Technologies

How to Force Restart or Reset Your iPhone

Whether you’ve got an iPhone 16 or an earlier model, here’s how to fix your unresponsive device.

A frozen phone is a common phenomenon, but thankfully, there are ways to bring your device back to life. If your iPhone isn’t responding and you’re not able to power it off and then on again, you can force restart it to hopefully fix the issue.

Forcing a restart is different than a normal restart. Though that’s the first thing you should try in this situation, it may not be an option with an unresponsive phone. And as iPhone designs have changed over the years, so have the buttons and commands, which is why the steps for forcing a restart vary depending on the phone you have.

So, here’s how to force a restart on any iPhone, from the latest iPhone 16 to older models like the iPhone 6S.

Read more: iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 16: What the $200 Price Gap Means for You

Force a restart on newer iPhones (8 and up)

If you’ve got an iPhone that supports iOS 16 or later (iPhone 8 and up, iPhone SE 2nd or 3rd generation and iPhone 16E), then you’ll want to follow these steps:

Quickly press and let go of the volume up button.
Quickly press and let go of the volume down button.
Press and hold the side button, until the Apple logo appears on the screen. Then let go.

Read more: You Can Turn Off Your iPhone’s Always-On Display. Here’s How

Force a restart on the iPhone 7

The steps for what to do on an iPhone 7 are a little different. Instead:

Press and hold the volume down button and sleep/wake button at the same time.
Let go of both buttons when the Apple logo appears on screen.

Force a restart on older iPhones

If you have an older phone, like the iPhone 6 or the first-generation iPhone SE, the steps will look a little different. Here’s what to do:

Press and hold the sleep/wake button and home button at the same time.
Let go of both once the Apple logo appears on screen.

Also, good to know: How to Use the Action Button on the iPhone 16 Series and iPhone 15 Pro

Force restart FAQ

What’s the difference between force restart and regular restart?

A regular restart is a more straightforward and standard way to turn your iPhone on and off again. You’ll want to try doing this first by holding down one of the volume buttons and the side button, and dragging the power off slider. To turn your iPhone back on, hold down the side button again until the Apple logo appears. (If you have an iPhone 8 or older, just hold down the side or top button, then drag the power off slider.) If your iPhone isn’t responding to that, then you’ll want to force a restart.

Restarting versus resetting an iPhone

Resetting an iPhone is a more drastic measure that’ll wipe your device. You’ll want to do this before selling your iPhone or trading it in. Restarting it will just give it a refresh while keeping all your data.

Why does it differ based on iPhone model?

As Apple has changed the design of its iPhones over the years, it’s also moved around some buttons and commands. Thankfully, we’ve made it easy here by listing all the different ways to force a restart on your phone.

Is there another way to restart an iPhone?

Yes, you can actually set up your iPhone to restart with your voice; here’s how.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 24 #692

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Jan. 24, No. 692.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is one of those where the answers only make sense in pairs. There are six answers to find, and each of them matches up with one of the other answers. Some of them are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: A work of art.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: On museum walls.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

FINS, FINE, FINES, GARB, BOAT, GATES, GATES, FIST, RATE, RATS, STAR, PAINT, SILL, SPAT

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

STARRY, NIGHT, WATER, LILIES, BOATING, PARTY

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is FAMOUSPAINTING. To find it, start with the F that’s four letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind up, across, and then down.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest.

#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

San Diego Comic-Con Draws a Line: No AI Art Allowed at 2026 Event

The long-running fan convention is banning AI-created works from its popular art show.

Like Sarah Connor in The Terminator, San Diego Comic-Con is fighting back against AI. The prestigious, long-running pop culture convention has banned all artwork created by artificial intelligence from the 2026 Comic-Con art show. Rules posted on the Comic-Con website now state that AI-generated art won’t be shown in any form.

«Material created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) either partially or wholly, is not allowed in the art show. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability,» the website reads.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

A representative for San Diego Comic-Con did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the past, the convention allowed participants to display AI artwork, provided it was clearly marked as such and wasn’t sold. But now, those artists can’t even bring it through the door. The rule change is a response to artist-led pushback, according to a 404 Media report. San Diego Comic-Con is one of the world’s most famous pop culture conventions, uniting comics, movies, television, gaming, cosplay and collectibles.

Jim Zub, writer for the Conan the Barbarian and Dungeons and Dragons comic book series, told CNET he supports Comic-Con’s decision and hopes other conventions will follow their lead.

«Hundreds of thousands of people attend San Diego Comic-Con each year, and the excitement that generates isn’t because they’re eager to meet a computer spitting out homogenized slop,» Zub said.

Zub, who’s also an artist, is scheduled to appear at Comic-Con in 2026.

Entertaining AI

The use of generative AI in comic book and pop culture art has generated controversy in recent years as AI programs have become more skilled at imitating creators.

A central focus of the 2023 actor’s strike involved backlash against the use of AI in movies and television. The issue has continued to roil Hollywood, as actors, special effects designers, and other film workers see the technology as a threat, while some movie studios view AI as a way to reduce production costs.

Netflix has already begun using AI-generated imagery in at least one series, Argentine sci-fi show El Eternauta. CEO Ted Sarandos praised the technology during a 2025 earnings call.

«We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,» Sarandos said at the time.

AI is also an issue in the video game industry, with publishers facing swift backlash whenever fans discover AI was used in a game. The Indie Game Awards rescinded two awards for the hit RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, after they found out that AI-made placeholder assets were included when the game launched. The game developer quickly patched the assets out.

While the movie and video game industries appear to have mixed views on using AI, Comic-Con has taken a firm stance, at least for now.

«Artists, writers, actors and other creatives gather and celebrate the popular arts in person because the people part of the equation is what matters most,» Zub said.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Jan. 24

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 24.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s a long one, as per usual on Saturday. 1-Down made me awfully hungry! Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.