Samsung s8 won’t turn on? Try these 10 Methods (Restart, Reset + More)

If your Samsung Galaxy S8 is completely unresponsive when you try to power it on, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to get it working again. Here are the most common solutions for fixing a Galaxy S8 that won’t turn on.

1. Charge the Battery

An uncharged battery is the most common reason a Galaxy S8 won’t turn on. Use the original Samsung charging cable and adapter to charge your S8 for at least 30 minutes before trying to power it on. This gives the battery enough initial juice to potentially boot up the phone.

2. Force Restart the S8

Press and hold the Volume Down button and Power button together for 10-15 seconds to force restart your Galaxy S8. Keep holding the buttons past any vibrations until the Samsung logo appears. Releasing the buttons when you see the logo boots up the phone, fixing many minor software issues preventing normal startup.

3. Boot Into Safe Mode

Safe Mode disables any third party apps or software that may be causing issues. To enable Safe Mode:

• Make sure your S8 is powered off
• Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons until the Samsung logo shows
• Keep holding Volume Down until “Safe Mode” appears

If your phone works in Safe Mode, the problem is likely a faulty app. Uninstall recently downloaded apps or do a factory reset to fix it.

4. Wipe the Cache Partition

A corrupted cache partition can prevent the OS from booting up properly. To wipe it:

• Turn off your S8
• Press and hold Power + Volume Up + Bixby until recovery menu appears
• Use Volume keys to highlight “Wipe cache partition”
• Press Power button to select and complete the wipe
• “Reboot system now” will appear when finished, select this to restart your phone

Wiping the cache can clear software issues without erasing personal data. If successful, your S8 should now turn on.

5. Reset to Factory Settings

If nothing else works, reset your S8:

• Backup data first as this erases everything
• With phone off, press Volume Up + Bixby + Power until Samsung logo shows
• Use Volume keys to select “Factory data reset”
• Press Power button to confirm and initiate reset
• Select “Reboot system now” when completed

Resetting to factory settings often resolves stubborn software problems preventing power on. Only use this solution as a last resort.

6. Check for Physical Damage

If your Galaxy S8 was recently dropped or damaged, hardware issues could be preventing power on. Carefully inspect the phone body, screen, buttons and ports for any signs of physical damage. Even if it looks fine externally, internal components like the motherboard may be malfunctioning.

7. Use Original Samsung Charger

Be sure to use the official Samsung charger and cable designed for your S8. Generic or third party chargers often don’t provide enough steady power to start up a drained battery. Test your charger with other devices to confirm it’s working properly.

8. Let the Battery Cool Down

In rare cases, an overheated or swollen battery can prevent power on. If you know your phone recently overheated or you notice swelling, let it cool for 1-2 hours before trying to turn it on. Do not charge or force restart an overheated S8. Moving it to a cool location is the safest approach.

9. Get Professional Repair Help

For any hardware issue preventing startup, seek professional repair assistance. Samsung and authorized repair centers can accurately diagnose and fix problems like faulty batteries, charging ports, or motherboards. DIY fixes often create bigger issues.

10. Contact Samsung Support

If you still can’t get your S8 to turn on after trying these troubleshooting tips, contact Samsung Support. Their experts can provide customized troubleshooting guidance based on your unique situation. They can also facilitate warranty repairs or replacement if covered.