System & Reset

How to Force Restart a Frozen Android Phone

The safe key combination to restart any Android that is frozen or unresponsive.

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When the screen is frozen and nothing responds, you can't use the on-screen menu, but every Android has a hardware forced restart that doesn't erase anything.

  1. 1Hold Power + Volume Down together for 15-20 seconds.
  2. 2Keep holding even if the screen stays black, release when the logo appears.
  3. 3On phones with no power button combo, plug into a charger and repeat.
  4. 4After reboot, free up storage and update apps to prevent repeat freezes.

Tip: A forced restart is safe: it's the equivalent of pulling the battery on old phones. If freezes are frequent, check free storage, below 10% free, Android struggles.

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