Factory Reset, Rice, and More: Here Are the Best Ways To Fix Your iPhone

July 9, 2022
Natalie Thorburn

Has your iPhone stopped working? Perhaps you dropped it in the sink while doing dishes. Or maybe you just installed an update only for the phone to be sluggish and certain apps to barely work. Whatever the case, you can find ways to fix a troublesome iPhone.

Constant Freezing

While this might not work for every issue, if your iPhone keeps freezing up, consider performing a factory reset. Just bear in mind that this entirely wipes your iPhone clean, effectively removing all apps, videos, and photos. Before you do this, back up your iOS device to iCloud. Then, you can proceed. Here are the steps below for a factory reset:

1. Open up the Settings menu

2. Tap General > Transfer or Reset iPhone

3. Click on Erase All Content and Settings

4. Input your iPhone's PIN and Apple ID password

5. Wait for the iPhone to fully restart itself

Swimming iPhones

Oops! Your iPhone just went for a swim. Time to break out a bag of unused rice to try and resuscitate it! First, immediately power down the phone. Next, thoroughly towel-dry your phone as best as you can. Make sure to remove your phone’s battery. After you submerge your phone in the rice bag, place it in direct sunlight. Leave it sealed in the bag of rice for 48-72 hours. Some will tell you that 24 hours is fine, but your phone might still have some dampness if you take it out too soon.

Charging Port Problems

If your iPhone fails to charge properly, you can try a few different tricks, including cleaning out the charging port. First, attempt to use a different charging cable or wireless charger. A faulty power brick or charging cable are often the culprit for poor charging. Check the phone's charging port as dirt and debris inside of the lightning port can cause a phone not to charge. You'll want to clean out this sediment using toothpicks.

If your charging port is damaged, a wireless charger will still be able to charge your device. However, it’s probably best to bring it into a repair shop like iGenius Repair for a professional fix. This is a quick way to get your iPhone up and running again.

Updating Issues

Unable to update or restore your iPhone? Try placing your phone into recovery mode. Here are the steps:

1. Open Finder on a macOS computer that is running Catalina or newer (You'll have to use iTunes if you have Movaje or older or a Windows PC)

2. Connect your iPhone via USB cable

3. Press and release the 'volume up' button

4. Press and release the 'volume down' button

5. Press and hold the side button and wait for the recovery mode screen to appear
6. Once the recovery screen appears, release the side button (Note: These button presses only work on the iPhone 8 and newer)

7. Use iTunes or Finder to locate your phone with your computer, then select Restore or Update

8. Hit Update to try reinstalling software without wiping all saved content. Otherwise, you can choose Restore to perform a factory reset your phone

Fixing your iPhone's problems isn't always easy. Sometimes, you have to call in a professional to assist. Other times, the solution is simple and can be done on your own. iPhones can be finicky devices, but many problems can be resolved without you needing to buy a new phone.

 

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