How To Turn Off Your IPhone 12: A Simple Guide

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4 min. read

Published on November 9, 2025

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Turning off your iPhone 12 might seem straightforward, but with the buttonless design and introduction of new features, the process can be a little different than older models. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step approach to powering down your iPhone 12, ensuring you can do it quickly and efficiently.

Whether you’re troubleshooting an issue, conserving battery life, or simply need some digital downtime, knowing how to properly turn off your iPhone 12 is essential. Let’s walk through the process together.

What Are the Different Ways to Turn Off an iPhone 12?

Method 1: Using the Side Button and Volume Button

This is the primary method for turning off your iPhone 12.

Press and hold either the Volume Up or Volume Down button and the Side button (the power button on the right side of your iPhone) simultaneously.
Continue holding the buttons until the power-off slider appears on the screen.
Drag the slider labeled “slide to power off” from left to right.
Wait for your iPhone to completely shut down. This may take a few seconds.

Method 2: Turning Off Your iPhone Through Settings

If you prefer using the settings menu, here’s how:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap on “General.”
Scroll down to the bottom and tap “Shut Down.”
Drag the slider labeled “slide to power off” from left to right.
Wait for your iPhone to turn off.

Method 3: Force Restart (If Your iPhone is Unresponsive)

If your iPhone is frozen or unresponsive, a force restart might be necessary. This is different from a regular shutdown, but it can help resolve many issues.

Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
Press and hold the Side button (power button) until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Release the Side button. Your iPhone will restart.

Tips for Turning Off Your iPhone 12

Make sure your fingers are clean and dry for better grip on the buttons.
If the power-off slider doesn’t appear, ensure you are pressing both the Volume and Side buttons simultaneously and holding them long enough.
Regularly restarting your iPhone can help maintain its performance and prevent minor software glitches.

Quick Power Down Recap

Knowing how to turn off your iPhone 12 using different methods ensures you’re prepared for any situation. Whether it’s a simple power down or a force restart to resolve an issue, you now have the knowledge to keep your device running smoothly.

FAQ

How do I turn off my iPhone 12 if the screen is frozen? If your screen is frozen, perform a force restart by quickly pressing and releasing the Volume Up button, then quickly pressing and releasing the Volume Down button, and finally pressing and holding the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

Why won’t my iPhone 12 turn off? Ensure you are pressing the correct combination of buttons (Volume Up or Down + Side button) simultaneously and holding them long enough for the power-off slider to appear. If that doesn’t work, try a force restart.

Is it bad to turn off my iPhone 12 every night? Turning off your iPhone every night is generally fine and can potentially help conserve battery life. However, modern iPhones are designed to be left on, and frequent shutdowns are not necessary.

What’s the difference between shutting down and restarting my iPhone? Shutting down turns off the device completely, while restarting closes all processes and reboots the operating system. Restarting can often resolve minor software issues.