If you can't update or restore your iPhone or iPod touch

You can put your iOS device in recovery mode, then restore it using your computer.

You may need to use recovery mode to restore your device in the following situations:

  • Your computer doesn't recognise your device or says it's in recovery mode.

  • If your screen is stuck on the Apple logo for several minutes with no progress bar.

  • You see the Connect to computer screen.

Find out what to do if you see the progress bar on your screen for several minutes

Put your device in recovery mode and set it up again

A Finder window on a Mac showing options to restore or update your iPhone

  1. Make sure that your Mac is up to date. If you’re using a PC, make sure you have the latest version of the Apple Devices app or iTunes.

  2. Connect your device to your computer with a USB cable.

  3. Open the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn’t have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead.

  4. Keep your device connected and wait until the Connect to computer screen appears.

    • iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation and later): press and release the volume up button quickly. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Then, press and hold the side button until you see the Connect to computer screen.

      An animation of an iPhone with arrows pointing to the Volume Up button, then to the Volume Down button and then to the side button.

    • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and iPod touch (7th generation): press and hold the top (or side) and volume down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the Connect to computer screen.

      An iPhone with arrows pointing to the Volume Down button and the Top (or Side) Button

    • iPhone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation), and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier: press and hold both the Home and the top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the Connect to computer screen.

      An iPhone with arrows pointing to the Home Button and the Top (or Side) Button

  5. Locate your device on your computer. When you see the option to Update or Restore, choose Update. Wait for your computer to download the software for your device. If the download takes more than 15 minutes and your device exits the Connect to computer screen, let the download finish, then repeat step 3.

    A Finder window on a Mac showing options to restore or update your iPhone

  6. After the Update or Restore completes, set up your device. Did you receive an error code or alert when trying this step?

Get help

You may need a service if:

  • You can’t update or restore your device with recovery mode

  • You can’t use recovery mode because a button is broken or stuck

  • Your device is stuck in Activation Lock

Get service

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