Phone Keeps Restarting on Its Own? Here’s Why

A phone that keeps restarting can make even simple tasks feel impossible. One minute you are replying to a message, the next the screen goes black and the device boots again. In many cases, the cause is a software conflict, a faulty app, low storage, overheating, or an enabled automatic restart setting rather than permanent hardware damage.

The best approach is to work from the least disruptive fix to the more serious ones. Do not factory-reset the phone immediately; first check whether a recent app, system update, battery issue, or scheduled setting is causing the restarts.

Quick Diagnosis Table

What You Notice	Most Likely Cause	Start Here
Phone restarts at roughly the same time	Scheduled auto restart or optimization setting	Check restart settings
Restarts began after installing an app	Faulty or incompatible app	Remove recent apps or use Safe Mode
Phone restarts while gaming, charging, or using the camera	Overheating or power-related issue	Let it cool and remove accessories
Restarts happen when storage is nearly full	Low free storage or system instability	Clear storage space
Phone reboots after a software update	Background optimization, app conflict, or update bug	Update apps and restart normally
Phone shows the logo repeatedly	Boot loop, damaged update, battery, or hardware problem	Try recovery steps and seek support if needed
Phone turns off below 20% battery	Aging battery or battery calibration issue	Check battery health
Phone restarts even in Safe Mode	System software or hardware issue	Back up data and consider service

1. Check Whether Automatic Restart Is Enabled

Some Android phones can restart themselves as part of maintenance or device optimization. Samsung Galaxy phones are one example: features such as Auto Restart or automatic optimization can restart the phone when it is not being used.

If the restart happens overnight or at a predictable time, this is the first setting to check. It may look like a fault, even though the phone is following a scheduled maintenance rule.

On many Samsung phones, go to Settings > Battery and device care and look for Auto optimization, Auto restart, or Restart when needed. Turn off scheduled restart options, then use the phone normally for a few days.

Other Android manufacturers use different names. Search Settings for “restart,” “optimization,” or “schedule” if you cannot find the option manually.

An iPhone does not normally have a user-facing scheduled restart feature. If an iPhone restarts at random, the cause is more likely to be an app, iOS issue, battery condition, or hardware fault.

2. Restart It Once Manually

It may sound obvious, but a deliberate restart can clear a stuck process that is triggering repeated crashes. This is different from waiting for the phone to restart by itself.

On most Android phones, press and hold the Power button, then choose Restart. If the device is frozen, hold the Power button for around 20 to 30 seconds until it reboots.

For iPhone X and later, press and hold either Volume button together with the Side button until the power-off slider appears. Turn the phone off, wait about 30 seconds, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

If the phone cannot stay on long enough to complete a normal restart, move to the next steps. Frequent reboots can prevent apps and system services from closing correctly, so do not keep forcing restarts repeatedly unless the device is frozen.

3. Remove Recently Installed or Updated Apps

A faulty third-party app is one of the most common reasons a phone keeps restarting. It may be poorly optimized for your phone’s software version, conflict with another app, use excessive memory, or crash a system service.

Think back to when the problem started. If it happened shortly after installing a game, cleaner app, launcher, antivirus app, VPN, keyboard, camera utility, battery saver, or unofficial app package, remove that app first.

On Android, open Settings > Apps, select the suspected app, then tap Uninstall. You can also uninstall it through Google Play by opening the app’s listing.

On iPhone, touch and hold the app icon, select Remove App, then choose Delete App. If you are unsure, remove the most recently installed apps one by one and observe whether the restarts stop.

Avoid installing aggressive “phone cleaner” or “RAM booster” apps while troubleshooting. Modern Android and iPhone software already manages memory automatically, and these apps can sometimes cause more instability rather than fixing it.

4. Test the Phone in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is one of the most useful diagnostic tools on Android. It temporarily disables downloaded third-party apps and runs only the essential system software.

If your phone works normally in Safe Mode, a downloaded app is probably responsible. If it still restarts in Safe Mode, the cause is more likely to be Android itself, damaged storage, the battery, or another hardware issue.

On many Android phones, open the power menu, then press and hold Power off until the Safe Mode option appears. Confirm it, and the device will reboot with “Safe mode” shown near the bottom of the screen.

The exact method differs on some phones. Samsung typically allows you to press and hold Power off in the power menu, then tap Safe mode.

Use the phone for a while in Safe Mode. If it stops restarting, restart normally and uninstall recent apps gradually, starting with the most suspicious one.

iPhones do not offer a comparable consumer Safe Mode option. For an iPhone, focus on updating iOS, updating or removing recently installed apps, checking battery health, and contacting Apple Support if restarts continue.

5. Free Up Storage Space

Very low storage can make a phone unstable. Android and iOS both need free space for temporary files, app updates, system processes, camera processing, and software installations.

Check storage from Settings > Storage on Android. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.

Try to keep several gigabytes free, especially before installing a major operating-system update. Remove offline downloads, old screen recordings, duplicate files, unused apps, and large message attachments before assuming the phone has a deeper fault.

If you need a safe cleanup method, start with downloads, streaming media, app cache, and chat attachments before touching photos. That reduces the risk of losing anything important while giving the system more room to work.

6. Install System and App Updates

A restart problem can appear after a software update, but it can also be fixed by a later patch. Phone manufacturers regularly issue stability and security improvements that address crashes, modem issues, battery bugs, and app compatibility problems.

On Android, open Settings > System > Software update or search Settings for “update.” Samsung users can usually go to Settings > Software update > Download and install.

On iPhone, open Settings > General > Software Update. Install the latest available iOS version if the phone can remain powered on long enough.

Update your apps afterward. An old app may not be compatible with a newer operating system, which can lead to crashes and repeated reboots.

