When all else fails, almost every troubleshooting guide for iPhones and iPads ends with one possible solution: putting your device into recovery mode. Recovery mode may be the last hope to get your phone back up and running. So, how do you use it?
Activating recovery mode will vary depending on your iPhone’s model. In an ideal situation, you can connect your iPhone to a Mac or PC. You then press and hold your iPhone’s buttons to enable recovery mode. Lastly, you use iTunes or Finder to diagnose and fix the problem.
Recovery mode should only be used as a last resort, because it may factory reset your device, meaning you’ll lose all your data. Thankfully, the process is straightforward. Let’s take a more detailed look at the process and why it’s sometimes necessary.
How to Put iPhones Without Home Buttons Into Recovery Mode
Activating recovery mode for the iPhone 8 and newer models is slightly different from doing so with their older counterparts, because these gadgets don’t have the Home button. iPhone models in this category include the iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 14 (and beyond).
Remember, recovery mode may factory reset your device, erasing all your data. With this in mind, you can initiate it by following these steps:
- Connect your phone to a computer using a USB cable (on Amazon).
- For Windows users, or for Mac users on macOS Mojave or earlier, launch iTunes.
- Launch Finder if you are using a Mac operating on macOS Catalina or newer.
- Launch Finder if you are using a Mac operating on macOS Catalina or newer.
- Press the Volume Up button on your phone, then release it.
- Immediately press the Volume Down button, then release it.
- Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
- Continue holding the Side button until the Recovery Mode screen appears.
Try performing these combinations a bit quicker if you do this once and it doesn’t work. Also, you may need to close and restart iTunes if you already had it running before beginning the process.
How to Put the iPhone 7 Into Recovery Mode (iPhone 7, iPod 7 Plus, and iPod Touch)
The iPhone 7 Plus was the last iPhone model to feature a mechanical home button. Its recovery mode process is similar to that of the iPod Touch Gen 7.
- Connect your phone to a computer using a USB cable.
- For Windows users, or for Mac users on macOS Mojave or earlier, launch iTunes.
- Launch Finder if you are using a Mac operating on macOS Catalina or newer.
- Launch Finder if you are using a Mac operating on macOS Catalina or newer.
- Press and hold the Side and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.
- Continue holding the buttons even as the Apple logo appears, and only release them after you see the Recovery Mode screen.
How to Put iPhones With Home Buttons Into Recovery Mode (iPhone 6s and Older)
The iPhone 6s recovery mode is similar to older phone models including iPhone SE Gen 1 and iPod touch Gen 6.
- Connect your phone to a computer using a USB cable.
- For Windows users, or for Mac users on macOS Mojave or earlier, launch iTunes.
- Launch Finder if you are using a Mac operating on macOS Catalina or newer.
- Launch Finder if you are using a Mac operating on macOS Catalina or newer.
- Press and hold the Home and Side or Top buttons simultaneously.
- Use the Side button, located on the right, for iPhone 6 and 6s.
- Use the Top button for iPhone 5s and earlier.
- Use the Side button, located on the right, for iPhone 6 and 6s.
- Continue holding the buttons even as the Apple logo appears, and only release them after you see the Recovery Mode screen.
Using Recovery Mode to Recover Your iPhone
Once you have activated recovery mode through iTunes or Finder, the next step is to fix your phone’s problem.
- In iTunes, click on the iPhone icon at the top left corner of your computer’s screen.
- In Finder, click on Your Phone in the left menu.
- In Finder, click on Your Phone in the left menu.
- The computer will ask whether you want to Update or Restore your iPhone. Choose Update.
- Updating your phone will try and fix the problem without erasing any data.
- If this fails, then you can choose Restore. Everything will be erased on your phone, and you’ll need to begin afresh.
After the recovery process, your phone will exit recovery mode on its own. Switch it back on and check if the problem is fixed.
Note that your phone automatically exits recovery mode after 15 minutes. If you were not done before then, you’ll need to put it back into recovery mode.
What’s the Purpose of Recovery Mode?
Recovery mode involves connecting your iPhone to a computer and using iTunes or Finder to diagnose the problem. It comes in handy when every other possible troubleshooting solution has failed.
You can also use it when:
- Your device is completely unresponsive; it won’t restart and it won’t switch off either.
- When switching on your phone, it displays the Apple logo but doesn’t fully turn on.
- Your device gets stuck when updating your iOS and is in a continuous loop of restarting.
- Your phone is disabled or you forgot your passcode.
What to Do if Recovery Mode Doesn’t Work
Having an unresponsive iPhone is an awful experience. Hopefully, the steps outlined above will help you recover your phone. Your computer will help you diagnose the problem and decide on the best course of action.
If recovery mode doesn’t work, then the problem might be more severe than you think. Your buttons may be broken or your device may be stuck in activation lock. In this case, you’ll need to contact Apple support.