How To Turn Off An iPhone 13 | Power Down Without Hassle

Turning off an iPhone 13 sounds basic, right up until you’re staring at a screen that won’t cooperate, a button that feels unresponsive, or a phone that’s hot and draining fast. A clean power-off can fix small glitches, reset finicky connections, and give you a fresh start before troubleshooting anything else.

This walkthrough covers every reliable way to power down an iPhone 13, plus what to do when the normal method won’t work. You’ll get clear steps, what you should see on-screen, and a few quick checks to avoid common mistakes (like triggering Emergency SOS by accident).

How To Turn Off An iPhone 13: Every Method That Works

The iPhone 13 uses a button combo for the standard shutdown screen. Once you know the timing, it’s a repeatable move you can do with one hand.

Method 1: Use The Buttons (Standard Power Off)

1. Press and hold the Side button (right side) and either Volume button (left side) at the same time.
2. Keep holding until the power screen appears.
3. Drag slide to power off to the right.
4. Wait for the screen to go fully black.

If your phone asks for your passcode again after it turns back on later, that’s normal. A full power-off clears Face ID until your passcode is entered once.

What You Should See On The Screen

When the combo is recognized, the display shows a power slider at the top, plus other sliders. If you don’t see that screen, release the buttons and try again with a slightly longer press.

A Quick Note About The Wrong Buttons

If you press only the Side button, your iPhone 13 won’t show the shutdown slider. A short press wakes or sleeps the screen. A long press on its own is used for Siri, depending on your settings.

When Turning Off Helps (And When It Won’t)

A power-off is worth trying when your phone feels sluggish, an app is stuck, audio is acting weird, Bluetooth is glitchy, or the touch screen is delayed. It’s also a clean step before deeper troubleshooting, since it ends background processes that can get tangled after long uptimes.

What a normal power-off won’t fix: a broken display, water damage, a failed battery, or a hard crash where the phone can’t respond at all. For those, you may need a force restart, charging time, or repair.

Turn Off From Settings (No Button Combo Needed)

If buttons are hard to use or you just prefer an on-screen route, iOS includes a shutdown option inside Settings.

Method 2: Power Off From Settings

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down and tap Shut Down.
4. Drag slide to power off to the right.

This method is handy when a case makes button presses awkward, or when you’re dealing with a Side button that doesn’t click well.

Use AssistiveTouch To Turn Off (Great For Sticky Buttons)

AssistiveTouch adds a floating on-screen button that can open a menu with device controls. It’s useful if a hardware button is unreliable.

Method 3: Turn Off With AssistiveTouch

1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Touch.
2. Tap AssistiveTouch and switch it On.
3. Tap the floating AssistiveTouch button.
4. Tap Device, then press and hold Lock Screen.
5. When the power slider appears, drag slide to power off.

Once you’re done, you can leave AssistiveTouch on or turn it off. If you keep it on, you can move the floating button to an edge so it stays out of the way.

Common Shutdown Scenarios And The Best Method

Different situations call for different shutdown paths. This table picks the cleanest option based on what your phone is doing right now.

Situation	Best Shutdown Method	What To Watch For
Everything works normally	Buttons (Side + Volume)	Power slider appears within a couple seconds
Buttons feel stiff or hard to press	Settings → General → Shut Down	Slider shows without touching hardware buttons
Side button works, Volume button feels weak	Settings shutdown	More reliable than forcing a shaky press
Touch screen works, buttons don’t	AssistiveTouch (press-hold Lock Screen)	Hold action triggers the slider
Phone is laggy but still responds	Buttons or Settings shutdown	Give it time to draw the slider
App is frozen, Home screen still works	Close the app first, then shut down	Swipe up to app switcher, then power off
Screen won’t respond at all	Force restart (not a normal power off)	Apple logo appears after the button sequence
Phone is hot and draining fast	Buttons shutdown, then let it cool	Remove from charging and stop heavy apps first
You want to store the phone for a while	Buttons shutdown after charging to mid-range	Avoid storing at 0% for long periods

What To Do When The Screen Is Frozen

If the display won’t react to taps or swipes, the shutdown slider may be impossible to reach. In that case, use a force restart. A force restart is not the same as a normal power-off, yet it often brings a stuck iPhone 13 back to life.

Force Restart Steps For iPhone 13

1. Press and release Volume Up.
2. Press and release Volume Down.
3. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, then release.

You may need to hold the Side button longer than you expect. Keep holding through any on-screen prompts until the Apple logo shows up.

