Recalling an old IT support query, Apple is now asking customers to reset their iPhone before making a Genius Bar appointment, as noticed by Reddit user “brewstah” on Sunday. As the number of iPhone users continues to grow, and the number of Genius Bar appointments correspondingly increases, Apple hopes that a simple reboot will solve some common software-related issues and help keep appointments available for customers with the need for more advanced troubleshooting.
Customers who visit Apple’s support page to schedule a Genius Bar appointment for their iPhone are now asked to perform a preliminary “simple step:”
You can resolve many software issues simply by resetting your iPhone. It’s quick and easy, and it won’t cause you to lose any data. Just press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button together for at least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
The “hard reset” suggested by Apple will force the phone to reboot and may resolve crashed or frozen applications or system software.
Those who have worked in technical support, for Apple or other companies, are familiar with the basic first troubleshooting step of “turning it off and back on again.” If the reset does not solve the issue, it will at least allow the Apple Store Genius to move on to the next step without waiting for the phone to reboot. While newer iPhones reboot fairly quickly, older models take noticeably longer to restart, occupying precious seconds or minutes of an already tight appointment schedule.
As of the time of this article, only customers seeking help for their iPhones will see Apple’s message about performing a reset. Those making appointments for the iPad or iPod are taken directly to the appointment scheduler, an odd omission considering that the iPad and most iPods use the same iOS software found on the iPhone and can benefit in the same manner from a hard reset.