✅ We last checked all the steps in this guide on iPhone 8 with 17.2.1 installed. The latest iOS version is 17.2.1.
Having problems with your iPhone 8 is not that common, but there are some instances when you might encounter the issue of your smartphone not turning on, particularly if you purchased a second-hand model.
This particular issue is quite annoying because you are stuck with a dead smartphone. It is not like you can tinker with the software on the iPhone itself when you cannot even turn it on. No, if something like this happens, you have to look for other solutions to the problem.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways to solve the problem. If your device is not responding, you should know what to do.
Tip #1 – Reboot the iPhone
The simplest and quickest solution to solve the problem is to restart the smartphone. Now, since the iPhone is not responding, you will need to force-reboot it.
To start, hold and release the Volume Up button. Then, repeat the same steps for the Volume Down button and click on the Side button. Hold the button until the Apple logo appears on the iPhone’s screen.
In case force-restarting the iPhone is not enough to make it work properly, continue reading to find out what other possible solutions are.
Tip #2 – Charge the Battery
A dead battery could also be one of the causes behind the smartphone not wanting to turn on. Perhaps you forgot to charge the smartphone at night, and the battery ran out.
It is recommended to plug in the device to charge and wait for a few minutes to see whether the charging screen is visible. It should look something like this:
In the off chance that the charger screen is not appearing, you might end up seeing the connect to power screen instead:
If it is the latter, check whether there are no problems with the charger. The cable might not be connecting the iPhone and an electrical outlet properly, and switching to a different charger could solve the issue.
In case the battery lifespan is still stuck at zero percent despite plugging the new charger in, try a different electrical outlet. Plugging the charger into your computer could work as well.
As a rule of thumb, it is recommended to wait for at least one hour for the smartphone to charge. The battery might have less life on it than you expect, so showing some patience and leaving it to charge for enough time is a good approach.
Tip #3 – Restore the iOS
The problem might be related to software rather than the hardware or the iPhone’s screen. Reinstalling the operating system might be enough to turn the smartphone on.
If you have a MacBook with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, use the Finder application. In case you own a personal computer or have an older Mac that runs Mojave 10.14 or an even earlier operating system, you will have to stick to iTunes.
The goal is to enable the recovery mode on your iPhone even though the device is unresponsive. Plug the smartphone into a computer and locate it with either iTunes or Finder. While the device is plugged in, you need to enable the recovery mode.
The process is identical to the one mentioned in the #1 tip about force-restarting the iPhone. Press and release Volume Up and Down buttons and hold the side button. Wait for the smartphone to enter recovery mode. It should look like the image below:
Once the smartphone enters recovery mode, your computer will show a pop-up with two options: restoring and updating. Choose Update and let the computer reinstall the iPhone’s operating system.
Downloading the necessary software should not take more than 15 minutes. However, if you have a slow internet connection and the needed amount of time exceeds 15 minutes, the iPhone will exit recovery mode. In case that happens, you will need to enable the recovery manually again.
Tip #4 – Take Your iPhone to a Smartphone Service Shop
If the iPhone continues to be unresponsive despite your best efforts and trying the solutions mentioned in this article, you will have no choice but to take the smartphone to a phone service store and leave it in the hands of a professional.
It will cost you money, but the problem might lie out of your reach, and attempting to make further fixes might lead to more problems than solutions, meaning that you should not risk the device’s health.