If you want Apple’s official wording for this sequence, it’s laid out on “Force restart iPhone” (the steps match iPhone 13).

Why Your iPhone 13 Won’t Turn Off (And Quick Fixes)

When the power screen won’t appear, the reason is often simple: the wrong buttons, a press that’s too short, or an iOS setting that changes what a long press does.

Check Your Grip And Timing

• Press both buttons together. If one button is pressed first and the other lags, the phone might treat it as separate actions.
• Hold a bit longer. Release only after the power slider is visible.
• Try the other Volume button. Either one works, so use the one that clicks cleanly.

Remove A Tight Case For One Test

Some cases make it feel like you’re pressing the buttons when you’re not. Pop the case off once, do the shutdown combo, then put it back on.

If The Phone Is Plugged In

You can still power off while charging, yet if your phone is acting strange while on a flaky cable or port, unplug it first. Then try the shutdown again. If the phone refuses to respond, try the force restart sequence above.

Power Off vs Restart vs Sleep

These three actions sound similar, yet they behave differently.

Sleep (Screen Off)

A quick Side button press turns the screen off and locks the phone. The iPhone stays on. Background tasks can still run.

Restart

A restart turns the phone off and back on in one flow. You can restart from the power slider screen, or turn it off, then turn it back on yourself.

Power Off

A power-off fully shuts the device down. No calls, no alerts, no background syncing. It’s useful when you need a clean reset or you’re putting the phone away.

How To Turn The iPhone 13 Back On After Shutdown

Once the screen is fully black, turning it back on is simple.

1. Press and hold the Side button.
2. Release when the Apple logo appears.
3. Enter your passcode when prompted.

If nothing happens, plug the phone into power for a while, then try again. A drained battery can look like a dead phone.

Shutdown Tips That Prevent Headaches

These small habits make powering down smoother and reduce the odds of accidental SOS triggers or stuck buttons.

Avoid Triggering Emergency SOS

Depending on your settings, holding the Side button with a Volume button for too long can begin an SOS flow. If you see a countdown, stop, release the buttons, and start over with a shorter hold. You want the shutdown slider screen, not the countdown.

Close A Misbehaving App First

If one app is the source of the problem and your phone still responds, close the app before shutting down:

1. Swipe up from the bottom and pause to open the app switcher.
2. Swipe the problem app up and off the screen.
3. Then do the normal shutdown method.

Use Settings Shutdown When Buttons Are Touchy

If a button double-clicks or feels uneven, the Settings shutdown avoids extra presses and keeps things calm.

Troubleshooting Map: What You See And What To Do Next

If you’re stuck in a loop where the slider won’t show, or the phone won’t come back on, work through this in order. Each step is chosen to change one variable at a time, so you can tell what fixed it.

What You’re Seeing	Try This	Next Step If It Fails
Pressing Side button alone does nothing	Use Side + either Volume	Use Settings → General → Shut Down
Power slider flashes then disappears	Hold buttons until the slider stays	Remove case and retry
Touch screen works, buttons don’t	Enable AssistiveTouch and press-hold Lock Screen	Use Settings shutdown
Screen is frozen, no slider	Force restart (Volume Up, Volume Down, hold Side)	Charge for 20–30 minutes, then try force restart again
Phone turns off, won’t turn back on	Charge with a known-good cable and adapter	Try a different outlet, then press-hold Side
Phone gets hot during use	Power off, remove from charging, let it cool	Restart after it cools, then check for heavy apps
Buttons feel stuck or mushy	Use Settings shutdown for now	Plan a hardware check if it keeps getting worse
Shutdown works, yet glitches return fast	Update iOS and restart again	Back up and reset settings if needed

One Clean Checklist Before You Put The Phone Away

If you’re powering down before travel, storage, or a long break from the device, this quick list helps you avoid the “why is my phone dead?” moment later.

• Charge to a mid-range level if you won’t use it for a while.
• Turn on Airplane Mode if you plan to keep it on but idle.
• Power off using the buttons or Settings, then confirm the screen is fully black.
• Keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct heat sources.
• When you turn it back on, enter your passcode first to re-enable Face ID.

One Last Option If You Want Apple’s Official Steps

If you’d rather follow Apple’s own wording for powering off, they maintain a step-by-step page that matches iPhone 13 controls. You can reference “Turn off and restart iPhone” for the current instructions across iOS versions.

Between the button combo, the Settings shutdown, and AssistiveTouch, you’ve got a method that works even when one path is blocked. If your iPhone still won’t respond after charging and a force restart, that points to a deeper hardware or system issue that needs hands-on service.