There is a special kind of frustration reserved for a phone that turns itself on, shows the logo, and then restarts all over again. Your messages arrive late, calls drop mid-conversation, and every attempt to fix it gets interrupted by another sudden reboot. If you are looking for how to fix a phone that keeps restarting, this guide walks you through the process in a sensible order, starting with the quick checks and ending with the steps that actually solve stubborn cases.
The good news is that most restart loops are caused by software, not dying hardware. A misbehaving app, a failed update, or a storage drive that is completely full can all send a phone into a cycle of reboots. This guide covers both Android phones and iPhones, and each fix is ordered so you try the least disruptive options first. Work through them one at a time and test the phone after each step.
Quick Answer
If your phone keeps restarting, start here:
- Charge the phone with its original charger for at least 30 minutes, then force restart it.
- Remove the case and let the phone cool down if it feels hot.
- Boot into Safe Mode (Android) to check whether a downloaded app is causing the loop, then uninstall the suspect app.
- Update your system software and all apps, and free up storage so the phone is not running on empty.
- If nothing helps, reset all settings, and only then consider a factory reset after backing up your data.
Why Your Phone Keeps Restarting
A restart loop means something is crashing the operating system during or shortly after startup. The most common causes fall into a few buckets:
- A bad app: A recently installed or updated app can conflict with the system and crash it on boot. This is the single most common cause on Android.
- A failed software update: If an update was interrupted by a dead battery or a lost connection, system files can be left in a broken state.
- Full storage: When a phone has almost no free space, the operating system cannot write the temporary files it needs, and it may crash and reboot.
- Overheating: Phones shut themselves down or reboot when the processor gets too hot. A thick case, direct sun, or a demanding game can push it over the edge. If heat is part of the picture, our guide on how to fix phone overheating goes deeper.
- Battery problems: A worn-out or swollen battery cannot deliver stable power, and the phone reboots when voltage dips. Physical damage from a drop can also loosen internal connections.
Notice the pattern: most of these are fixable at home. Hardware failure is the last possibility, not the first.
Start With the Basics: Charge, Cool Down, and Force Restart
Before you change anything, give the phone stable power. Plug it into its original charger and a wall socket, and leave it for at least 30 minutes. A phone with a nearly dead battery can restart repeatedly as the voltage drops under load. If the phone is not charging at all, try a different cable and adapter first, since a faulty charger can create the same symptoms.
While it charges, take the case off and move the phone out of direct sunlight. Once it has charged, do a force restart, which clears the phone’s temporary memory without deleting anything:
- Android: Hold the power button for 20 to 30 seconds until the phone restarts. On Samsung phones, hold power and volume-down together for about 10 seconds.
- iPhone: On iPhone 8 and later, quickly press volume-up, then volume-down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. On iPhone 7, hold volume-down and the side button together.
This alone fixes a surprising number of restart loops, especially ones triggered by a one-off software glitch.
How to Fix a Phone That Keeps Restarting: Step-by-Step Fixes
If the basics did not break the loop, work through the following fixes in order. Each one targets a specific cause.
1. Boot Into Safe Mode to Catch a Bad App (Android)
Safe Mode starts Android with only the pre-installed system apps running. If the restarts stop in Safe Mode, a third-party app is almost certainly the culprit. To enter Safe Mode, press and hold the power button, then press and hold the “Power off” option on screen until you are offered Safe Mode. The words “Safe Mode” appear in a corner of the display.
Think back to when the restarts began. Uninstall the apps you added or updated around that time, starting with the most recent one, then restart the phone normally and test. Battery-saver, cleaner, and launcher apps are frequent offenders. Only install apps from the official Google Play Store.
On iPhone there is no Safe Mode, but you can achieve something similar by checking Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data for repeated crash logs naming the same app, then deleting that app.
2. Update Your Software and Apps
An outdated system or a buggy app version can keep a phone rebooting. If the phone stays on long enough between restarts, go to Settings > System > Software update (Android) or Settings > General > Software Update (iPhone) and install anything pending. Keep the phone charged above 50 percent and on stable Wi-Fi while updating, because an interrupted update is one of the classic causes of a restart loop.
Then update your apps from the Play Store or App Store. Developers regularly release fixes for crashes, and a single updated app can end the whole cycle.
3. Free Up Storage Space
A phone gasping for storage behaves badly: apps crash, the camera refuses to save photos, and the system can reboot on its own. Aim to keep at least 10 percent of your storage free, or a few gigabytes on a modern phone. Delete large videos you have backed up, remove apps you have not opened in months, and clear out old downloads.
Android users can go to Settings > Storage to see exactly what is eating space, and our detailed walkthrough on how to free up storage on Android covers the biggest wins step by step. On iPhone, Settings > General > iPhone Storage shows the same breakdown and lets you offload unused apps without losing their data.
