Why ‘turning it off and on again’ actually works
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having problems with our phones, tablets, and other tech is an almost-universal experience, but one simple technique can fix almost every single one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Popularised by the British show </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The IT Crowd</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, turning a device on and off again can fix a range of problems </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/have-you-tried-turning-it-off-and-on-again-the-easiest-fix-for-tech-issues/news-story/5759759b1b1b9926527da81457a826a2" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">according to experts</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Restarting a device works because it wipes the current state of the software and restarts the system, meaning that any code that is stuck or misbehaving will be dumped too.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition, scheduling regular reboots can even prevent issues from popping up in the first place.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For phones and tablets, particularly Android and Apple devices, running non-stop can lead to issues such as slow performance, and connectivity issues. So if your issue is specific, such as a certain app or page not loading, restarting the phone should be your first step.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, that doesn’t mean you should be constantly restarting your devices, with experts recommending doing it about once every week or so for the best effect.</span></p>
<p><strong>How to restart Android devices</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The easiest method of restarting your device involves holding down the power button and pressing the ‘Restart’ option when it appears on your screen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If this doesn’t happen, you can just hold down the power button for 30 seconds to turn the device off, and start it again normally.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some phones also offer an option to schedule automatic reboots, even letting you choose the day and time. To do this on a Samsung Galaxy for instance, go to settings and search for auto-restart at set times, or go to settings, then battery and device care, tap the three dots and select automation.</span></p>
<p><strong>How to restart iPhones and iPads</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Restarting an Apple device can be done by holding down the power button and one of the volume buttons until a slider appears which says ‘Power off’. Once you press the power button, you can push it again to restart the device.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Otherwise, you can try a force restart if the slider doesn’t appear.</span></p>
<p><strong>Desktops and laptops</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though most modern computers prompt you when a restart is needed - such as after installing new software - it is recommended that computers have a full backup and restart at least once a year.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To keep things running smoothly, it’s best to turn your computer off each night and switch it on when you need it again.</span></p>
<p><strong>How to restart Windows PCs</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Windows PC can be restarted by clicking the start menu, clicking on power, and choosing the restart option. It’s recommended that Windows devices are restarted about once a week.</span></p>
<p><strong>How to restart Mac computers</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unlike Windows, Apple recommends that you only restart your device when you encounter a problem.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To restart, click the Apple icon in the top left corner and then select restart.</span></p>
<p><strong>What about Smart TVs?</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly to Apple, Smart TV manufacturers recommend restarting only when a problem arises, such as apps refusing to load or if the interface is slow.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The easiest way to restart a Smart TV is to turn it off, unplug it and wait for 30 seconds before plugging it back in and turning it on again.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>
