Sleep/Wake Button

As with many things on the iPhone, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Powering off the device is no different. If you are experiencing a problem with the side button on your iPhone, or you cannot press a physical button, the device can be shut down using only touch gestures. To prevent an accidental shut down, the power off feature is somewhat hidden.

Once the iPhone is switched off, it can be restarted without using the side button as well. Simply plug the iPhone into a charger with a Lightning cable and the device should boot up.

For those with iOS 11 or later installed, Apple has added a new option to power off an iPhone or iPad without using a physical button. The sleep/wake or power button has always been a fixture of the iPhone. Also known as the side or top button, this switch will wake or sleep iOS with a quick press. Long press will enter the "slide to power off" screen. The alternative is a software shutdown, which can be performed by following these steps:

Apple last week announced that it would begin replacing the sleep/wake button mechanism on all iPhone 5 models that were manufactured through March 2013. Customers with a faulty sleep/wake button can either bring in or mail their device to an Apple Repair Center and have it fixed free of charge in approximately 4-6 days, or trade it in for an extra $80 of in-store credit, according to 9to5Mac.

According to a retail store memo issued to employees, customers can opt to trade-in their broken iPhone 5 for $350 instead of waiting up to 6 days for it to be repaired. $350 is $80 more than the normal non-affected device trade-in value. To take advantage of the deal, your iPhone 5 must exhibit the known sleep-wake issue and have a qualifying serial number. The device must also have no other problems such as a cracked display or other damage.