Like any high-tech device, the iPhone is designed to be as trouble-free as possible, and most people will own one for years without ever experiencing a serious issue. Show
But sometimes things can go wrong, and if your iPhone is unresponsive — and all other troubleshooting steps have failed — then you might need to enter recovery mode. What is recovery mode on an iPhone?Recovery mode is a troubleshooting tool that connects your iPhone to a computer and lets you use Finder or iTunes to diagnose and fix the problem. Here are some reasons why you might need recovery mode:
How to put your iPhone into recovery modeThe method you use to activate recovery mode will differ depending on whether you're using a newer version of macOS, an older version, or a PC with Windows. 1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC with a USB charging cable. 2. If you're running macOS Catalina or newer, open a Finder window. If you're running macOS Mojave or older or Windows, open iTunes. The "About This Mac" menu can show you what version of macOS you're running. Stefan Ionescu3. You'll need to press and hold buttons on your iPhone to activate recovery mode.
4. In Finder, click on your phone in the left menu; or in iTunes, click the iPhone icon near the top-left corner of the window. Select your iPhone in either Finder or iTunes. Stefan Ionescu5. You'll be asked if you want to Update or Restore your iPhone. Click Update — this will try to fix your phone without erasing the data. If the recovery finishes and your phone still isn't fixed, try it again but click Restore. Once you've gone through the recovery process, your phone should exit recovery mode on its own. Turn it back on and set it up. If recovery mode didn't work, and your iPhone is still malfunctioning, then you're probably out of options you can perform at home. Try contacting Apple directly for more help. FAQsCan you enter recovery mode if your iPhone is disabled?A disabled iPhone is simply one that has been locked due to the user entering an incorrect password too many times on the lock screen. You should be able to put it in recovery mode using the same steps outlined above and restore it to regain access. How do I put my iPhone in recovery mode without a computer?A computer isn't required to enter recovery mode on an iPhone. As long as you press the right buttons, depending on your iPhone model, you can access it. However, you won't be able to restore your iPhone – that's where a computer comes in. How do I put my iPhone in recovery mode without the power button?If your Power button is broken, you can use a third-party software like Tenorshare ReiBoot to put your iPhone in recovery mode with a single click. Alternatively, you can look to get the Power button fixed at the nearest Apple Genius Bar.
William Antonelli Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at . Read more Read less We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective. How do I manually put my iPhone in recovery mode?Press and quickly release the volume down button. Then press and hold the side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
How do I put my iPhone in recovery mode when its disabled?Press and hold the correct button for your iPhone while immediately connecting your iPhone to the computer. Don't let go of the button. Keep holding the button until you see the recovery mode screen on your iPhone, then let go. If you see the passcode screen, you need to turn off your iPhone and start again.
How do I put my iPhone SE into DFU mode?iPad, iPhone 6s and below, iPhone SE and iPod touch. Connect the device to a computer using a USB cable.. Hold down both the Home button and Lock button.. After 8 seconds, release the Lock button while continuing to hold down the Home button. ... . Nothing will be displayed on the screen when the device is in DFU mode.. How do I force my iPhone SE to factory reset with buttons?How to Hard Reset iPhone SE (2020 & 2022 Models). Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.. Finally, press and hold the Side button (aka power) until you see a black screen, then release.. |