4. Clear the System Cache (Android)
Android keeps a cache partition of temporary system files, and corrupted cache data can trigger reboots. Wiping it deletes no personal data. Power the phone off, then hold power and volume-up together until the recovery menu appears, then select “Wipe cache partition” and confirm.
On Samsung phones you may need to connect the phone to a computer with a USB cable while holding the buttons. If the recovery menu will not appear, skip this step; the factory reset section below covers the same menu.
5. Reset All Settings Without Losing Data
If the phone is stable enough to reach Settings, try resetting just the settings before erasing anything. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. This restores Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, and preferences to defaults but keeps your photos, messages, and apps.
On Android, look for Settings > System > Reset options > Reset all settings (the exact name varies by manufacturer). This is a good middle step when a misconfigured setting, rather than an app, is crashing the system.
6. Check the Battery
When restarts happen mostly at low charge levels, or the battery percentage jumps around wildly, the battery itself is suspect. On iPhone, check Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging; a maximum capacity under 80 percent means the battery is worn. On Android, Settings > Battery > Battery usage shows which apps drain power, and a battery that drops from 40 percent to zero in minutes is a red flag.
If your Android battery is clearly draining far faster than it should, that same guide explains how to tell software drain apart from a dying cell. Also inspect the phone physically: a screen lifting away from the frame or a back panel bulging outward can indicate a swollen battery, which is a safety issue. Stop using the phone and take it to a professional repair shop immediately; do not try to puncture or press a swollen battery back down.
7. Factory Reset as a Last Resort
A factory reset erases everything and returns the phone to the state it left the shop in, which eliminates any software cause of the restarts. Only do this after backing up your photos, contacts, and important files to Google Drive, iCloud, or a computer, because the reset cannot be undone.
If the phone will not stay on long enough to use Settings, most Android phones let you reset from the recovery menu: power off, hold power and volume-up, and choose “Wipe data/factory reset.” On iPhone, connect the phone to a computer, enter recovery mode with the button sequence described earlier, and choose Restore in iTunes or Finder.
After the reset, set the phone up as a new device and test it for a day before restoring your backup. If the restarts return the moment your apps and data come back, the problem was hiding in your backup, so reinstall only the apps you truly need.
When It Is Probably a Hardware Problem
If the phone restarts in Safe Mode, after a factory reset, and even in the recovery menu, software is no longer a plausible explanation. Likely hardware causes include a failing battery, a damaged power button stuck in a pressed position, or a loose internal connection from a drop or water exposure.
At this point, check whether the phone is still covered. Our guide on how to check a mobile phone warranty shows how to verify coverage before you pay for a repair. If you bought the phone through a UAE carrier, check the device support pages of e& or du for official repair options, or visit the manufacturer’s authorized service centre with your proof of purchase. Avoid cheap third-party battery replacements, since a poor-quality battery can cause exactly the restart problems you are trying to fix.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does my phone keep restarting after an update?
Updates rewrite core system files, and if the process was interrupted or a file was corrupted, the phone can fail to finish booting. Try a force restart first, then clear the system cache on Android. If the loop started immediately after the update, a factory reset usually resolves it, so back up anything you can reach first.
Can a virus cause my phone to restart constantly?
True viruses are rare on phones, but malicious or badly coded apps can absolutely cause restart loops, especially on Android. Boot into Safe Mode; if the restarts stop, uninstall recently added apps one by one. Stick to apps from the official Play Store or App Store, and avoid apps that ask for permissions they clearly do not need.
My phone restarts only when the battery is low. Is the battery dead?
Quite possibly. A worn battery cannot hold voltage under load, so the phone shuts off or reboots when the charge drops. Check the battery health reading in Settings. If the capacity is low or the phone is more than two to three years old, a battery replacement at an authorized service centre is the sensible fix.
Will a factory reset definitely fix a phone that keeps restarting?
It fixes every software cause, which covers the large majority of cases. It will not fix a failing battery, damaged power button, or loose internal connection. If the restarts continue on a freshly reset phone with no apps installed, you are looking at a hardware repair.
How do I back up a phone that keeps restarting?
Work in the gaps between restarts: enable automatic cloud backup (Google backup on Android, iCloud Backup on iPhone) and let it run while the phone is plugged in and on Wi-Fi. If the phone stays on longer in Safe Mode, use that window. As a last resort, photos and files can often be copied to a computer over USB even when the phone is unstable.
The Bottom Line
Learning how to fix a phone that keeps restarting comes down to working methodically: charge it, force restart it, hunt down the bad app in Safe Mode, update everything, free up storage, and only then reach for the factory reset. Most restart loops surrender somewhere along that path. If yours survives a full reset, the phone needs a professional repair, not another software trick. For a broader diagnostic walkthrough covering other common phone faults, see our Complete Smartphone Troubleshooting Guide.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Asandada24, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Asandada24 is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.