Although most modern smartphones no longer “freeze” as frequently as they did in the past, some entry-level and mid-range models can still become unresponsive. Common causes include insufficient internal storage or limited RAM. When this happens, users are often forced to perform a restart to restore normal operation.
Years ago, restarting a frozen phone was simple—just remove the battery for a few seconds and pop it back in. However, that’s no longer an option for most smartphones today. Popular brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, and Oppo have moved away from removable batteries in favor of a sealed, or unibody, design. So what can you do now when your phone freezes? Let’s explore the options.
Why Removable Batteries Disappeared
Once common, removable batteries have become a rarity. Today’s smartphones are sealed shut, making it impossible for users to take out the battery if it dies or becomes swollen. While a few budget models still include removable batteries, most modern phones do not.
There are several reasons behind this shift:
- Water and dust resistance: A sealed design protects the phone’s internal components better.
- Sleeker, thinner devices: Manufacturers wanted to make smartphones lighter and more compact, something that wasn’t feasible with the older designs.
- User behavior: Some users would replace original batteries with cheap knock-offs. These low-quality replacements often degraded quickly and, in some cases, swelled up, creating safety hazards.
In short, both manufacturers and users played a role in phasing out removable batteries.
How to Restart a Frozen Smartphone Without Removing the Battery
If your smartphone stops responding and the screen is frozen, tapping it won’t help. Fortunately, most phone brands have incorporated hardware-based reset options using the physical buttons on the device. Here are a few methods that may work depending on your model:
- Hold the power button for 30 seconds.
- Press and hold the power and volume down buttons simultaneously for several seconds.
- Hold the power and volume up buttons together for 10 to 20 seconds.
- Press and hold all three buttons (power, volume up, and volume down) until the device restarts.
These combinations may vary slightly between brands and models, but they are common across Android phones.
For iPhone Users
If you have an iPhone X or newer (including the latest iPhone 15 or 16 models), follow these steps:
- Press and hold either volume button and the side button until the Apple logo or the power off slider appears. Release when prompted to restart.
For older iPhones (pre-iPhone X), simply:
- Hold the top (or side) power button for several seconds until the device reboots.
While the days of swapping out your phone battery with ease are long gone, modern smartphones offer new ways to handle system freezes. Learning these button combinations can save you time—and maybe even a trip to the repair shop—when your device refuses to respond.
And if you’re still using a phone with a removable battery? Enjoy the convenience while it lasts. The tech world is steadily moving forward, and removable batteries are becoming relics of the past.