Phone Stuck on the Apple or Samsung Logo? Vancouver Fix Guide

A phone that turns on, shows the Apple or Samsung logo and then never gets any further is usually stuck because the software couldn’t finish starting up, often after an interrupted update, a full storage chip or a battery that’s too low or worn to boot. In many cases a forced restart or a software reinstall gets it going again, but it’s worth going step by step so you don’t erase anything you haven’t backed up.

Why phones get stuck on the logo

The logo appears while the phone loads its operating system. If something stops that process, the phone either sits on the logo or restarts over and over (a “boot loop”). Common causes include:

• An interrupted or failed update. If the battery died or the phone was restarted partway through installing new software, the system files can be left half-finished.
• Storage that’s completely full. Phones need some free space to start up and install updates. A phone packed to the last megabyte can struggle.
• A low or worn-out battery. A battery that can’t supply enough power during start-up can cause the phone to shut off or restart at the logo.
• A misbehaving app or corrupted system file. Less common, but it happens, especially after a crash.
• Hardware damage. A drop or water exposure can damage the battery, the charging port or the board, and the first symptom is sometimes a phone that won’t get past the logo.
• Modified software. Phones that have been jailbroken or rooted are more likely to loop after an update.

Step 1: Charge it properly first

Before you start pressing buttons, plug the phone into a wall charger and cable you know are working. Leave it for at least half an hour to an hour. If the battery was nearly empty, the phone may keep restarting at the logo simply because it doesn’t have enough power to finish booting.

If nothing changes on the charger, or the phone doesn’t seem to charge at all, try a different cable and adapter. Our guide to a phone that won’t charge covers the common culprits, including lint in the port.

Step 2: Force restart your phone

A forced restart cuts power to the software and starts it fresh. It doesn’t erase anything.

iPhone 8 and later (including iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation)

1. Press and quickly release the volume up button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume down button.
3. Press and hold the side button. Keep holding even when the screen goes black, and let go when the Apple logo appears again.

The timing matters: the two volume presses need to be quick, one after the other. If it doesn’t work the first time, try again.

Samsung Galaxy phones

1. Press and hold the side key and the volume down button together.
2. Keep holding for roughly 10 seconds, until the screen goes black and the phone restarts.

Other Android phones usually use a long press of the power button, or power plus volume down. If you’re not sure, search your phone maker’s support site for “force restart” with your model name.

Step 3: Reinstall the software without erasing (iPhone)

If the iPhone still won’t get past the Apple logo, you can use a computer to reinstall iOS. Apple calls this recovery mode.

1. Connect the iPhone to a Mac or Windows computer with a cable. On a Mac, open Finder. On a Windows PC, open the Apple Devices app or iTunes.
2. With the phone connected, do the same button sequence as a forced restart: volume up, volume down, then hold the side button.
3. Keep holding the side button past the Apple logo until you see the recovery mode screen, which shows a computer and a cable.
4. On the computer, choose Update, not Restore. Update tries to reinstall iOS while keeping your data.

The computer downloads the software, which can take a while on a slow connection. If the download takes too long, the phone may leave recovery mode on its own; just repeat the steps. Apple’s guide to recovery mode walks through it with screenshots.

Only choose Restore if you have a backup or are prepared to lose what’s on the phone. Restore erases the device and installs a fresh copy of iOS.

Step 3 for Samsung and other Android phones

Android options vary more by model, so treat these as general directions:

• Safe mode. If the phone starts up but freezes or restarts soon after, safe mode loads the phone without third-party apps. If it’s stable in safe mode, an app you installed recently is the likely cause, and you can uninstall it from there.
• Recovery menu. Most Android phones have a recovery menu reached with a button combination while the phone is off (often power plus volume up, sometimes with a cable connected). The options differ by model and software version. Avoid “Wipe data/factory reset” unless you’ve accepted losing what’s on the phone.
• Your maker’s computer software. Samsung’s Smart Switch app for Windows and Mac includes software recovery tools for some models. Check Samsung’s support pages for your model before relying on it.

Step 4: Think about your data before a reset

A factory reset fixes many software problems, but it wipes the phone. Before you go there, check whether your important things are already backed up:

• On iPhone, sign in to iCloud.com from a computer to see whether your photos are syncing, and check the last backup date in your Apple Account settings on another Apple device if you have one.
• On Android, sign in to your Google account on a computer and look at Google Photos and Google Drive. Samsung users can also check Samsung Cloud or any Smart Switch backups on a computer.

If your photos aren’t backed up anywhere, stop and get advice before resetting. Once the phone is working again, set up automatic backups; our guide on backing up your phone before a repair explains how.

When it’s probably a hardware problem

Software steps won’t help if the cause is physical. Signs that point to hardware include:

• The phone started looping right after a drop or after getting wet. See our guide on what to do if your phone was dropped in water.
• It only boots while plugged in, or shuts down at the logo as soon as you unplug it, which can point to a worn battery.
• The phone gets unusually hot during the loop.
• Recovery mode or a reinstall fails with an error, or the computer doesn’t detect the phone at all.

In these cases, a technician can check the battery, the charging port and other components and tell you what’s actually wrong before you decide what to do.

Phone stuck on the logo in Downtown Vancouver?

If you’ve tried the steps above and your phone still won’t start, bring it to the MyChoice Mobile Repair kiosk at 798 Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver. We work on iPhone, Samsung and other major brands, including software problems and battery replacement, and we’ll check what’s going on and talk you through your options. We’re open every day, 9 AM to midnight. Call (236) 785-8300 or ask for a quote before you come in.