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If your iPhone is frozen, stuck starting up, or showing a computer-connection screen, you can try recovery mode using a Mac or Windows PC. Connect the iPhone, use the button sequence for its model, then choose Update before Restore if you want to preserve personal data: Update is intended to keep it, while Restore erases the device.
What recovery mode does—and what it does not do
Recovery mode lets a computer attempt to update or restore iOS when the iPhone will not start or cannot be updated normally. It is not the same as a force restart: a force restart simply restarts the iPhone, while recovery mode keeps you holding a button until the screen tells you to connect to a computer. Apple’s recovery instructions explain the computer-connected process.
You need a Mac or Windows PC, a USB cable that fits both the iPhone and computer, and current computer software. On a Mac, open Finder; on a Windows PC, open Apple Devices. Keep the iPhone connected while following the steps.
Put your iPhone in recovery mode
First connect the iPhone to the computer. Then follow the sequence for its generation, holding the final button or buttons until the Connect to computer screen appears—not merely until the Apple logo appears.
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- Quickly press and release Volume Up.
- Quickly press and release Volume Down.
- Press and hold the Side button until the Connect to computer screen appears.
iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus
- Press and hold the Side button and Volume Down together.
- Keep holding until the Connect to computer screen appears.
iPhone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation)
- Press and hold the Home button and the Top (or Side) button together.
- Keep holding until the Connect to computer screen appears.
If the computer does not show the iPhone, check Finder or Apple Devices again and make sure the phone is still connected. Apple’s model-specific steps identify the same screen as the point to release the buttons.
Choose Update or Restore carefully
When Finder or Apple Devices offers a choice, the data consequence is the key difference. Apple advises trying Update first if you have not already tried it.
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| Choice | What it does | Effect on personal data | What happens next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Update | Reinstalls iOS | Intended to keep personal data | If the iPhone still returns to recovery mode after Update succeeds, Apple advises repeating the process and choosing Restore. |
| Restore | Reinstalls iOS | Erases all data on the iPhone | Set up the iPhone again and recover from a backup if one is available. |
Do not select Restore if you need data that is not backed up unless you accept that it will be erased. See Apple’s guidance for updating or restoring an iPhone and for errors 9, 4005, 4013, or 4014.
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If the iPhone leaves recovery mode during a download
A software download that takes more than 15 minutes can cause the iPhone to leave the recovery screen. Let the download finish on the computer, then repeat the correct button sequence to return the iPhone to recovery mode and continue. The 15-minute point is Apple’s practical timing warning, not a guaranteed cutoff.
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Force restart versus recovery mode
On iPhone 8 or later, a force restart is: quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears and release it. Apple documents this in its force-restart instructions.
To enter recovery mode instead, do not release the Side button at the Apple logo; continue holding it until the Connect to computer screen appears. The button sequence overlaps, but the screen you wait for determines which operation you are doing.
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Troubleshoot a computer that will not update or restore the iPhone
- Update the computer software. Make sure macOS, Apple Devices, or iTunes (as applicable) is current. Apple’s update and restore error guidance covers software and connection checks.
- Use a direct USB connection. Connect the iPhone to a port on the computer, not through a keyboard or USB hub.
- Check the cable and port. Try another cable or port. For specified connection errors, Apple advises using an Apple-certified cable if the supplied cable is unavailable; check that the cable matches the iPhone and computer connectors. A cable change is a connection check, not a fix for every recovery problem. See Apple’s error troubleshooting steps.
- Try another computer or network for some errors. Apple includes these as troubleshooting options for certain update or restore errors.
For errors 9, 4005, 4013, or 4014
Apple recommends trying Update first to reinstall iOS while keeping personal data. If Update succeeds but the iPhone returns to recovery mode, repeat the process and choose Restore; that erases the iPhone, so you will need to set it up again and restore from a backup if available. Follow Apple’s instructions for these four errors.
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If the iPhone is still stuck or will not enter recovery mode
If a button is broken or stuck and prevents you from entering recovery mode, or recovery mode cannot update or restore the iPhone, Apple says service may be needed. Contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider rather than relying on repeated attempts with a nonworking button. Apple also describes Recovery Assistant, which can help resolve startup problems by downloading a software package and requires Wi-Fi. If the problem continues after it finishes, Apple advises ensuring the iPhone has the latest iOS; if it does, use recovery mode to restore, and seek service if the issue persists.
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