iPhone Keeps Shutting Down Unexpectedly? 9 Ways to Fix it

Does your iPhone unexpectedly shut down? It’s an incredibly frustrating problem, but these troubleshooting steps should resolve the issue.

Your iPhone keeps shutting down, and you don’t know why. You’ve tried resetting it, but that doesn’t seem to work. You’ve also tried charging it, but it still won’t stay on for more than a few minutes. There’s no physical damage to the iPhone, and you’ve not interfered with any of the settings. So, what’s going on?

Don’t panic. In this article I’ll explain why your iPhone keeps shutting down and show you how to fix the problem.

Why Does Your iPhone Keep Shutting Down?

Before troubleshooting, it’s important to understand the cause of the issue. Why does your iPhone keep shutting down even when there is still power left in the battery? There are a few possible reasons behind it:

• A software glitch is causing your iPhone to shut down unexpectedly.
• Your iPhone’s battery is either too hot or severely damaged and needs to be replaced.
• Your iPhone is experiencing a hardware problem, such as with the logic board or another internal component.
• There is a rogue app that is incompatible with your iPhone.

Here are some troubleshooting steps you can follow to narrow down the problem.

How to fix an iPhone that keeps shutting down

1. Check Your iPhone’s Battery Health

The first thing you should do when your iPhone keeps shutting down is to check its battery health. iPhones have high-capacity batteries that can last for years. However, the battery does degrade over time, causing it to drain faster and eventually die.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select Battery.
3. Tap Battery health.

If the battery health is below 80%, the battery isn’t performing optimally, and you should consider replacing it.

2. Power Cycle Your iPhone

If your iPhone gets too hot, it’s a sign that the device is overworking or the battery is faulty. An overheated iPhone can then shut down unexpectedly. Either way, you should power cycle your iPhone. This will help determine if the issue lies with the battery or software.

So, follow these steps to power cycle your iPhone:

1. Disconnect the iPhone from any power source.
2. Press and hold the Side button and either of the volume buttons for three seconds.
3. Drag the slider to power off your iPhone.
4. Give at least five minutes for your iPhone to cool down.
5. Press and hold the Side button again until you see the Apple logo.

If your iPhone still doesn’t turn on, connect it to a power source and try again.

If the issue persists, then it’s the software that’s at fault. Work through the remaining fixes below to deal with the problem.

3. Force Restart Your iPhone

Force restart your iPhone if the screen is black or the buttons aren’t responding. To do that:

1. Press and hold the Home and power button until the Apple logo appears.
2. Release both buttons.

Wait while your iPhone reboots.
If you’re using an iPhone without the Home button, here’s what you need to do:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.

4. Update iOS to Its Latest Version

Make sure you have the latest version of iOS installed on your phone since a software glitch might be causing the iPhone to shut down randomly.

To check for updates, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Select Software Update.
4. If there’s an update available, tap download & install.

Make sure you have a stable internet connection before you begin the update process.

5. Update Apps and Delete Rogue Ones

There may be a rogue app that is causing your iPhone to shut down randomly. Normally, if this is the case, your iPhone will likely shut down when using the app. Solve this problem by deleting this app.

To delete an app on the iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Hold down on the app icon until it starts wiggling.
2. Tap the minus sign at the corner of the app icon.
3. Once the app is gone, restart your iPhone to see if the problem persists.

If you have many apps, it’s also a good idea to update them all. Newer versions often fix old bugs that could be causing your iPhone to shut down randomly. To do that, follow the steps below:

1. Open the App Store and tap your profile icon at the top right of the screen.
2. Under available updates, tap Update All.

If you have automatic updates turned on, your apps will update automatically, and you won’t have to do this manually.

6. Clear Unnecessary Storage on the iPhone

Insufficient storage is one of the most common reasons your iPhone keeps shutting down randomly. Decluttering your iPhone regularly helps ensure it doesn’t run out of space and shut down unexpectedly.

To clear your iPhone’s storage, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Select iPhone Storage.
4. Wait for a list of apps and their storage amounts to populate.
5. Tap on an app, and tap Offload App to remove the app while keeping its documents and data intact (ideal if you plan to reinstall the app again) or select Delete App to delete all app data.

Depending on the app, you may also see additional storage management options, such as the ability to delete individual files—for example, TV show episodes.
Now that you’ve cleared storage on your iPhone, it should stay up and run longer without having to shut down unexpectedly.

7. Reset Your iPhone Settings

You may have unknowingly changed a setting that is causing your iPhone to turn off all if a sudden. To see if this is the case, you must reset all settings on your iPhone. This will not delete any of your data but will reset all settings to their factory defaults.

To reset all settings on your iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Reset.
5. Tap Reset All Settings.
6. Type in your passcode when prompted and confirm you want to reset your settings.

8. Factory Reset Your iPhone

Unlike resetting all settings, this option erases everything stored on your iPhone, including your apps, photos, videos, and music. This is effectively the same as restoring your iPhone to its factory default condition.

Therefore, it’s crucial you back up your iPhone before you proceed. By doing so, you can restore your data to the iPhone after performing a factory reset.

To perform a factory reset on your iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Type in your passcode and follow the onscreen prompts to reset the device.

9. Visit an Apple Store

If your iPhone still keeps shutting down unexpectedly, it’s time to visit the Apple Store and have an expert technician take a look at your phone. They’ll help you resolve any hardware or software issues that might be causing your iPhone to turn off unexpectedly.

That said, remember to make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar beforehand.

Now Your iPhone Stays Powered On

Hopefully, by following these troubleshooting steps, you ended up eliminating unexpected shutdowns on your iPhone. If you had to factory reset your iPhone to get it working, don’t forget to restore your data from a backup, so you can pick up from where you last left off.