How to fix an Apple iPhone XS Max that’s stuck on white Apple logo

Although it seldom occurs to new high-end smartphones to show early symptoms of performance degradation, such problems are inevitable. As a matter of fact, several owners of new powerful devices including Apple’s iPhone XS series have already faced various types of issues involving system functions instability as well as faulty hardware. Tackled in this post is one of these problems and it’s on the iPhone XS Max that is stuck on white Apple logo and unable to boot up for some reason. Read on to learn what to do if you would encounter the same issue on the same iPhone.

Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our iPhone XS Max Help Guides page to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds.

Why does your iPhone XS Max get stuck on white Apple logo?

I’ve bumped into the same problem with my old iPhone wherein it would just suddenly crash and gets stuck on a white Apple logo. At first I thought it’s just a random system glitch but it’s recurring. It then turned out that the internal battery is at fault. Apparently, in my case, the problem is attributed to a broken hardware. However, that’s unlikely the case if a new iPhone is involved.

Stuck or frozen displays in new mobile devices are usually among the symptoms of system crashes as well as bad apps and malwares. When this occurs, your phone wouldn’t be able to respond to touch input commands and just stays on the same screen unless the system is rebooted. More often than not, the problem is attributed to software errors unless the symptom occurred after you dropped your iPhone or got it wet. To rule out software-related factors that might have caused your phone to get stuck and fail to boot up, I’ve lined up some applicable solutions for you to try on. Feel free to refer to these troubleshooting methods should you wish to try fixing your stuck iPhone XS Max at home.

First solution: Force restart your iPhone XS Max.

If your iPhone was working perfectly fine and then suddenly it gets stuck on white Apple logo or failed to boot up, then it could be just experiencing some random system glitch. The boot-up system might have encountered errors and so it failed to complete. Often times, stuck issues in iOS devices can be remedied by a forced restart. If you haven’t done this yet, then here’s what you should consider doing first:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3. Then, press and hold the Power button on the side of your iPhone and then release when the device restarts.

A forced restart works the same as soft reset when it comes to rectifying minor system flaws. The only difference is on how the process is executed. Performing a forced restart is carried out using physical controls (hardware) while a soft reset through menu options. Both these methods don’t affect any saved data on the internal memory, so backing up files won’t be necessary.

ALSO READ: How to fix an Apple iPhone XS Max that has no Wi-Fi internet connection

Second solution: Restore your iPhone to its factory defaults using iTunes.

Software-related symptoms that could not be corrected by basic procedures like a soft reset or forced restart are usually addressed by a full system reset. In the case where the iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo or unable to boot up, the underlying cause is likely the boot-up system that gets corrupted. To solve the problem, you will need to consider erasing your phone and then set it up as new. Any erratic settings or major software errors inflicted by corrupt system files will be cleared out in the process. But there’s a downside from doing this reset as it will delete all your saved files and data on the phone’s internal memory. Should you wish to proceed, be sure to back up all your personal information and other critical documents to iCloud or iTunes before you start with the reset. That way you’d still be able to recover the files later when you need them. Once you’re all set, follow these steps to erase your iPhone and restore its factory default settings in iTunes:

1. On your computer, close all running programs.
2. Then, connect your iPhone using the Apple-supplied USB cable or Lightning cable.
3. If prompted on your phone screen to Trust This Computer, follow the onscreen instructions to continue.
4. When your iPhone shows up in iTunes, click on its icon to select it.
5. Then navigate to the Summary section and click the Restore [iPhone] command button.
6. If prompted, click the Restore button from the message box to confirm.

This will prompt iTunes to start erasing your iPhone and then installs the latest software version available. When the reset is finished, your phone will reboot itself and then loads its factory default settings. At this point, you can use the setup wizard to set up your phone as new.

Third solution: Restore your iPhone in recovery mode.

Stuck on the Apple logo and other boot up problems that are tied to complex system errors that could not be remedied by a standard iOS restore are likely resolved by restoring iOS in recovery mode. This will put the device in a recovery state, allowing iTunes to repair any damaged system files and corrupt data. This however could lead to permanent data loss, thus you might as well consider backing up critical files beforehand. Performing a recovery mode restore requires the use of a compatible computer either Windows or Mac, with the latest version of iTunes app installed.