If restarts began just after a major update, give the phone a short period to finish background optimization and syncing. If the problem continues for several days, inspect recent app updates and consider removing any app that shows abnormal battery use, overheating, or crashing.

7. Check for Overheating, Cases, and Accessories

Phones may shut down or restart to protect their internal components from excessive heat. Gaming, long video calls, navigation, mobile hotspot use, 4K recording, wireless charging, and weak mobile signal can all raise temperatures quickly.

Remove the phone case if it feels unusually warm. Disconnect external batteries, wired chargers, magnetic accessories, USB hubs, and game controllers, then let the phone cool naturally on a hard surface away from direct sunlight.

Do not place a hot phone in a refrigerator or freezer. Sudden temperature changes can create condensation and damage internal components.

If the phone only restarts while charging, test a different certified cable and charger. Damaged accessories, poor-quality power adapters, or debris in the charging port can cause unstable charging behavior.

A restart that happens only during intense tasks may point to heat or battery strain. Reduce graphics settings, stop charging while gaming, and avoid using the phone under blankets, pillows, or in a hot car.

8. Check Battery Health and Power Problems

A degraded battery can cause random restarts, especially when the battery percentage is low or the phone is under heavy load. Older batteries may struggle to provide enough power during gaming, camera use, mobile data use, or cold weather.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. Check the maximum capacity and see whether iOS displays a service recommendation.

Android battery-health menus vary by manufacturer and model. Samsung users can open Samsung Members and use the built-in Phone Diagnostics feature, while some newer Android phones show battery information directly under Battery settings.

Watch for these signs:

The phone shuts down even though it shows 10% to 30% charge
The battery percentage drops in large jumps
The phone restarts during camera use, gaming, or charging
The device overheats without heavy use
The back panel is lifting or the screen is separating from the frame

A swollen battery is a safety issue. Stop using the phone, do not attempt to puncture or press the device, and arrange service through the manufacturer or an authorized repair provider.

9. Reset Settings Before Factory Resetting

If the restarts continue and you have ruled out apps, storage, updates, heat, and battery issues, reset network or system settings before wiping the entire phone. This can correct damaged Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile network, permission, or configuration settings without necessarily deleting personal files.

On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. Options include resetting network settings, keyboard dictionary, and location and privacy settings.

Android reset menus differ by manufacturer. Search Settings for “Reset options” or “Reset network settings.” A network reset usually removes saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, and certain mobile settings, so make sure you know your Wi-Fi password first.

Test the phone after each reset. If the issue disappears, there is no reason to perform a factory reset.

10. Factory Reset Only as a Last Resort

A factory reset can resolve persistent software corruption, but it should be your final software step. It erases apps, accounts, settings, local files, messages, and photos that are not backed up.

Before resetting, back up important data to Google One, Google Photos, Samsung Cloud, iCloud, or a computer. Confirm the backup is complete before continuing.

On Android, open Settings, search for Factory reset, then follow the instructions for Erase all data. On iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

After resetting, do not restore every app immediately. Set up the phone, install essential updates, and use it briefly before reinstalling apps one at a time. If the restarts return after installing a particular app, you have likely found the cause.

If the phone continues restarting after a clean factory reset with no third-party apps installed, the problem is more likely to be hardware-related. At that point, contact the manufacturer or an authorized repair center.

Fix Summary

Fix	Best For	What It Can Solve
Disable scheduled restart	Restarts at a regular time	Samsung Auto Restart or optimization settings
Manual restart	One-off crashes or stuck processes	Temporary software glitches
Remove recent apps	Problem began after an installation	Faulty or incompatible third-party apps
Safe Mode	Android phones with random reboots	Identifying app-related problems
Free storage	Phone is nearly full	System instability and failed updates
Update software	Restarts after an update or app change	Known bugs and compatibility problems
Let the phone cool	Restarts during charging, gaming, or camera use	Thermal protection and power strain
Check battery health	Restarts at low charge or under load	Aging battery and power delivery issues
Reset settings	Persistent configuration issue	Network and settings corruption
Factory reset	All other software fixes fail	Severe software corruption

FAQ

Why does my phone keep restarting by itself?

The most likely causes are an unstable app, a scheduled restart setting, low storage, outdated software, overheating, or a weak battery. Start by checking whether the restart happens at a consistent time, after using a particular app, or during charging.

Can a bad app make a phone restart?

Yes. An incompatible or poorly coded app can crash repeatedly, use excessive memory, interfere with system services, or trigger instability. Android Safe Mode is particularly useful because it disables third-party apps temporarily.

Why does my Samsung phone restart every night?

Samsung phones may have Auto Restart or automatic optimization enabled. Check Settings > Battery and device care for scheduled restart settings and disable them if you do not want the phone to reboot automatically.

Why does my iPhone keep restarting and showing the Apple logo?

Repeated Apple logo appearances can indicate a software crash, failed update, low storage, battery problem, or hardware issue. Update iOS and apps, check battery health, and seek Apple Support if the problem continues.

Will a factory reset stop my phone from restarting?

It can fix a serious software problem, but it will not repair a failing battery, damaged charging port, liquid damage, or another physical fault. Back up your data and use a factory reset only after simpler fixes fail.

When should I get my phone repaired?

Seek repair help if the phone restarts after a factory reset, has visible battery swelling, overheats often, shuts down unexpectedly at moderate battery levels, or restarts even in Android Safe Mode. Those signs can point to a hardware or battery problem.

Final Thoughts

If your phone keeps restarting, do not panic or assume you need a new device immediately. Start with the easy checks: automatic restart settings, recent apps, free storage, software updates, and overheating.

When those steps do not help, check battery health and back up your data before trying a factory reset. Persistent reboots after a clean reset are a strong reason to contact the manufacturer or an authorized repair provider.

Phone Keeps Restarting? Causes and Fixes to Try