3 Ways to Fix iPhone Gets Stuck on Search Screen

Quick Tips

• In most cases, force restarting your iPhone should prevent it from getting stuck on the search screen.
• Ensure there is enough free storage space on your iPhone.
• If nothing else works, reset your iPhone to its default settings.

Try Basic Fixes

• Force restart your iPhone: Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Then, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. This will give the operating system a fresh start and resolve any issues that may have caused the search screen to become stuck.
• Free up storage space: A lack of free storage space can cause your iPhone to operate slowly or freeze at times. Hence, it’s a good idea to keep at least a few GBs of free space on your iPhone.
• Install iOS updates: Several users on the Apple forums reported experiencing this problem after an iOS update. If the issue is only occurring due to a bug within iOS, installing pending software updates should solve your problem.

Fix 1: Disable Home Screen Search

If your iPhone only gets stuck on the search screen when you tap the home screen search button, consider disabling it. Don’t worry; you can still get to the search screen by swiping down from the middle of the home screen.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Home Screen.

Step 2: Under the Search section, toggle off Show on Home Screen.

Fix 2: Change the Default Keyboard App

Are you using a third-party keyboard app on your iPhone? If so, issues with your keyboard app can also cause your iPhone to become stuck on the search screen. Try changing the default keyboard app on your iPhone and see if that solves the problem.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and navigate to General > Keyboard > Keyboards.

Step 2: Tap on Edit at the top right corner. Then, tap and hold the three horizontal lines next to your keyboard and drag it to the top.

Step 3: Tap Done at the top right corner to save changes.

If this solves your problem, the issue might be with the keyboard app. To avoid the issue, try updating it or using a different keyboard app.

Fix 3: Reset All Settings

If your iPhone still gets stuck on the search screen, consider resetting it as a last resort. This will reset all iPhone settings to the default without affecting your data. Follow the below steps:

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on General.

Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Step 3: Tap on Reset and select Reset All Settings from the menu.

Enter your passcode to confirm the action, and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the process.