How to turn off your iPhone from a computer

If your iPhone® is frozen or unresponsive, a quick force restart usually does the trick, since it doesn’t require you to interact with the screen. But what do you do if your phone is stuck even after a force restart?

You don’t have to wait for the battery to die—if you have a Mac® or Windows® PC nearby, you can use it to turn off or restart your iPhone.

At Asurion, we protect and help you make the most of your favorite tech. Whether you need general tech help or need to learn how to turn Find My iPhone on and off, we can help. Here’s how to restart your iPhone from a computer.

Turn off your iPhone using iTunes or Finder

iTunes® or Finder® doesn’t provide a simple turn off or restart button. However, you can use your computer to trigger an automatic restart using the Restore feature.

On a Windows computer or macOS® Mojave and earlier versions, use iTunes:

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC with a USB or USB-C cable.
2. Go to the iTunes app on your computer.
3. Select your iPhone in the sidebar.
4. Choose Summary > Restore.
5. Your computer will restore iOS®, and your iPhone will turn off and restart.

On a Mac running macOS Catalina or later versions, use Finder:

1. Open Finder on your Mac.
2. Connect your phone to your computer.
3. Enter the passcode if prompted, or follow the onscreen steps if asked to Trust This Computer.
4. Choose your iPhone from the sidebar.
5. Select General > Restore iPhone. If you’re signed into Find My®, you must sign out before you can click Restore iPhone.
6. Click Restore again when prompted to confirm.
7. Your computer will erase your iPhone and install the latest iOS. Then it will turn off and restart automatically.

If you have not backed up your iPhone before restoring it, it will delete all your information and settings. Learn how to back up and restore your phone before you proceed.

Use Find My iPhone or MDM tools for remote control

If you don’t have physical access to your iPhone because it’s lost or stolen, you can use Apple’s remote tool to lock and erase your device. Here’s how to turn off Find My iPhone from a computer:

1. On your computer, go to iCloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Select All Devices and choose the iPhone you want to remove in the sidebar.
3. Click Erase iPhone to wipe your iPhone remotely. If the iPhone is offline, it will erase the next time it connects to the internet.
4. Once the erase is complete, select Remove from Account to turn off Find My iPhone from your computer.

If your phone is lost, select Lost Mode instead of Erase iPhone to lock your iPhone and display a custom message like “This iPhone has been lost. Please call me at [number].” Usually, Find My is a security feature you can use to lock your iPhone if lost, but it won’t fully shut the power off.

Using Mobile Device Management (MDM)

If you use a work or school iPhone, there’s a good chance it’s managed through MDM tools like Jamf Pro® or Apple Configurator®. These tools give the IT department more control over the iPhone. With MDM, administrators can:

• Lock or unlock the phone remotely
• Enforce security settings and restrictions
• Push updates or apps over the air
• Restart or shut down iPhones remotely

For personal iPhones, MDM tools aren't an option. Unless your iPhone is enrolled in a company or school’s MDM program, you won’t be able to trigger remote shutdown this way.

Force restart when your iPhone won’t respond

The simplest tech tip for troubleshooting an unresponsive iPhone is a force restart.

• iPhone 8 or newer: Quickly press Volume Up > Volume Down > hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
• iPhone 7: Press and hold the Volume Down and Side buttons.
• Older models: Press the Home + Power buttons.

It’s best to attempt a force restart first, and only proceed to restarting your iPhone using a computer if it still doesn’t respond.

FAQ

Do I need a USB cable to turn off my iPhone with iTunes or Finder?

Yes, you must connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB or USB-C cable to use iTunes or Finder.

Can businesses or schools turn off iPhones with MDM tools?

Yes, businesses or schools can send a direct shutdown or restart command on supervised iPhones running on iOS 16 or later using MDM.

What should I do if my iPhone won’t power down even when connected?

Try a force restart first. If it fails, put your iPhone in Recovery Mode and update or restore it through iTunes or Finder.