Why is my phone not turning on even when it is charging?

The battery may be so low that it needs time before the screen can light. Google says a flashing red light means there is not enough power yet, and to charge for at least 30 minutes. If nothing shows after that, try another cable, another charger and another outlet, then clean lint out of the port.

Why is my phone screen black but it still vibrates?

The phone is running, so the problem is the screen or its connection. Google suggests calling the phone from another phone. If it rings but the screen stays blank, Google says to contact an authorized repair center. A forced restart is worth one try first.

How do I turn on a phone that will not turn on?

Charge it for 30 to 60 minutes on a charger you know works. Then do a forced restart. On iPhone 8 and later, press volume up, press volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo shows. On a Pixel, hold power and volume down for at least 20 seconds while it is plugged in. On a Galaxy, hold the side key and a volume key for more than 7 seconds.

Is there a reset button on my phone?

No phone has a separate reset button. The reset is a button combination. Apple, Google and Samsung each list one, and the forced restart does not erase your data. Samsung says this too.

Does a forced restart delete anything?

No. A forced restart only cuts power to the system and starts it again. Samsung says a forced restart done right will not erase data. The step that erases a phone is Restore in recovery mode or a factory reset.

Fix a Phone That Will Not Turn On Before You Pay for Repair

You press the power button. Nothing. You hold it longer. Still nothing. No logo, no buzz, no light. Your photos, your contacts and your two factor codes are all on that phone.

Take a breath. A phone that shows nothing is usually not dead. Most of the time the battery is too low to light the screen, or the system froze. Sometimes the phone is running and only the screen is dark. Three checks tell you which one, and none of them cost money.

Figure Out Which Kind of Dead It Is

Before you try fixes, look and listen. What the phone does tells you where the problem is.

Nothing at all, even on a charger. No light, no icon, no sound. This is most often a drained battery or a bad cable or charger. Start with the next section.
A battery icon or a red light shows up. The phone is off and charging. Google says a flashing red light means the battery does not have enough power to start yet.
It buzzes, rings or plays sounds, but the screen is black. The phone is on. The screen or its cable is the problem.
It shows a logo and then stops or loops. The phone has power. The software is stuck while it starts.
It turns off in the cold and comes back when warm. That is the battery, and it is normal. More on that below.

Charge It the Right Way

This is the step people rush. A battery that ran all the way down needs time before it can light the screen.

Apple says that if your iPhone does not turn on, charge it for one hour and then try again. If you see a low battery icon, Apple says to charge for 30 minutes or until it starts.

Google gives Android phones a clear test. Plug in with a working cable, charger and outlet, then wait one minute.

A battery icon shows. The phone is off and charging. You can restart it now.
A red light shows. The battery is fully drained. Charge for at least 30 minutes, then restart.
No icon and no light. The problem may be the screen. Skip to the ring test below.

If nothing changes, swap one thing at a time. Try another cable. Then another charger. Then another outlet. Look in the charging port with a flashlight. Pocket lint packs in tight and stops the plug from seating. Samsung says to check the port and cable for debris, corrosion and bent pins.

A computer works as a backup charger. Google says to plug the phone into a computer USB port, wait 10 to 15 minutes, then unplug and plug back in within 10 seconds. A battery icon within a minute means it is charging.

If your phone also charges slowly on a good day, the guide on why a phone is not charging covers the port, the cable and the battery.

Force It to Restart

A frozen phone can look exactly like a dead one. A forced restart cuts the power to the system and starts it fresh. It does not erase your data.

iPhone

Apple's steps depend on your model.

iPhone 8 and later, and models with Face ID. Press and quickly let go of volume up. Press and quickly let go of volume down. Then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo shows. Apple says this can take longer than 10 seconds, so keep holding.
iPhone 7. Hold the side button and volume down together until the Apple logo shows.
iPhone 6s and older. Hold the Home button and the side or top button together for about 10 seconds.

Pixel and Other Android Phones

Google says to plug the phone in, then hold volume down and power together for at least 20 seconds. If you see a red light, charge for at least 30 minutes, then hold power and tap Restart.

If you see an Android robot with the word Start, press volume down until Power off is picked, then press power. Charge for 30 minutes and restart.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung says to hold the side key and a volume key for more than 7 seconds, and let go when the phone vibrates and the logo shows. The page names volume down in one spot and volume up in another. Try volume down first. If nothing happens after 10 seconds, try volume up.

If the phone opens a menu called Android recovery, use the volume keys to pick Reboot system now and press the side key.

The Ring Test for a Black Screen

This test takes two minutes and saves people from buying a new phone.

Google suggests holding the power button for about 35 seconds to reboot, then waiting about 2 minutes. Then call your phone from another phone.

