Fixing iPhone 13 Keeps Freezing - 9 Easy Solutions (2024)

If your iPhone 13 keeps going from frozen to normal, you can try a force-restart or update the software.

However, if your device is completely stuck, you will have to enter recovery or DFU mode. This takes a bit of work.

I've owned an iPhone 13 for a while now, but it has never frozen on me. A friend of mine faced the issue, however, and she came to me for help. I managed to fix it, and I ran through the solutions to try below. I also looked at some additional fixes.

How Do You Fix A Frozen iPhone 13?

There are many tricks to try, and I've divided them into 2 parts. This includes what to do if your device is completely stuck, or keeps freezing on and off.

When Your iPhone Keeps Freezing On-and-Off

First off, I've run through all the fixes to try if your phone is only temporarily frozen.

Solution 1: Restart iPhone

While your iPhone is unfrozen, you can try fixing the problem by restarting it. All the apps and processes running will be shut down. If you're dealing with a stubborn isolated glitch, this should help.

All you need to do is press and hold a Volume button, as well as the Power button, then drag the power slider when it appears.

Wait for a few seconds and press and hold the power button until the Apple logo appears.

Solution 2: Force Reboot (Hard Reset)

Instead of a regular restart, you could take things up a notch and force-restart. It's like a regular reboot, but more comprehensive.

Now, the force reboot process differs depending on your iPhone model. Here's what you do on the iPhone 13:

• Press and release the Volume Down button
• Press and release the Volume Up button
• Keep holding the Side button until the Apple logo appears

Your device will reboot, and hopefully, the frozen or black screen problem will be gone now.

Solution 3: Close Background Apps

One of your background apps may be bugging out badly. Taking care of this is easy. All you need to do is open the app drawer, then close all the apps that are running.

Here's how you do this:

• Swipe up to open the app drawer
• Swipe up on all the apps that are running

Solution 4: Low iPhone Storage

iPhones that are low on storage can act up and cause various issues, including the one you're facing.

Here's how you check whether your device's internal memory is low:

• Go to Settings
• Click on General
• Tap on [Your Device Name]
• Tap on Storage
• Click on About
• Select the Capacity button

Get rid of old apps and files, if you're low on space. Here's how you uninstall apps:

• Go to the home screen
• Find the application you want to get rid of
• Long-hold it
• Click Remove
• Tap Delete

Here's how you delete old files:

• Open the File app
• Go to the folder the file is stored in
• Find the file and click it
• Click Delete

Solution 5: Download the Latest iOS Version

Your iPhone might be acting up because of a software bug. If you haven't updated iOS in a while, this shouldn't come as a surprise.

Now, there are 2 different ways to update iOS:

• Open the Settings app
• Click on General, and then Software Update
• Tap the firmware file that is available

You will need iTunes for this:

• Connect your iPhone to your PC or Mac via lightning or USB cable
• Launch iTunes
• Go to the Summary tab
• Go to the Device tab
• Click the Update button

Your phone will restart, and it should be good to go now.

Solution 6: Settings Reset

The issue could also pop up due to incorrect settings. You may have meddled with your device, causing this. Undo what you changed, if you remember what it was. Otherwise, you can go ahead and reset all your settings.

Just keep in mind that this will erase all Bluetooth pairings, VPN settings, WiFi passwords, and any custom configurations that you may have set.

Here's what you do:

• Open the Settings app
• Go to General
• Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone
• Click on Reset All Settings
• Enter your Apple ID to confirm

As mentioned, all your custom configurations will be gone. Keep this in mind before going ahead.

Solution 7: Factory/Master Reset

While your Apple iPhone is unfrozen, you might be able to factory-reset and sort things out. Just remember that all your data would be wiped. Backup your files before proceeding.

Here's how you backup data:

• Open Settings
• Go to General
• Tap on the [Your Name]
• Select iCloud Backup
• Select Backup Now

Here's how you reset afterward:

• Access Settings app
• Go to General
• Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone
• Click on the Reset option
• Click on the Erase iPhone option
• Enter your Apple ID to confirm

You will have to set your device back up from the top once it has been reset. Keep in mind that you will have to spend a couple of minutes doing this.

Fixes to Try if Your iPhone Screen Is Completely Frozen

As mentioned, there are some fixes that can help if your device is completely frozen. Let's go through them.

Solution 8: Recovery Restoration

You will have to pull out the big guns if your device is not responsive at all. First up, try a recovery restoration. It's like factory-resetting but more comprehensive.

Keep in mind that this process can be time-consuming. Also, exiting mid-way can cause errors to pop up. Make sure to back up your data as well.

Here's what you do:

• Launch iTunes
• Connect your iPhone 13 to your PC or Mac via your Apple cable or USB cable
• Close all the other processes running (they can interrupt recovery mode)
• Press the following button combination:
  • Click the Volume Up button, then the volume down button. Press the power button, and quickly release it when you see the recovery logo appear
• Select the Restore iPhone button

The recovery process should take around 15 minutes. Don't disconnect midway.

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Solution 9: Enter Device Firmware Update Mode

You could also enter DFU mode. Recovery and DFU restorations are similar, but the latter is reserved for the most complex software problems.

DFU restorations can be risky if you've jailbroken before. You could brick iOS. Once again, don't disconnect mid-way.

Here's what you do:

• Open iTunes (the latest version)
• Connect your iPhone 13 to your PC or Mac computer
• Close all the other apps that are running, as they can interrupt the DFU process
• Click the following:
  • Press and hold the Side button and the Volume Down button. Keep holding them for a couple of seconds. Let go of the Side button, but continue to hold the Volume Down button for 5 more seconds. Your display should stay black.
• Click the Restore iPhone utility feature

The DFU process should be done in around 15 minutes. Avoid disconnecting midway.

Solution 10: Go to Your Apple Store

If none of the above fixes worked, you should probably contact Apple. You might be dealing with a complex software or hardware problem that only they can fix.

You might get a new iPhone if it's a manufacturing defect.

Check out more smartphones

Final Thoughts

When it comes to fixing the iPhone 13 freezing problem, there are many tricks to try. As mentioned, if your device keeps getting stuck and unstuck, you can try force-restarting, resetting your device settings, or factory-resetting. If it's completely frozen, you will have to go the extra mile and enter recovery or DFU Mode.