Shutting Off iPhone 15: What Most People Get Wrong

You’d think turning off a phone would be the easiest thing in the world. But honestly, if you’re holding down that single side button on your iPhone 15 and wondering why Siri keeps popping up to say hi instead of letting you power down, you aren't alone. Apple changed the rules a while back, and yet, I still see people wrestling with their devices in coffee shops and airports every single day.

Basically, the "power button" isn't really a power button anymore. It’s a Side Button.

If you just hold it, you get a virtual assistant. If you click it, you lock the screen. To actually shut the thing off, you need a different handshake entirely. Whether you're trying to save battery, going into a movie, or—more importantly—trying to fix a glitch that's making your Dynamic Island act all weird, you've got a few ways to do it.

The "Standard" Way (That Everyone Forgets)

Most of us grew up with tech where holding the only button on the right meant "goodbye." On the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and the Pro models, that doesn't work.

To get the power slider to appear, you have to press and hold the Side Button and either Volume Button at the same time.

It doesn't matter if it's volume up or volume down. Just squeeze both sides of the phone for about two seconds. You’ll feel a little haptic vibration, and the "Slide to Power Off" bar will crawl across the top of your screen. Slide it to the right, and the screen goes black.

Wait about 30 seconds before you try to turn it back on. Tech experts like those at iDeviceHelp often suggest leaving it off for a full five minutes once a week. Why? Because it flushes out "memory-resident" junk—those tiny bits of code that get stuck in your RAM and make your phone feel sluggish over time.

Why the "Action Button" is a Distraction

If you have the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you have that fancy Action Button above the volume rockers. Don’t get confused. That button does whatever you programmed it to do (flashlight, silent mode, etc.), but it has zero role in shutting down the phone. Stick to the Side Button on the right.

📖 Related: Converting sq m to sq cm: Why Your Brain Wants to Get the Math Wrong

Shutting Off iPhone 15 Without Touching Buttons

Maybe your buttons are stuck. Or maybe you've got a heavy case on that makes squeezing the sides feel like a finger workout.

You can do this entirely through software.

1. Pop open your Settings app.
2. Tap on General.
3. Scroll all the way to the very bottom. Like, the absolute bottom.
4. Tap Shut Down.

The same slider appears. Swipe it. Done.

There's also a "secret" way that's been making the rounds on TikTok lately. If you have the Control Center open (swipe down from the top right), look for the tiny power icon. It's usually tucked away near the top. Press and hold that, and it'll trigger the shutdown prompt.

📖 Related: Buying Apple Earbuds at Walmart: What Most People Get Wrong

And then there's Siri. You can literally just say, "Siri, turn off my phone." She’ll ask if you’re sure. Say "Yes" or tap the button on the screen. It’s surprisingly satisfying to just voice-command your tech into submission.

When Things Go South: The Force Restart

We’ve all been there. The screen is frozen. You’re trying to swipe the power slider, but it’s not responding. Or maybe the screen is just a giant black brick.

This is where people panic. Don't.

You need to perform a "Force Restart." It’s a specific rhythmic sequence that cuts the power at a hardware level and forces the OS to reboot. Think of it like a "hard reset" for the brain.

• Quickly press and release Volume Up.
• Quickly press and release Volume Down.
• Immediately press and hold the Side Button.

Do not let go when you see the power slider. This is the mistake most people make. You have to keep holding that Side Button through the darkness until the white Apple logo actually appears on the screen. Only then can you release.

It feels like it takes forever—usually about 10 to 15 seconds—but it works 99% of the time for software hangs.

The Security Factor: Why You Should Do This Weekly

Is it weird to turn your phone off in 2026? A bit. Most of us just plug it in and let it sleep.

But here’s the thing: groups like the NSA and various cybersecurity firms (including Malwarebytes) actually recommend a full power cycle once a week. It isn't just about "resting" the hardware.

Many modern exploits and "zero-click" spyware live only in the phone's temporary memory (RAM). They don't have "persistence," meaning they can't survive a reboot. By shutting off iPhone 15 completely, you're effectively evicting any digital squatters that might have hitched a ride while you were browsing a sketchy website or clicking a weird link in a text.

It’s like a digital shower. It won't stop every virus, but it makes it a lot harder for the bad stuff to stay hidden.

📖 Related: Alva J Fisher: Why Everything You Know About the First Washing Machine is Kinda Wrong

Key Takeaways for iPhone 15 Power Management

If your phone is acting up or you just want a fresh start, remember these specific steps:

• Normal Shutdown: Hold Side Button + Any Volume Button.
• Software Shutdown: Settings > General > Shut Down.
• The "Emergency" Fix: Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side Button until the Apple logo appears.
• The Habit: Aim for a 5-minute shutdown every Sunday night. It helps with battery calibration and clears out background cache that "Restart" sometimes misses.

If you’ve tried the force restart and the screen stays black, plug it into a USB-C charger for at least 30 minutes. Sometimes the battery is just so depleted that it doesn't even have the energy to show you the "low battery" icon. If it still won't budge after that, it's probably time to book an appointment at the Genius Bar, as it could be a hardware failure rather than a software glitch.