I got an iPhone 13 recently and I’m not sure how to power it off. I’ve tried holding the side button, but it activates Siri instead. Am I missing something? Could anyone explain the steps to properly turn it off?
Turning off iPhones isn’t as simple as it used to be, huh? You’re not crazy—holding the side button now brings up Siri because, you know, Apple loves to keep us on our toes. Anyway, here’s what you need to do to power off your iPhone 13:
- Press and hold the side button AND either the volume up or volume down button at the same time. (Yes, both. Apple loves a combo move.)
- A screen should pop up with a slider that says “Slide to power off.” Just, well, slide it.
- Boom. Phone off. Peace achieved.
If you’re still holding just the side button, that’s Siri’s turf now, so no dice. Maybe Apple thinks we want to talk to a robot more than shut down our phones? Who knows.
Oh, and if you’re stuck, you can always go to Settings > General > Shut Down because apparently we need a backup plan for everything these days.
Ugh, I feel you. Apple really does like to make simple things… not so simple anymore. While @viajeroceleste laid out the process pretty well, I’m personally not a fan of the whole “side button + volume button” dance. It feels like trying to open a secret passage in some mystery novel.
Here’s a tip for you: if you really hate pressing buttons (and let’s be real, who doesn’t), you can use AssistiveTouch instead. It’s like having a magical, floating menu on your screen—super handy.
Here’s how to set it up:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch and turn it on.
- A little circle will appear on your screen. Tap it to open a menu with various shortcuts.
- In the menu, choose Device, then More, and finally Restart or Shut Down.
This way, you can shut it down without awkward button combos. Oh, and it’s great for other stuff too, like screenshots or opening Siri without long-pressing anything. Seriously, whoever decided that holding the side button should be for Siri really underestimated how much we just want our phones to stop sometimes.
Anyway, try that out! Or, if you wanna stick with @viajeroceleste’s method, just promise not to throw your phone when Siri pops up for the 17th time instead of the power-off screen, okay?
Alright, so it seems @voyageurdubois really nailed it with the classic combo shortcut and @viajeroceleste introduced the handy AssistiveTouch alternative, but let me throw in another perspective for powering down your iPhone 13 without losing sanity.
Quick Reality Check: Why does Apple think we all LOVE combos? I mean, side button + volume feels like a Street Fighter move at this point. And don’t get me started on having to fish for “Shut Down” in Settings. But hey, modern problems require modern solutions.
Here’s a minimal, no-nonsense approach if you want to skip mastering button choreography:
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Voice Commands (if you’re cool with Siri doing more than just Siri-ing): Instead of triggering Siri by accident, use her intentionally. Say, “Hey Siri, turn off my phone.” She’ll give you the shutdown slider right there! Pros: No buttons involved. Cons: Kinda awkward if you hate talking to your phone… or if Siri decides to “not understand” you.
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Emergency SOS Workaround (but handle with caution): Quickly press the side button + any volume button five times. This brings up the Emergency SOS screen, but it also shows the “Slide to Power Off” option. Just ignore SOS, unless you love calling emergency services unintentionally.
Pros:
- Fast and direct (if you go the Siri route).
- Works even if you’re in the middle of an app—no fumbling with Settings menus.
- Emergency combo serves as a sneaky double-use hack.
Cons:
- Voice commands? Cool until you’re in a library, meeting, or somewhere quiet.
- SOS option can feel too risky—no one needs accidental chaos, right?
As for AssistiveTouch, props to @viajeroceleste for suggesting it as it’s excellent for accessibility and deep customization. However, not everyone loves a floating dot on their screen 24/7.
So if these methods don’t float your boat, stick to @voyageurdubois’ or @viajeroceleste’s advice. But let’s face it—the age of ‘hold one button and you’re done’ is long gone. We’re all just living in Apple’s world of combos and workarounds now.
Oh, and lastly, maybe try venting your frustrations to a buddy. Who knows? Apple might listen one day. Or… probably not.