How to Fix iPhone Stuck on Loading Screen [4 Fixes]

Is your iPhone stuck on the loading screen and is no longer responsive to your touch? There are multiple reasons that cause this issue to appear on your iPhone. Read this article to learn how to fix iPhone stuck on the loading screen.

sofia albert
Sofia Albertupdated on Mar 10, 2023 |Home>iOS & Mac Topics

Despite all the claims of security and a clean operating system, iPhone users have complained about the frequency of system issues on their devices. One of the commonly reported system issues is the iPhone stuck on the loading screen. In this system error, iPhone gets stuck at the loading screen after rebooting and becomes unresponsive. If you also face the same issue, you are at the right place.

This article will explain why an iPhone gets stuck on the loading screen and how to resolve it. By the end of the discussion, you will be able to fix your iPhone stuck on the loading screen in 4 different ways.

How to Fix iPhone Stuck on the Loading Screen

While your iPhone getting stuck on the loading screen is a serious issue, there is still some hope. There is a chance that the reason behind this issue isn't severe. Explained below are four fixes that can resolve the iPhone stuck on loading screen issue without needing to contact Apple support:

Fix 1. Force Restart Your iPhone

因为暂时的错误和故障经常behind system issues like iPhone stuck on the loading screen, force restarting your iPhone is the first recommended action. It will flush out all the temporary bugs and glitches, restoring your iPhone to a working state. Follow the steps given below to force restart your iPhone, depending on your iPhone model:

For iPhone 6 Series and iPhone SE (1st Gen): Press and hold the "Home" button and "Sleep/Wake" buttons together and wait for the Apple logo to appear on the screen. When it does, release the buttons and let the iPhone reboot.

For iPhone 7 Series: To force restart your iPhone, press and hold the "Volume Down" and "Sleep/Wake buttons" together until the Apple logo is visible. Now, wait for the iPhone to complete rebooting to check if the iPhone stuck on the loading screen has been resolved.

For iPhone 8 Series and later: Quickly press and release the "Volume Up" button first, and afterward, repeat the process with the "Volume Down" button. Now, press and continue to hold the "Side" button until you see the Apple logo to force restart your iPhone.

iphones stuck on loading screen

Fix 2. Charge Your iPhone

Force restarting your iPhone didn't work? It is possible your iPhone isn't charged. A low battery on your iPhone can also cause it to get stuck on the loading screen. If you aren't sure whether your iPhone was charged, plug it into a power source for charging. Let the device charge for some time before force restarting it again to resolve the iPhone stuck on loading screen error.

charge your iphone

Fix 3. Restore iPhone in Recovery Mode

If your iPhone is still stuck at the loading screen even after force restart and fully charged, you should try restoring it in Recovery Mode. Restoring your iPhone while it is in Recovery Mode your iPhone data will get deleted. The process required to use Recovery Mode to fix iPhone's stuck on loading screen issue is explained below:

Activate Recovery Mode

Update the iTunes on your computer or Finder on Mac to the latest version. Now connect your iPhone to your computer/Mac and use a suitable method for your iPhone from following to activate Recovery Mode:

For iPhone 8 Series and Later: First, press and release the "Volume Up" button, do the same for the "Volume Down" button. Afterward, press and hold the "Power" button until you see the Recovery Mode screen.

For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the "Volume Down" and "Sleep/Wake" buttons together, and release the buttons once the Recovery Mode screen is visible.

For iPhone 6 Series and Older: Use the "Home" and "Sleep/Wake" buttons to force restart your iPhone and keep holding them until the Recovery Mode screen.

Steps to Restore iPhone in Recovery Mode

Once your iPhone is in Recovery Mode, use the following steps to restore your iPhone:

Step 1.As soon as the Recovery Mode is activated on the iPhone, a pop-up window will appear in iTunes or Finder, asking you to either "Update" or "Restore" the iPhone detected in Recovery Mode.

Step 2.It is recommended that you should try to update your iPhone first. Hit the "Update" option and follow the on-screen instructions. If it doesn't resolve the issue, select "Restore" to restore your iPhone in Recovery Mode.

select restore

Fix 4. Restore iPhone in DFU Mode

The DFU Mode is your last hope to fix the iPhone stuck on the loading screen if the Recovery Mode hasn't worked. DFU Mode stands for Device Firmware Update Mode, and it is the deepest level of iPhone you can go to repair it with software. It is similar to the Recovery Mode, but even the hardware settings are erased and reinstalled in this mode.

Like Recovery Mode, you will also lose all your iPhone data. To restore your iPhone in DFU Mode, launch iTunes or Finder on your computer/Mac and connect your iPhone via a USB cable. Afterward, use the following steps to put your iPhone into DFU Mode:

For iPhone 8 Series and Later:

Step 1.Begin by quickly pressing and releasing the "Volume Up" button first and then the "Volume Down" button. Next, press and hold the "Side" button until the Apple logo is visible.