To get started with a recovery mode restore, connect your iPhone to the computer using the original Lightning cable or USB cable that came with it. Once your phone is connected, continue with these steps to enter recovery mode and carry out a recovery mode restore:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Next, press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3. Then, press and hold the Side/Power button until you see the Connect to iTunes screen. This means that your iPhone has entered recovery mode.
4. When you see the option to Update or Restore, select Update if you want to restore without deleting files.
5. To restore your iPhone from a previous iOS backup, click the option to Restore then follow the onscreen instructions to select the backup that you want to restore from.

The entire system restore process could take several minutes. Don’t disconnect your phone from the computer unless you see a message prompt that tells you to do so.

Fourth solution: Restore your iPhone in DFU mode.

This can be considered as last resort if none of the previous tweaks is able to solve the problem and that your iPhone XS Max remains stuck on white Apple logo or unable to boot up. Apparently, something is terribly wrong with the phone’s boot-up system that could not be rectified by basic procedures. There is a higher chance that system is totally corrupted or ruined and therefore it’s no longer able to work even after carrying out a recovery mode restore. Should you wish to troubleshoot further, then performing a DFU mode restore can be considered as the next method for you to try on. To get started with a DFU mode restore, you will have to secure a computer either Windows or Mac with the latest version of iTunes app installed. Once your device is connected to the computer, follow these steps to put it in DFU mode:

1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then quickly press and release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side/Power button until the screen turns completely black.
2. As soon as the screen turns goes black, press and hold the Volume Down button while you keep holding the Side/Power button.
3. After 5 seconds, release the Side/Power button but continue to hold the Volume Down button until your iPhone shows up in iTunes on your computer.
4. When your iPhone XS Max appears in iTunes and prompts you to restore your device, you can release the Volume button.
5. Then follow the onscreen commands to begin repairing and restoring your phone’s operating system in DFU mode through iTunes.

DFU stands for Device Firmware Update mode, the deepest type of system restore that can be done on an iPhone. This is usually applied to repair corrupt iOS that’s no longer able to boot up or cannot be triggered by the usual boot up sequence.

What it does is to put your iPhone in a special state in which it’s still able to communicate with iTunes on a computer even without activating the operating system. Thus, it would still be possible for iTunes to restore your iOS device even if the bootloader or iOS isn’t responding.

Fifth solution: Repair your iPhone using third-party iOS tools.

Aside from iTunes, you can also use non-Apple software to repair and restore a corrupt iOS device. These tools are programmed to execute tasks that iTunes usually does plus some other advanced iOS repair options that can’t be found in iTunes. To get started in using these tools, you will need to download and install your preferred software on a compatible computer. Once you have the software installed, you can connect your iPhone to the computer via USB/Lightning cable. Once your iPhone syncs, continue with these steps:

Open the iOS repair software on your computer then select your iPhone XS Max when it’s recognized. Then follow the onscreen commands to start performing system repair using command buttons and controls.

Two of the widely used alternatives to iTunes when it comes to major software repair are Tenorshare iCareFone and Any iOS System Repair. But there are still other highly trusted tools you can use besides these two. All it takes is a matter of thorough searches. Reading prior reviews will help decide and gauge the efficacy of each tool hence, you should consider taking some time to read the reviews.

Is your iPhone XS Mas still stuck on white Apple logo and unable to boot up?

In normal circumstance where complex system errors are to blame, performing the aforementioned solutions should be able to fix the problem. But if the symptom continues even after performing a DFU mode restore on your end, chances are that the phone is having some sort of physical or liquid damage. To rule this out, the best option is to take your iPhone to the nearest Apple service center in your place and have it scrutinized by an authorized technician. What you’re dealing with could be an indication or hardware damage and if so, iPhone repair would be necessary.

If your device is still covered by Apple’s service warranty, then you should contact your carrier to avail for that warranty instead.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!