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iPhone 16 Pro not turning on

My wife’s iPhone 16 Pro is not turning on. Several times I have had to push the top volume, bottom volume and then hold the right power button until the Apple came on. And it took much longer than 10 seconds and instead of it coming on by itself, the Apple would show only after I held and released the power button. Did she get a lemon or are others having this problem? She gets a new phone every year so this is not an operator error.

iPhone 16 Pro

Posted on Sep 27, 2024 5:04 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 3, 2024 6:54 AM

This happened again to my wife's iPhone 16 Pro. She could never get it to start. I tried 3 or 4 times with the force restart and it again would not start. I then plugged it in as a last resort, did the force restart a few time and finally it started. The battery was at 100%. It took quite a long time holding the start button after the volume up and down buttons for it to finally start. I will do a force restart on my iPhone occasionally and it never takes that long. She has had almost every iPhone since the 3G, so this is definitely not operator error.


I am responding here in hopes that it gets pushed to the top of iPhone questions in hopes that others may either respond that they too are having this issue and what the resolution is.

267 replies

Dec 10, 2024 3:55 AM in response to Lilisbuddy

Lots of people experiencing this problem. Some asking if Apple will replace. I have heard Apple has replaced when it is completely dead bought not when it wakes up after reset. Trouble with a replacement is I hear the new one may have the same issue. The problem is getting more widespread. I have had it on and off since new 2 months ago. I have been working with engineers at Apple for over 2 weeks and they haven’t been able to find a solution. It worked okay by not allowing it to charge over 80% for about 5 weeks BUT immediately after 18.1.1 the problem returned and had continued. We are doing another log dump today after I performed more tests for them over the weekend. Not sure where this will go but I will update if I find anything out.

Nov 15, 2024 11:16 AM in response to lobsterghost1

As the one who started this thread, I am not having this issue like my wife is having, but I also do not turn my phone off at night, and just do a force restart every couple of weeks with no issue. I keep my phone charged to 100%, and either use an official Apple fast charger with an Apple USB-C cable or with an Apple USB-C cable plugged into my M1 iMac.


My question to you, and anyone else who says they are not having this issue is DO YOU TURN YOUR PHONE OFF AT NIGHT AND LET IT CHARGE?

Nov 26, 2024 4:50 AM in response to evelin78

Evelin78- I’m not an engineer or knowledgeable on electrical power, but I’m not buying that explanation. Sounds to me that whoever told you that doesn’t know. It goes against everything either posted here or what Apple says about not being charged to 100%. The issue would happen when the phone was cut off at night and charged. When after doing anywhere from 1 to close to 50 force restarts, and the phone turned on, it was always charged to 100%. At this point without going thru setting changes, battery charging changes etc, the best and easiest solution is to not turn you phone off at night until Apple admits there is an issue and comes up with a real fix. Additionally, we use official Apple 20w power supplies. Your Apple genius may have just been lucky as before going to the Apple Store, the problem disappeared for a week or so and then reappeared.

Jan 18, 2025 7:47 AM in response to Lilisbuddy

Last night I put my 16 Pro Max running iOS 18.2.1 on a wireless charger and shut it off, this morning it wouldn't turn on. I tried plugging it in to its supplied cord on a 0.35A charger, then moved onto an Apple rapid charger, then tried plugging it into my iMac; none had any effect. I read through these comments & tried to force restart as it was described and got no results. So, I searched elsewhere for a different solution and found this: Start by quickly pressing & releasing the up volume, quickly pressing & releasing the down volume, THEN pressing & holding the power button; the phone came on first try with that process. Phone was at 100%.


As to the cause of the defect or what solution Apple may come up with, I don't know, but using these steps worked to turn it on quickly.

Dec 3, 2024 8:45 AM in response to Filllll

I bought my iPhone 16 Pro a couple of weeks ago. I started having the same problem after updating to iOS 18.1.1. It’s happened the past two mornings in a row. For now, it seems I will have to charge my phone while it is powered on.


Over the years, I’ve had to do forced restarts on everything from an iPod with a hard disk to iPads and iPhones, but only occasionally. Never two days in a row. This is a bug.


Everyone who has this problem should submit feedback to Apple at Product Feedback - Apple. The more reports with details that they get, the more seriously they’re likely to take this.


i just submitted my report.


Oct 24, 2024 12:24 PM in response to Lilisbuddy

This happened to me repeatedly. Three times. Spaced out by about five or six days apart. It started about a week and a half after I got the phone in Early Sept as a preorder. I happen to have an Apple Store near me so first I used a chat help. They gave me the hard reset solution. First time it took about 12 or 13 tries. Second time took over 50. Third time I did it for about 45 minutes on and off. I think it took in excess of 100 times maybe 150 times. But it did come on. I brought it back to the Apple Store and they told me that I had to delete everything and reinstall the software in order for them to determine if it was hardware or a software problem. This I did and it reoccurred. I went back to Apple Store got a replacement 16 Pro and after a nightmare losing I my phone number for a day with T mobile not able to sort out how to fix it, due to the terrible tech I got from Apple. now I have my phone working again. I’ll let you know if the problem occurs. But I had to go to the Apple Store and get a new iPhone 16 Pro.

Oct 22, 2024 3:51 AM in response to Kateboo

It might take a dozen two dozen or three dozen times maybe even 50 or 100 times (my last time it took at least 50) but it did come on you have to do the hard reset quick volume up quick volume down hold the power button. Hold for about three seconds maybe five nothing happens do it again. My phone is set to charge to 90% as soon as I saw that that was a possibility. And the problem reoccurred. Three times this has happened to me twice I’ve gone to Apple support. And twice they have essentially said we got nothing for you. The best they gave me was delete and reinstall all software that is set your phone up as a new phone. So today after I get done work run all my errands. I’m gonna sit down for the hour and a half. It’s gonna take the back up the phone to my computer and try that. Sorry Apple that’s a lame *** answer.

Nov 18, 2024 6:04 AM in response to Lilisbuddy

My first 16 Pro had the same problem--and it happened twice where it took hours and a lot of fiddling to turn the phone on. The apple store ran diagnostics and found no issues. I pushed for a replacement phone and received one about 3 weeks ago, and this morning, the new 16 Pro won't turn on either. The store manager said he didn't believe that the issue with the first phone was hardware related, but I have to believe, based upon all of these posts with the same issue, that it is.

Dec 17, 2024 7:37 AM in response to iceshimmer

Same thing just happened to me today - the iPhone 16 PRO won't switch on no matter how long I keep the right button pressed - The battery was probably around 80% when it happened - Anyone at APPLE can pick this up? Thank God I had a space old iPhone 12 Pro in my bag which I am now using but this is extremely disappointing for a device worth 1,500 USD!

iPhone 16 Pro not turning on

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