have kept Apple cemented as the premium mobile brand for over a decade.
| Model | Key New Features |
|---|---|
| iPhone | First full touchscreen smartphone, multi-touch gestures iOS interface |
| iPhone 3G | Support for 3G data networks, GPS, third-party native apps through the App Store |
| iPhone 4 | Retina display with 326 pixels per inch sharpness, FaceTime video calling support |
| iPhone 5 | LTE networking for faster web browsing, wider 4" display with 16:9 aspect ratio |
| iPhone 6/6S | Larger 4.7" & 5.5" screen options, Contactless payments through Apple Pay NFC |
| iPhone X | Nearly bezel-less front with Face ID facial authentication OLED display |
| iPhone 12 | 5G connectivity across all models for faster downloads/web access |
We‘ve come a long way from the original iPhone‘s sloth-like EDGE mobile data and mediocre camera! Today‘s iPhone 12 editions boast blazing fast 5G connectivity and industry-leading mobile photography capabilities – alongside the expected boosts to power and display quality.
While mobile technology keeps evolving rapidly year over year, the essential process to completely shut down an iPhone – whether for troubleshooting frozen devices or periodically unplugging from digital spaces – has thankfully remained straightforward.
Equipped with step-by-step guidance tailored to your iPhone 12‘s model and use case, you now can confidently power these devices both on and fully off. Just be cognizant of leveraging shutdowns judiciously rather than routinely to maximize battery lifespan.
Here‘s to keeping your iPhone 12 primed for years of service! Please drop any lingering questions in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If I force restart my iPhone, will I lose any data or settings?
A: Nope! A force restart is just like cutting power to a computer then restoring it instantly. No files, apps, settings, or other data will be lost in the process. However, unsaved app state could reset.
Q: Why does my iPhone 12 take so long to restart after being powered off for awhile?
A: When dormant for extended stretches with power cut completely, the iPhone has to reload all apps freshly into memory and such on startup. This extra loading time creates a lag you don‘t see during faster reboots between active use sessions.
Q: My iPhone 12 won‘t turn back on after I powered it off. What‘s wrong?
A: If your device doesn‘t power on correctly after shutting down for some time, the battery has likely drained completely. Try connecting your iPhone to a charger for 15-20 minutes even if the screen remains fully black. This jumpstarts enough residual power to reboot the device so you can use it properly while charging the battery to 100%.
Still have lingering questions about properly handling shutdowns/reboots on your iPhone 12? Don‘t hesitate to drop them in the comments section!
