iPhone 12 Not Booting Up? Here’s Why And The Fix!

Is your iPhone 12 not turning on? Odds are good you’ll be able to fix it with these simple steps.

You press your iPhone’s power button (the Side button), and nothing happens. There’s no apple logo. Your screen locks off. And you quickly learn that your iPhone 12 will not turn on.

If your iPhone 12 shows a black screen and will not turn on when you press any button, you might think that your iPhone is broken and that you now need to replace it. But don’t panic. There are lots of things to do to fix your device. Usually, there is an easy solution. Here is what you can do if your iPhone 12 will not turn on or is unresponsive (dead), meaning nothing shows up on the screen (black screen).

The tips discussed on this article applies to iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max that won’t turn on.

See also: How to fix iPhone 12 not accepting passcode

Why is iPhone 12 not turning on?

If you’re sitting there thinking, ‘why is my iPhone 12 not booting up’, don’t worry. As you will find out, an iPhone 12 not powering 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 people experience this problem?

Faulty Charger

Sometimes, the problem as simple as your charger being 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 12 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 12 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 12 into the bath. But realistically, liquid damage is incredibly common, and sometimes unpreventable. So if you find your iPhone 12 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 12 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.

See also: iPhone 12 Not Charging? Here’s The Real Fix!

What can I do to fix iPhone 12 not booting up issue?

Here are the steps you can take if your iPhone 12 won’t power on:

Recharge your iPhone for hours

Sometimes, when you try to turn on your iPhone 12 and it just doesn’t power up at all.

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

If you find your iPhone 12 not turning on after dying, 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.

Make sure that your charger and cable is 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!

Additionally, check your charger model–are you using the correct type of charger for the iPhone 12?

And rest assured, even if you accidentally charge your iPhone 12 with the incorrect charger–it won’t destroy your device or brick it.

Check the iPhone Cable and the Port

We have seen that sometimes when your cable connector is worn out, you may have the issue. This happens because your iPhone 12 is not getting the charge it needs from your old cable. Use a wall power outlet and check for firm connections between your charging cable, USB wall adapter, and wall outlet, or try a different outlet.

You may also want to check out the charging port and make sure that there is no debris in the port.

Remove any debris from the charging port on the bottom of your iPhone by using a Q-Tip, plastic paperclip, or toothpick, then firmly plug your charging cable into your iPhone. If the charging port is not working, your iPhone probably needs service.

Try a hard reset

Is your iPhone 12 not turning on after charging? Sometimes your device just needs a kick start, so if your iPhone 12 does have a software issue, it might be worth attempting a hard reset.

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.

Connect to iTunes

If your iPhone 12 screen is black, showing the Apple logo, try connecting your iPhone 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.

See also: iPhone 12 Not Appearing In iTunes? Fix it now!

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.

Using 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.

See also: iPhone 12 Not Backing up to iCloud? Fix it here

Put your iPhone into DFU Mode

DFU mode is a mode where the iPhone is forced to restore the firmware. Getting your iPhone 12 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. Using an USB cable, connect your iPhone to the PC with iTunes installed.
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.)

Repair

If you truly do feel like you don’t know what you’re doing or any of the above fixes haven’t fixed your iPhone 12 not booting issue, then visit the nearest Apple store. There may be a hardware issue that you are unable to solve yourself. It is likely that your iPhone has a hardware issue that cannot be repaired without extensive troubleshooting from the professional. An Apple technician will help determine why your iPhone 12 won’t turn on and how to fix it.