Step 2.Now, quickly hold the "Volume Down" button without releasing the "Side" button and wait for exactly 5 seconds. After 5 seconds, release the "Side" button but keep pressing the "Volume Down" button until the iPhone screen turns black and there is a Recovery Mode prompt on iTunes/Finder.

For iPhone 7 Series:

Step 1.After connecting your iPhone, press and hold the "Volume Down" and "Sleep/Wake" buttons together and wait for 8 to 10 seconds. Once the Apple logo appears and disappears, release the "Sleep/Wake" button but keep holding the "Volume Down" button.

Step 2.Release the "Volume Down" button when you see a prompt popping up in the iTunes/Finder and iPhone screen turning black. This means the DFU Mode on your iPhone has been successfully activated.

For iPhone 6 Series and Earlier:

Step 1.Once the iPhone is connected to your system, press and hold the "Home" and "Sleep/Wake" buttons for 8 seconds and wait for the Apple logo to appear and disappear. Once it disappears, release the "Sleep/Wake" button but not the "Home" button.

Step 2.Wait for the iPhone screen to turn completely black and for the Recovery Mode prompt on iTunes/Finder to appear to release the "Home" button. Now, move to iTunes/Finder to proceed further.

Steps to Restore iPhone in DFU Mode

Here is how you can restore iPhone in DFU Mode after it is activated:

Step 1.With DFU Mode activated, a pop-up prompt on the iTunes/Finder will appear, informing you that you need to restore the device before being able to use it. Tap "OK" on the prompt to move to iTunes/Finder.

Step 2.In the iTunes/Finder, click "Restore iPhone" and follow the on-screen instructions to restore your iPhone. Once the process is completed, force restart your iPhone to exit the DFU Mode.

dfu mode

Why Does iPhone Stuck on Loading Screen

Why is your iPhone stuck at the loading screen? There are multiple answers to this question. The most common reason for iPhone stuck on the loading screen is an unstable or failed iOS update. Other reasons include malware, system bugs, and hardware issues. Some of the most common culprits behind this issue are summarized below:

  • Faulty iOS Updates: If your iPhone got stuck at the loading screen right after you updated your device's iOS version, the update is the likely cause. Similarly, slow and unstable internet during an update can cause it to fail and your iPhone to get stuck on the loading screen.
  • iPhone System Bugs: It is possible that some bug or glitch in your iPhone caused it to get stuck on the loading screen. The possibility is high if the bug has affected the iPhone's boot settings. These bugs can be the remanent of old updates or deleted apps.
  • 恶意软件攻击:恶意软件攻击你的iPhonecan cause many serious system issues, like iPhone getting stuck on the loading screen. It happens after the malware infects the basic system settings related to iPhone boot, making your device unable to proceed beyond the loading screen.
  • Hardware Issue:iPhone stuck on the loading screen can also indicate serious hardware issues in your device. If your iPhone recently had a heavy fall or liquid spillage, it has likely affected the device's hardware severely.

FAQs on iPhone Stuck on Loading Screen

Read the answers to the FAQs from the internet to learn more about iPhone stuck on loading screen error:

1. What to do if my iPhone is stuck on the loading screen?

If your iPhone is stuck on the loading screen, you can resolve the issue differently depending on the reason. In case it happens due to a low battery, you will need to charge your iPhone. Hard rebooting of your iPhone is also helpful in resolving this issue.

2. Why is my iPhone stuck on the loading circle?

Many reasons can cause the iPhone to get stuck on the loading circle. The issue primarily lies with the improper iPhone booting settings. The most common causes for it include unstable iOS, failed iOS updates, bugs, glitches, malware attacks, and hardware issues.

3. How do I fix the spinning wheel on my iPhone?

You can follow these steps to fix the spinning wheel on your iPhone via a hard reboot of your iPhone:

  • iPhone 8 and Later: Press and release the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons in quick succession. Next, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears to hard reboot your device.
  • iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Simultaneously, press and hold the Volume Down and Sleep/Wake buttons and release them when the Apple logo is visible.
  • iPhone 6 and Older:To hard reboot your iPhone, press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons until you see the Apple logo.

The Conclusion

iPhone并不是唯一与频繁的系统设备issues, as it is the same for almost all tech devices. That's why you should learn how to resolve iPhone system issues like iPhone stuck on the loading screen to ensure you aren't caught unguarded. These issues also remind you to always create backups of your essential data. Doing it will allow you to run potentially data-losing solutions to fix a problem.