How to Fix iPhone Stuck on “Home Would Like to Send Critical Alerts”

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What this alert means and what to do if your iPhone gets stuck

Co-authored by Travis Boylls Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: August 21, 2024 Fact Checked

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What It Means

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What To Do If Your iPhone is Stuck

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Should You Allow Critical Alerts?

If you've seen the message "Home would like to send you critical alerts" on your iPhone, you may be wondering what it means. If your iPhone is stuck on this message, you may wonder how to fix it. Well, you've come to the right place! This wikiHow article teaches what critical alerts from Home are, and what to do if your iPhone gets stuck on this message.

"Home Would Like to Send You Critical Alerts"

Your iPhone wants to be able to notify you of urgent Home-related alerts, such as a security breach or a smoke detector going off. If your iPhone is stuck on the error, force-restart it, and remove third-party apps for your Home accessories.

Section 1 of 3:

What "Home Would Like To Send You Critical Alerts" Means

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Critical alerts differ from regular alerts in that they cannot be silenced, not even when you are in Do Not Disturb mode or your iPhone is locked. Critical alerts from the Home app are usually urgent alerts about the security system, thermostat, locks, or smoke detectors connected to the Home app.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 3:

What To Do If Your iPhone is Stuck

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1
Force-restart your iPhone. If your iPhone is stuck on "Home would like to send you critical alerts" and unresponsive, you can usually fix the problem by force-restarting your iPhone.
- iPhone 8 and newer:
  - Quickly press the Volume Up button.
  - Quickly press the Volume Down button.
  - Press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears, then release it.
- iPhone 7:
  - Press and hold the Volume Down button and Side/Power buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears, then release the buttons.
- iPhone SE, iPhone 6, and earlier:
  - Press and hold the Power button and Home buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears, then release the buttons.
2
Update your iPhone. If you continue to experience this problem, an iOS update might fix the problem. Check to see if your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
- Tap Download and Install if an update is available.
If you have a Home accessory that uses a third-party app, it may be interfering with the Home app. Delete the third-party apps for your Home accessories and try reinstalling them. If that doesn't work, you may need to delete them permanently.
4
Disable critical alerts for the Home app. If this message keeps freezing your phone, you can try disabling critical alerts. Just keep in mind that you may not receive urgent alerts relating to your connected Home devices.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap the Home app.
- Tap the toggle switch to turn off Critical Alerts.
5
Reset your Home settings. If you keep experiencing problems with the Home app, you can reset your Home settings. If your Home devices are connected to multiple iPhones or iPads, you can try resetting your Home settings on all but your primary iPhone or iPad. Be aware this will completely reset your Home settings, including paired accessories, custom automations, and scenes you have set up. You will need to set up the Home app and smart devices all over again. To reset your Home settings:
- Open the Home app.
- Tap the icon with three dots (⋯) in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Home Settings.
- Tap Remove Home.
- Confirm that you want to remove Home.
6
Restore your iPhone or iPad. If you started having this problem recently, you could try restoring your iPhone or iPad from a backup. This will revert your iPhone to how it was the last time it did a backup. To restore your iPhone from a backup:^{[2]
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- Open the Finder on Mac or iTunes on Windows.
- Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer using a charging cable.
- Click your iPhone or iPad in the menu to the left in the Finder or iTunes.
- Click Restore backup.
- Select a backup that dates from before the problem started.
- Click Restore.
- Enter your passcode.
If you keep experiencing problems with your iPhone freezing, you should contact Apple Support for further assistance. You can call Apple Support at 1-800-275-2273. You can request support at https://getsupport.apple.com/.^{[3]
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Section 3 of 3:

Should You Allow Critical Alerts?

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The only reason you should disable or not allow critical alerts is if your iPhone is freezing or you are experiencing other problems when the Critical Alert message pops up. Otherwise, you should allow and enable critical alerts. Critical alerts may contain valuable, time-sensitive information that you need to be aware of immediately.