How to fix an Apple iPhone XS that suddenly keeps restarting by itself, unexpected reboot problem

Random restart is usually tagged among other performance issues in mobile devices. This symptom typically occurs in earlier devices from wear-and-tear. Nevertheless, the same symptom can also transpire in later smartphones and the new iPhone XS is no exception. What could have possibly caused a new powerful smartphone to suddenly keep restarting unexpectedly and how to fix it? If you have the same questions in mind, then this post may be able to help you out. Read further to find out what to do whenever you bumped into such trouble and all of a sudden your iPhone XS ends up restarting abruptly.

When a new device is experiencing performance issues particularly random or unexpected reboots, it’s often because of system errors inflicted by malwares and bugs or corrupted system data, rogue apps and erratic services. Generally, the problem is attributed to software errors thus possible to fix at home. Outlined below are possible solutions.

First solution: Force restart.

Performing a force restart does similar outcome with a soft reset. It forcibly kills or quits rogue apps and services including suspended apps that were corrupted and went rogue. Rogue apps and corrupted data are usually the main culprits when dealing with random system errors including those depicted by random restart symptom. The process however differs as it’s carried using the hardware buttons. For starters, here’s how a force restart is done on an iPhone XS:

  1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Finally, press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.

Similar to a soft reset, a force restart also clears cache from the internal memory and refreshes the operating system. Any minor glitches and errors are effectively remedied, thus you can expect your device and apps to perform smoothly again afterwards. All these can be achieved without having to lose any personal information stored on the internal memory of the phone.

Second solution: Reset all settings.

If the problem started after customizing your iPhone settings, then incorrect or invalid settings are likely to blame. You might have configured the settings in a way that caused system conflicts and errors that resulted to your phone’s atypical behavior. In that case, restoring the default settings and original configuration on the iPhone would be necessary. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Reset All Settings option.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm all settings reset.

Unlike a factory reset, this reset does not affect any saved data thus you don’t have to worry about losing personal information from doing so. This also denotes that creating backups won’t be necessary. All it does is to clear all current customized settings and then restores the defaults or original values. After the reset, your iPhone restarts automatically. Just wait for it to finish booting up and then you can start enabling options and features on your phone including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other services you want to use.

Third solution: Update software to the latest version available.

New updates embed new features as well as system and security enhancements. Some updates are also pushed to address widespread problems that are attributed to system bugs and malware including those that inflict performance-related symptoms such as random freezes and abnormal system reboots on the phone. Thus you can consider updating your iPhone as possible solution. If your phone has stable Wi-Fi internet access, then you can head over to settings and then check for any available OTA updates to download and install. Here’s how:

  1. From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.

An update notification will show up if a new iOS version is up for grabs. Read the information to learn what the update is for and comply with the system requirements. Then follow the given instructions to continue downloading and installing new update.

Your phone must be connected to the Internet and has ample of memory space and battery life to complete the process. At least 50 percent battery life will do. Or you can just plug your iPhone into the wall outlet and let it charge while updating to ensure that the process won’t be halted. Also, don’t forget to restart your iPhone after updating to make sure all new system changes are properly implemented and likewise to prevent apps and services from acting up.

Fourth solution: Factory reset.

You may need to perform a full system reset to erase everything from your phone including corrupted apps and files that triggered this symptom. This however should only be considered among the last options because it also affects and deletes internal data and information stored on the internal memory of your phone. If all else failed to fix the problem, then back up all your critical data to iCloud or iTunes and follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone XS:

  1. From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Reset.
  4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm full system reset.

Alternatively, you can connect your iPhone to a computer and reset it to factory defaults using iTunes. Consider this as an option if you couldn’t perform a factory reset using the aforementioned method.

Fifth solution: Restore in recovery mode or DFU mode.

If a factory reset failed to fix the problem and your iPhone XS is still restarting abruptly, then you may proceed with an iOS restore either through recovery mode or DFU mode. Should you wish to continue troubleshooting, then you can carry out these steps to restore your iPhone XS in recovery mode. To get started, get your computer ready. You can use either a Mac or Windows computer that runs on a compatible operating system with your iPhone XS and has the latest version of iTunes installed. Once you have everything set, follow these steps to restore your iPhone XS via recovery mode in iTunes:

  1. Connect your iPhone XS to your computer using the Apple-supplied USB/Lightning cable.
  2. While it’s connected, press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  3. Then quick press and release the Volume Down button.
  4. Next, press and hold the Side/Power button and continue to hold as it restarts. Don’t release the Side/Power button when the Apple logo appears as you need to put the device in a recovery state.
  5. Release the Side/Power button when you see the Connect to iTunes logo on the screen.
  6. On your computer, navigate to iTunes then you should see a message saying that your connected iOS device is in recovery mode and prompts options to update or restore.
  7. Select the Restore option to wipe everything from the phone system and then restore iOS through iTunes.

If that still failed to offer ultimate solution, then you may opt to continue and try performing a DFU mode restore instead. This would be the last possible solution you can try on to fix the problem on your end. A more detailed walkthrough on how DFU mode restore works and how it’s done can be found on the iPhone XS tutorials section from this site’s troubleshooting pages. Feel free to refer to the outlined steps on that page if you need more help in performing a DFU mode restore on your iPhone XS.

Other options

Your device may be restarting unexpectedly due to hardware damage. It’s possible that your iPhone has obtained some sort of physical or liquid damage either from accidental bumps or liquid exposure. To rule this out, you can take your iPhone to the nearest Apple-authorized service center in your place so it can be thoroughly checked by an iPhone technician.

For other official recommendations and further assistance, you can also contact Apple’s customer care or your device carrier.

I hope that this how-to post has helped you one way or another. Please help us spread the word by sharing this post to your friends or people who may also have similar problems. Thanks for reading!


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