Why Restarting Your Phone Fixes So Much
When something isn’t working on your phone, restarting it can feel too simple to help. But it works more often than you’d expect.
A restart clears out small glitches that build up during everyday use.
What Restarting Your Phone Actually Does:
- Clears temporary memory
- Stops apps running in the background
- Refreshes your connection to Wi-Fi and cellular service
- Helps the phone run faster and more smoothly
- It doesn’t delete anything. No photos. No messages. No apps.
Problems a Restart Can Fix:
- The phone feels slow or frozen
- Apps won’t open or crash
- Texts aren’t sending or arriving
- Wi-Fi or Bluetooth won’t connect
- The battery is draining faster than usual
It won’t fix everything, but it’s the best first step.
How Often Should You Restart?
About once a week is a good habit. You don’t need to wait for a problem.
How to Restart Your Phone:
On an iPhone:
Hold the side button and either volume button until “Slide to Power Off” appears.
Slide it off. Wait 30 seconds.
Hold the side button again to turn it back on.
On an Android phone:
Hold the power button.
Tap Restart (or Power Off, then turn it back on).
A Simple Rule to Remember
If something feels “off,” restart first. It saves time and avoids unnecessary frustration.
Author: Pam Overly
Digital and Media Manager for New Westsiders (NWS). I moved to Avon Lake from Overland Park, Kansas, in 2013 and joined NWS later that year. I’ve served on the board as Historian and President and have also chaired several interest groups.