iPhone 14 Pro Max Won’t Turn On? Fix it Here!

If your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on, follow these proven tips to get your device back in action.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Every iPhone owner’s worst nightmare is trying to fire up your device and finding that nothing happens. In this case, your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on. A black screen with no sign of life spells disaster.

What are the reasons your iPhone 14 Pro Max might not turn on? Let’s have a look at some causes and solutions.

Why is my iPhone 14 Pro Max not turning on?

If you’re sitting there thinking, ‘why is my iPhone 14 Pro Max not turning on don’t worry. As you will find out, an iPhone 14 Pro Max not turning on is a common issue. A lot of people are quick to make the assumption of the dreaded black screen of death, in-fact, here is a list of reasons why the iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on.

Faulty Charger

The iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on if the charger is faulty. This is more often the case if you own a third-party charger, which have a tendency to malfunction more easily. If it is an official Apple charger, then you may be able to get it replaced provided you’re still within your 1-year warranty , if not you may need to buy a new one, if your charger is at fault. But how do I know it’s the charger’s problem, you may ask?

The easiest way to determine charger issues is by using a working charger from friends or family.

Physical Damage

It’s not uncommon for people to drop their iPhones and unfortunately, the internal hardware of an iPhone 14 Pro Max is not impenetrable. There are two possible outcomes of dropping your iPhone; either the screen is broken or the motherboard is damaged. You can personally test for the first scenario, by using the Find My Apple device app to see if your iPhone is on, but the screen is not working. If your iPhone 14 Pro Max is not responsive, then it’s likely to be a problem with the internal hardware.

Liquid Damage

We all know that one person who takes their iPhone 14 Pro Max into the bath. But realistically, liquid damage is incredibly common, and sometimes unpreventable. So if you find your iPhone 14 Pro Max not booting up, have a think about whether it has had any contact with liquid, because even a small drop can damage the internal hardware. Unfortunately if your device is water damaged, it won’t be covered by the 1-year Apple warranty.

Software issues

Sometimes your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on because of software issues. This is usually the case after a failed software update or if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, both of which can lead to an unresponsive iPhone. Most of the time, software issues can be resolved easily by a bit of self-troubleshooting.

Use these tips to fix iPhone 14 Pro Max not turning on issue

Here are the steps you can take if your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t power on:

Recharge your iPhone for hours

Firstly, check the obvious points. Did you definitely remember to charge your iPhone? Has the charger become partially dislodged from the wall socket? And is the power socket turned on?

Sometimes, when you try to turn on your iPhone 14 Pro Max and it just doesn’t power up at all.

If it doesn’t show anything except a black screen, then most likely your iPhone just ran out of battery.

All you have to do is connect your iPhone to a wall charger for at least 1 hour, preferably more. Make sure you do not use your device during this charging–that’s critical.

Also, some readers report success when charging their iPhone, for a full two days! This case seems especially true for people who recently updated their hardware, like replacing a cracked screen or another hardware update.

Check Your Charger, Lightning Cable and port

It’s a good idea to inspect your charging cable and charger for damage. It’s possible your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on because it’s out of battery life and not charging.

Take a close look at your charging cable and check for discoloration or fraying. Try charging your iPhone 14 Pro Max with a different cable to see if it starts working.

Try using a different charger if your cable looks fine. If you normally plug your iPhone 14 Pro Max into a wall charger, try a USB port on your laptop instead (and vice versa). Check out this article if your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t charge!

Finally, ensure there’s no dust, dirt, or other gunk clogging up either the USB port on your charging cable or your iPhone’s charging port.

Remember, the connections are delicate. The best way to remove grime from ports is to use a can of compressed air.

Make sure your charger and cable are Apple Certified

Ensure that your charger and cable are Apple Certified (MFI) and working effectively. MFi Program Apple Certified Cables and Accessories Badge or Icon MFI

MFI is Apple’s certification process for third-party products to work with iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Many cheap iDevice charges that are not MFI certified end up damaging your device’s charging hardware and chip so stay away from using any non-MFI chargers. If you don’t see that label, don’t use it, period!

