How to put your iPhone or iPad into recovery mode

When all else fails, recovery mode lets you restore your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad in iTunes.

If updating your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad through Software Update simply isn't working, you're trying to get off a bad beta, or your device has simply become completely unresponsive and nothing else is working, recovery mode might be just what you need to get things going again. It's painful, so it's more of an almost-last resort than a first step. It's not complicated, however, and knowing about recovery mode is important if you ever need it.

• iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone X
• iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone 6s or earlier and iPad

How to put your iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone X into recovery mode

Because iPhone 8 doesn't have a physical Home button and iPhone X doesn't have one at all, recovery mode is accessed via a series of button presses.

1. If iTunes is open on your Mac, close it.
2. Plug your USB to Lightning cable into your computer.
3. Plug your USB to Lightning cable into your iPhone.
4. Open iTunes.

5. Press and release the Volume Up button and then the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the connect to iTunes screen.

   

If for some reason, Recovery Mode doesn't work, you can also try putting your iPhone or iPad into DFU mode. Device Firmware Update mode is a little trickier to get into, but will often force a restore even when nothing else works.

How to put your iPhone 7 or later into recovery mode

Because iPhone 7 doesn't have a physical Home button — it has a capacitive Force Touch Home button — recovery mode functionality has moved to the volume down button.

1. Turn Off your iPhone 7 if it isn't off already.

   1. Press and hold down the On/Off button on the right side (iPhone 6 or later) or top (all other iPhones) for 3 seconds.

   2. Swipe the slide to power off confirmation slider to the right.

      

2. Press and hold down the volume down button on your iPhone 7.

3. Plug your iPhone 7 into your Mac or Windows PC and make sure iTunes is running.

4. Release the volume down button when you see the Connect to iTunes screen.

   

How to put your iPhone 6s or earlier or iPad into recovery mode

1. Turn Off your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad if it isn't off already.

   1. Press and hold down the On/Off button on the right side (iPhone 6 or later) or top (all other iPhones, iPods, and iPads) for 3 seconds.

   2. Swipe the slide to power off confirmation slider to the right.

      

2. Press and hold down the Home button on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPhone.
3. Plug your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into your Mac or Windows PC and make sure iTunes is running.

4. Release the Home button when you see the Connect to iTunes screen.

   

At this point, iTunes should display an alert saying it's detected an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad in recovery mode, and will let you restore your device.

Updated September 2017: Made sure everything's current for the latest version of iOS.

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