Does charging the device help a frozen screen?

Sometimes. If your device is frozen on a screen, it may be struggling with a low-voltage spike or a background process that is draining the battery rapidly. Plugging it into a wall outlet (not a computer) for 15–20 minutes can sometimes provide the necessary power stability to allow the system to respond to a force restart.

Can I turn off my device without using the screen at all?

Aside from a force restart, you can use AssistiveTouch if you previously enabled it. However, if the screen is already unresponsive to touch, AssistiveTouch won't help. In this case, the only way to shut it down is to perform the hardware button Force Restart sequence or wait for the battery to drain completely.

6 Ways to Solve iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock/Power Off

Have you ever encountered the issue where your iPhone or iPad suddenly can't slide to unlock or power off? If your device becomes unresponsive and the slide to unlock or slide to power off feature stops working, don’t panic — this is a common problem faced by many users. In this guide, we'll explain the reasons behind the iPhone/iPad can't slide to unlock/power off issue and provide effective solutions to fix it quickly.

iphone/ipad can't slide to unlock/power off

Why Can't I Slide to Unlock or Power Off My iPhone/iPad?
Tips to Try Before Fixing iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock or Power Off
How to Solve your iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock/Power Off
FAQs About iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock/Power Off
Conclusion

Why Can't I Slide to Unlock or Power Off My iPhone/iPad?

If your iPhone or iPad can't slide to unlock or power off, it's usually caused by one of the following issues:

01 Touchscreen Not Responding: If your screen is unresponsive or lagging, the slide to unlock or slide to power off function may stop working. This can be caused by hardware damage, screen calibration issues, or even dirt and moisture on the display.
02 iOS Glitches or Software Bugs: Temporary system glitches, corrupted files, or bugs in the current iOS version can interfere with normal touch functionality, making it impossible to slide to unlock or power off your device.
03 Low Storage or Performance Issues: When your device is running low on storage or overloaded with background apps, system performance may slow down significantly, leading to delayed or unresponsive slide actions.

Tips to Try Before Fixing iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock or Power Off

Before jumping into complex fixes, it's always worth trying a few quick checks that might solve the issue instantly.

Clean the Screen: Dust, dirt, or moisture on the screen can affect touch sensitivity. Gently wipe the display with a soft, slightly damp microfiber cloth to ensure it responds properly.
Remove Screen Protectors or Cases: A low-quality or damaged screen protector may interfere with touch responsiveness. Try removing it to see if the slide to unlock or slide to power off function works again.
Check for Physical Damage: If your device has been dropped or exposed to water, the touchscreen may be affected. In this case, it's best to contact an authorized repair service instead of attempting to open the device yourself.

If these quick tips don't solve the problem, you can move on to the more advanced solutions in the next section.

Part 3: How to Solve your iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock/Power Off

If you've already identified the possible causes and gone through the basic checks, but your iPhone or iPad still won't respond when you try to slide to unlock or power off, don't worry—there are still a few effective solutions you can try. The following methods will help you resolve the issue and regain control of your device.

Fix 1. Force Restart iPhone/iPad

When your iPhone/iPad slide to unlock/power off not function, you could try to force restart the device and related operating procedures are as below.

Force reboot iPhone ways

For iPhone 8 and later: Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, quickly press and release the Volume Down button, press and hold the Side (Power) button, and keep holding until the Apple logo appears, then release.
For iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold the Volume Down button, at the same time, press and hold the Power button, and hold both until the Apple logo appears.
For iPhone 6s, SE (1st gen), or earlier: Press and hold the Home button, at the same time, press and hold the Power button, and keep holding until you see the Apple logo.

force restart iphone

Force reboot iPad ways

For iPad with Home button: Press down the Home and Power buttons at the same time until the Apple logo is displayed on the interface.

For iPad without Home button: Quickly hold and release Volume Up and Down buttons respectively, then press the top button until the Apple logo is shown on the screen.

