There will be times when you need to turn off your smartphone. But the process isn't as easy as locating and pressing the power button. Whether you own a budget Android phone, a flagship Samsung device, or an iPhone, there are different ways to power down your device.

How to turn off your Google Pixel smartphone

For newer Pixel phones, here's what you'll do to turn off the phone:

  1. Press and hold the power and volume-up buttons for a couple of seconds.
  2. When the pop-up appears, tap the Power off button to turn off your phone.
    Select the Power off button to turn off your Pixel
    Once you tap the power off icon, your phone will turn off

Alternatively, turn off your Pixel by swiping down twice from the top of the screen until the Quick Settings menu appears. Then, select the power off icon at the bottom of the screen and follow the on-screen instructions.

The process is slightly different but still straightforward in older Google Pixel smartphones, like the Pixel 5 and earlier models. Here's what you'll do:

  1. Press and hold the power button until you see a pop-up on your screen.
  2. Select the Power off icon to shut down your smartphone.

How to turn off your Samsung Galaxy smartphone

If you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, pressing the power button turns on Bixby. To turn off your phone, here's what you'll do:

  1. Long press the power button and volume-down button.
  2. From the pop-up menu that appears on the screen, tap Power off to turn off your smartphone.

Another quick way to power off your Samsung phone is by swiping down twice from the top of the touch screen. You should now see the power-off icon in the upper-right corner. Select it and follow the on-screen prompts to turn off your phone.

A Google Pixel 3 and a Pixel 6 displaying the At a Glance widget
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How to turn off your Motorola smartphone

Motorola smartphones are among the easiest to turn off. Here's what you'll do:

  1. Press and hold down the power button.
  2. Select the Power off icon from the pop-up box to turn off your smartphone.

Alternatively, swipe down twice from the top of the home screen to see the power-off switch. Select it and follow the instructions detailed above to turn off your smartphone.

These instructions can help you turn off most mobile devices on the market. If you own a device from a different brand, here's what you can try:

  1. Hold the power button and the volume up or volume down button and follow the on-screen instructions.
  2. Press the power button alone and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to turn off an iPhone

Turning off an iPhone is as straightforward as turning off Android devices. Here's what you'll do:

  1. Press and hold the side key and the volume up button.
  2. Slide your finger across the slide to power off slider to turn your phone off.

If any of the physical buttons don't work on your iPhone, here's how to turn it off:

  1. Navigate to the Settings app.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down and select Shut Down.
  4. Slide your finger across the slide to power off slider.
    Navigate to the Settings app and select General
    Select Shut Down to switch off your phone

Another way to turn off your Apple device is to ask Siri. After speaking your voice command, you'll see a confirmation box on your screen. Respond with "Yes" to turn off your phone.

When turning off your phone doesn't help

Most people turn off their phones to reboot their devices or solve minor software issues. However, if turning off your phone doesn't rectify the issue you're experiencing, force restart your mobile phone or factory reset your Android device or iOS device.