It rings or vibrates. The phone works. The screen does not. Google says to take it to an authorized repair center. Your data is likely still safe on it.
Nothing happens. The phone is not running. Go back to charging and the forced restart, then read the section on when it is the hardware.

A phone that was just dropped and now has a black screen is almost always a screen or display cable problem. The guide on a black laptop screen uses the same logic for computers.

Stuck on the Logo

A phone that shows the logo and then stops has power. Its software is stuck.

On an iPhone, connect it to a computer and use recovery mode. Apple says to open Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices app on a PC, then use the same button steps as a forced restart, but keep holding until the Connect to computer screen shows.

Your computer then offers two choices. Read them slowly.

Update. Reinstalls iOS and keeps your data. Try this first.
Restore. Reinstalls iOS and erases everything on the phone.

Apple says that if the download takes more than 15 minutes, the phone may leave recovery mode. Let the download finish, then do the button steps again.

On a Galaxy, the Android recovery menu has a Wipe data option. That one erases the phone. Pick Reboot system now instead, and book a repair if it keeps looping.

Cold, Heat and Water

Cold Weather

Apple says an iPhone is designed for use between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Colder than that, it may turn off and may not charge. Battery life comes back once the phone warms up.

So a phone that dies on a cold morning walk is not broken. Put it in an inside pocket or bring it indoors for a while. Then charge it.

Too Hot

A phone that gets too hot can show a temperature warning screen. Apple says to turn it off, move it out of the sun and let it cool. The guide on why a phone gets so hot covers the causes.

Water

If the phone got wet, do not charge it right away. Apple says to wait at least 30 minutes after a liquid alert before you charge, and that it can take up to 24 hours to dry fully. Leave it in a dry spot with airflow.

When It Is the Hardware

If the phone stays dark after an hour of charging, a forced restart and the ring test, a part has likely failed. These are the usual ones.

The battery. Old batteries can drop so low they will not wake. iFixit says to replace the battery once its health reads below 80 percent.
A swollen battery. If the back is lifting or the screen is pushed up, stop charging it. Take it to a repair shop.
The charging port. A port that is loose or corroded will not take a charge at all.
The screen. If the ring test worked, this is the part to fix.

Ask the shop to save your data before anything else. Apple, Google and Samsung each point you to repair service when these steps fail.

Advice to Ignore

"Put it in a bag of rice." It is the oldest tip there is. Apple says not to, because rice particles can damage the phone. Air and time dry it.

"Factory reset it." You cannot reset a phone that does not turn on, and the recovery menu reset erases everything. Charge, restart and test first. Most phones come back without it.

"Hold the power button for a full minute." Holding one button rarely does anything a forced restart does not. Use the right combination for your model instead.

"It is dead, buy a new one." Do the ring test first. A phone that rings needs a screen, not a replacement.

From the Inbox

Why is my phone not turning on even when it is charging?: The battery may be so low that it needs time before the screen can light. Google says a flashing red light means there is not enough power yet, and to charge for at least 30 minutes. If nothing shows after that, try another cable, another charger and another outlet, then clean lint out of the port.
Why is my phone screen black but it still vibrates?: The phone is running, so the problem is the screen or its connection. Google suggests calling the phone from another phone. If it rings but the screen stays blank, Google says to contact an authorized repair center. A forced restart is worth one try first.
How do I turn on a phone that will not turn on?: Charge it for 30 to 60 minutes on a charger you know works. Then do a forced restart. On iPhone 8 and later, press volume up, press volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo shows. On a Pixel, hold power and volume down for at least 20 seconds while it is plugged in. On a Galaxy, hold the side key and a volume key for more than 7 seconds.
Is there a reset button on my phone?: No phone has a separate reset button. The reset is a button combination. Apple, Google and Samsung each list one, and the forced restart does not erase your data. Samsung says this too.
Does a forced restart delete anything?: No. A forced restart only cuts power to the system and starts it again. Samsung says a forced restart done right will not erase data. The step that erases a phone is Restore in recovery mode or a factory reset.
My Samsung phone is stuck on the Samsung logo. What can I do?: Charge it first, then hold the side key and volume down for more than 7 seconds. If the phone opens Android recovery, use the volume keys to pick Reboot system now and press the side key. Samsung lists both steps. If it keeps looping, book a repair before you try a factory reset.

Dig Deeper

Apple Support, If your iPhone will not turn on or is frozen, accessed October 2026
Apple Support, If you cannot update or restore your iPhone, accessed October 2026
Apple Support, If your iPhone or iPad gets too hot or too cold, accessed October 2026
Apple Support, If you see a liquid detection alert on your iPhone, accessed October 2026
Android Help, Fix an Android device that will not charge or turn on, accessed October 2026
Samsung UK, What to do if your Galaxy phone will not power on properly, accessed October 2026
iFixit, Android Phone Will Not Turn On, accessed October 2026