Try a hard reset

If your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on, one solution is to perform a hard reset. A hard reset forces your iPhone to abruptly turn off and back on again. It’s possible your iPhone 14 Pro Max just looks like it won’t turn on, when really it’s frozen on a black screen. Follow these steps:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo. Let go when the iPhone restarts and the Apple logo appears.

Check the Screen

Of course, your iPhone might be powered on without you realizing it. A broken screen can give the impression that there’s no power.

Thankfully, it’s easy to know whether your screen is to blame. Hold the Power button for 30 seconds to ensure your iPhone is definitely powering up, then wait for at least 30 seconds to allow the boot process to complete.

Now, simply call yourself from another phone. If the iPhone rings, your screen is to blame. If it doesn’t, you need to keep going.

Remember, you can sometimes replace the screen yourself, but you will void your warranty.

Connect to iTunes

If your iPhone 14 Pro Max still won’t turn on, try connecting your phone to iTunes or Finder.

First, for folks using iTunes, update iTunes on your computer to the latest version. Then connect your iPhone to your computer. If your iPhone shows up in iTunes or Finder normally without any messages or warnings, that means your device is working, and the most likely culprit is your screen or the display connecting cable. These are hardware problems that need repairs and/or replacement.

Recover and Restore with iTunes

If iTunes/Finder shows a message or warning when you connect your device, follow the on-screen instructions to Update or Restore your iPhone. It’s possible that a software issue is causing your problem. If so, iTunes/Finder attempts to fix it.

If nothing happens when you connect your device to iTunes or Finder, try Recovery Mode.

1. Turn OFF your iPhone
2. Turn ON your computer (make sure it’s running the latest iTunes)and open iTunes or Finder
3. Connect the Lightning cable to your computer. Leave the other end unplugged
4. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the connect to iTunes screen
5. When you see the option to Restore or Update, choose Update. iTunes tries to reinstall iOS without erasing your data.

Restoring your iPhone from iTunes or Finder may lead to data loss. Hopefully, you have a backup available via iCloud or iTunes/Finder (or another backup option of your choice.) If you do not have a backup, your current data might be lost for good.

Put your iPhone into DFU Mode

If you still can’t get your iPhone 14 Pro Max to boot, you might be able to force it to turn on using DFU mode. DFU mode is a mode where the iPhone is forced to restore the firmware. Getting your iPhone 14 Pro Max into DFU mode is a little challenging, requiring patience and practice. Timing is essential when placing iDevices into DFU mode so carefully follow the instructions.

Steps to Doing a DFU Restore

1. Make sure you have a valid backup in iTunes.
2. Connect your iPhone 14 Pro Max to your computer using a USB cable.
3. Press Volume up and release.
4. Press Volume down and release.
5. Press and continue holding the Side button for 10 seconds.
6. While still holding the side button, press and hold the Volume down button for 5 seconds.
7. Release the Side button and continue holding the Volume down button for an additional 10 seconds.

When you successfully enter DFU mode, your iPhone should remain on a black screen, (if not start the process again from the beginning.)

Check For Physical Or Liquid Damage

While they’ve gotten stronger over recent years, iPhones are very fragile. Drops and exposure to liquids can cause damage that prevents your iPhone 14 Pro Max from turning on.

Take a close look at your iPhone. Is there any noticeable damage? Even if it seems insignificant to you, Apple may replace your iPhone 14 Pro Max under warranty.

Next, check your iPhone 11 for any signs of liquid damage. Unfortunately, liquid damage isn’t covered by the one-year Apple limited warranty.

Contact Apple support

If you’ve completed all the steps above, and your iPhone 14 Pro Max still won’t turn on, it’s time to get in touch with Apple support. There’s a very good chance your iPhone 14 Pro Max has a hardware problem that needs to be repaired. Visit Apple’s support website to get help online, over-the-phone, or through-the-mail.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Won’t Turn On: Fixed!

Your iPhone 14 Pro Max has turned back on! We know it’s frustrating when your iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t turn on, so I hope you’ll share this article on social media with your family and friends if they experience the problem too. If you have any other questions, leave us a comment down below.