So, you updated your iPhone as you always have done since forever, only this time your iPhone got stuck and all you’re seeing is a cable and a laptop on your iPhone screen. Well, this is your iPhone stuck in Recovery Mode, and no, not all hope is lost here. There are ways to get around it, but first you should know why your iphone stuck in recovery mode/ ipad stuck in recovery mode.
Part I: What Happened? Why Is iPhone Stuck in Recovery Mode?
There is power in knowledge, and as such, knowing why your iPhone got stuck in Recovery Mode is crucial to help avoid a repeat performance. An iPhone enters Recovery Mode during update when you update it via a computer, using iTunes or macOS Finder, the update is applied, and the phone reboots to iOS again. All this is normal and happens each time you update via the computer. However, sometimes, the iPhone gets stuck in Recovery Mode for various reasons known best to Apple, but there are two that are relevant to you, and you have control over.
Cable Issues
What’s in a cable, right? Using a cheap cable to connect and perform routine activities is something all of us are guilty of. Apple cables do not come cheap. After all, it is just a cable, yes? Well, yes and no. You see, I discovered this the hard way, one time. I repeatedly kept encountering an error during iOS update with some obscure error number, and I could not find what it was about. With a long trial and error, I finally switched out the cable with a genuine Apple cable and tried again, and voila! It worked! Lesson learnt; a cable that might be working normally for everyday tasks and still cause issues during software update.
Another issue of note is frayed cables and connectors that are loose-fitting either at the computer end or the iPhone end, where you never know if the connection is solid enough and snug enough, respectively. Cable issues are the number one reason for a botched update and iPhone getting stuck in Recovery Mode.
Software Issues
Both macOS Finder and iTunes will not allow an incompatible iOS installation to proceed, keeping your iPhone is still safe and sound. This means that try as you might, you cannot install an iOS file designed for iPhone 7 on your iPhone 14 for example. However, when iTunes or Finder is downloading the right update for your iPhone, other things can happen that might cause issues for you during install. Again, I discovered that the hard way. iOS update problems are aplenty, when you come to think of it!
When iTunes or macOS Finder is downloading the iOS file to the computer for installation, suppose the Wi-Fi acts up, or you lose your internet connection for a second or two, or there is packet loss, what happens then? The software file might pass Apple’s checks and proceed with installation, only for the install to get stuck somewhere along the way.
The same is true while installation is taking place. Your file got downloaded without a hitch, and the iPhone is being updated. Suddenly, the power goes off and takes your internet connection with it. There is a high chance your installation will get stuck. It is usually in such cases that an iPhone gets stuck in Recovery Mode.
Part II: Official Apple Methods to Fix iPhone Stuck in Recovery Mode
Now, there are official ways to get an iPhone stuck in Recovery Mode out, ranging from a force restart attempt to a full-blown restore. Here they are. We’d tell you to back up iPhone prior to using these methods, but that does not apply when your iPhone/ iPad is not booted into its respective OS!
II.I: Force Restart
A force restart is recommended as the first tool to fix any issue regardless of it being hardware or software in nature. Here is how to restart your iPhone:
Step 1: Press the volume Up button.
Step 2: Press the volume Down button.
Step 3: Press the Side button and keep it pressed till the Apple logo appears again.
II.II: Reinstall iOS in Recovery Mode
You are already in Recovery Mode, so why enter Recovery Mode again? No harm in doing it all over.
Step 1: Remove the cable from the iPhone and reconnect it a few seconds later.
Step 2: Follow the steps to force restart the iPhone. When connected to the computer with a cable, the iPhone enters Recovery Mode instead of simply restarting.
Step 3: Click Update and if the installation fails for some reason, repeat the process, and click Restore this time. If neither works, it is time to use DFU mode.
II.III: Restore iOS in DFU Mode
DFU mode skips the bootloader and interfaces with the device directly. This removes any potential holdbacks due to Recovery Mode issues.
To get into DFU mode on iPhone:
Step 1: With the iPhone connected to computer, press the volume Up key.
Step 2: Press the volume Down key.
Step 3: Press the Side button, wait 10 seconds, and while keeping the Side button pressed, also press volume Down again for 5 seconds.
Step 4: Let the side button go while pressing the volume Down key for an added 10 seconds.
Your iPhone screen should turn black and remain black. Click Restore and follow the instructions.
II.IV: Reach Out to An Apple Store
If none of the above helps you unstick the iPhone from Recovery Mode, you may want to connect with an Apple Store. However, if you want, there is a third-party tool that us much easier to use than the methods described above. It is called Dr.Fone – System Repair (iOS) and is developed by Wondershare, a company with software experience nearing 30 years now!
Part III: One-Click Way to Fix iPhone Stuck in Recovery Mode
Now, as you might have realized by now, Apple may have provided ways for you to try and fix things on your own, but they are not easy. They are certainly too technical and intimidating for an average user who is concerned about doing something that might cause more issues than the one they are trying to fix. For everyday users, we have a tool that is easy to understand and intuitive to use without the technical lexicon that can be confusing even to the most seasoned professionals, let alone everyday users who know little about software.
Wondershare Dr.Fone – System Repair (iOS): One Tool For All Your iPhone Issues
Dr.Fone by Wondershare is a thoughtfully-designed collection of utilities built into one easy-to-use app. Each utility is designed for specific tasks. Dr.Fone – Phone Backup, as the name suggests, is designed to take you through backing up and restoring data on your iPhone both completely and selectively. Dr.Fone – Data Eraser is designed to remove junk such as old logs and cache from your phone while also giving you the ability to wipe your device clean before trading or for any other purpose. You get the point.
Dr.Fone – System Repair is the utility to use when dealing with smartphone problems such as white screen of death, black screen of death, iphone stuck on apple logo, and yes, iPhone stuck in Recovery Mode.
Here is how to unstick iPhone from Recovery Mode easily with Dr.Fone – System Repair (iOS).
Step 1: Launch Dr.Fone and go to Toolbox > System Repair.
Step 2: Click iPhone.
Step 3: Click iOS Repair.
Step 4: Click Standard Repair.
Step 5: Enter Recovery mode.
Step 6: Note the software version installed. Download the same version so that you have a chance at repairing iPhone without data loss.
Step 7: Click Repair Now.
Click Done to finish.
This process is the easiest way to fix an iPhone stuck in Recovery Mode.
Closing Words
An iPhone stuck in Recovery Mode is an annoying experience because most of the times, we don’t know what to do and how to fix it. Apple’s own methods, while doing the job, are not consumer-friendly at all. We don’t want to know what error number so and so means. We just want to fix the issue at hand. And that is what Wondershare Dr.Fone – System Repair (iOS) excels at. It guides you every step of the way in an easy-to-understand language and you can fix the iPhone stuck in Recovery Mode yourself with confidence. Having issues with your iPhone? Download Wondershare Dr.Fone and experience the difference.