Phone won't turn off normally

Symptoms

• Power menu doesn't appear when holding the button
• Phone stays on despite selecting 'power off'
• Screen is unresponsive to the shutdown gesture
• Button seems to work for other functions like volume

Likely causes

• CommonSoftware freeze preventing the shutdown menu from respondingA frozen interface can block the normal power-off sequence from working.
• CommonAn app or process hung, blocking the system from processing the shutdown commandA misbehaving app can occupy the system enough to delay a response to shutdown.
• PossiblePhysical power button issueA stuck or unresponsive button can prevent the shutdown gesture from registering correctly.
• PossibleScreen digitizer issue preventing the on-screen slider from respondingIf the touchscreen has a fault, the shutdown slider may not register your touch.

What to do

1. Try the standard power-off gesture again, holding the button(s) a bit longer than usual.
2. If unresponsive, perform a forced restart using your phone's specific button combination.
3. Once responsive again, check if a specific app was open when it froze and consider updating or uninstalling it.
4. Test the power button's physical feel; it should click, not feel stuck or spongy.
5. Test other touchscreen functions to see if unresponsiveness is limited to the shutdown screen or more widespread.
6. Update the phone's software, since freeze-related bugs are commonly patched.
7. If forced restart is needed every time you try to power off, that points to a deeper software or hardware issue.

When to call a pro

If the power button itself feels physically stuck or the touchscreen is unresponsive elsewhere too, have a repair shop check the hardware.

Safety