Fix 2. iPhone/iPad Software Update

Like what we have said before, your iPhone/iPad running an older iOS may give rise to the can't slide to unlock/power off issue. To settle it down, you are supposed to go to Settings > General > Software Update, and click Update Now button to update your iPhone/iPad to the latest version.

software update

Fix 3. Restore iPhone/iPad via iTunes

Using iTunes to restore your iPhone/iPad can fix many issues including the slide to unlock/power off not functioning. But this will remove all of your data on the device, so you are suggested to back them up before.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone/iPad to computer through a USB cable and launch iTunes. And enter your iPhone lock screen passcode to trust your computer.
Step 2. When the app automatically detects your iPhone/iPad, click your device icon.
Step 4. On the Summary tab, tap on the Restore iPhone option.

Fix 4. Use Third-party iOS Repair Tools

Or you could try the alternative – applying a professional iOS repair tool such as TunesKit iOS System Recovery, which will completely resolve your iPhone/iPad can't slide to unlock/power off without any data loss. This powerful third-party software can fix 150+ iOS issues like iPhone Messages black screen, iPhone won't go into recovery mode, and no video option on iphone, etc.

With a user-friendly interface, its easy-to-operate steps to fix different iOS issues are greatly welcomed by a few Apple customers. Come and try it for free.

Fix iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock/Power Off

Quickly fix unresponsive iPhone/iPad screen and restore normal slide-to-unlock and power-off functions without data loss using TunesKit iOS System Recovery.

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Step 1 Launch TunesKit and connect iPhone/iPad to computer

First, please download the TunesKit iOS System Recovery program on your computer and then launch it after the installation. Use an original USB cable to connect your iPhone/iPad to the computer. After entering your iPhone/iPad into iOS System Repair mode through one click, tap on the Start button.

connect iphone

Step 2 Choose a mode

There are two options for you: Standard Repair and Deep Repair, if you want to keep your data intact, choose the Standard Repair to start.

select a mode

Step 3 Download firmware package

Confirm your device information and if nothing goes wrong, then click the "Download" button to download the firmware package that matched to your device.

download firmware

Step 4 Fix iPhone/iPad can't slide to unlock/power off

Wait for the download to complete and then click the "Start Standard Repair" button. TunesKit program will start fixing your iPhone/iPad slide to unlock/power off not working issues immediately. After the repairing process is done, your iPhone shall recover to the normal again.

fix iphone can't slide to unlock

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Fix 5. Reset All Settings on iPhone/iPad

If your iPhone/iPad can't slide to unlock or power off, resetting all settings may help fix system glitches without deleting your personal data. However, it will reset system settings such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, notifications, and display preferences.

Note

This does not erase your data (photos, apps, files), but it will restore settings to default. Still, it's recommended to back up your device before proceeding.

Step 1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Step 2. Tap General, and scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad.
Step 3. Tap Reset, and select Reset All Settings.
Step 4. Enter your passcode if prompted. Confirm by tapping Reset All Settings again.

Fix 6. Contact Apple Support

If your iPhone/iPad can't slide to unlock or power off even after trying all fixes, it may be caused by a hardware issue. In this case, contacting Apple Support or visiting an Apple Store is the safest and most reliable solution.

Step 1. Go to the official Apple Support website.
Step 2. Sign in with your Apple Account.
Step 3. Select your device and issue. Book a Genius Bar appointment at a nearby Apple Store.
Step 4. Bring your device to the store for inspection.

FAQs About iPhone/iPad Can't Slide to Unlock/Power Off

Does charging the device help a frozen screen?
Sometimes. If your device is frozen on a screen, it may be struggling with a low-voltage spike or a background process that is draining the battery rapidly. Plugging it into a wall outlet (not a computer) for 15–20 minutes can sometimes provide the necessary power stability to allow the system to respond to a force restart.
Can I turn off my device without using the screen at all?
Aside from a force restart, you can use AssistiveTouch if you previously enabled it. However, if the screen is already unresponsive to touch, AssistiveTouch won't help. In this case, the only way to shut it down is to perform the hardware button "Force Restart" sequence or wait for the battery to drain completely.

Conclusion

To conclude, we sincerely hope the 6 workable methods and 2 small tips introduced above can give you a hand to fix your iPhone/iPad slide to unlock/power off not working. If you are still having other iOS problems, you can try using TunesKit iOS System Recovery to fix it.