As with all phones, even with the iPhone, when there are problems and everything seems blocked, you need to know how to force the restart and enter the recovery mode, that is, which allows us to reset the iOS system in order to return it to the original settings as if you were doing a reinstall .
In this way, whatever the problem of the iPhone, if there is something broken on the hardware side, you can always recover the phone and bring it back to work.
When your device no longer responds completely, you could choose whether to wait for the battery to fully drain until it shuts down to initiate a hard reset.
Recovery mode goes a step further, restarting the device in a state where iOS can be reinstalled by connecting the iPhone to a computer with iTunes.
Recovery mode is the way to go when the iPhone refuses to boot or freezes on startup.
With the reinstallation, of course, all the data and apps installed on the iPhone are lost, even if you can recover everything (especially the address book) from the iCloud backup.
Unfortunately, the device cannot be backed up in recovery mode.
To force the restart of the iPhone and restore iOS, however, there are different ways depending on the model and generation:
- iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s, iPad, iPhone 5s etc.
To forcefully restart iPhone X, iPhone 8 and, iPhone 8 Plus you need to press some buttons in sequence very quickly.
Press and release the volume up button.
Press and release the volume down button.
Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
It is a matter of pressing these keys in sequence and not using the simultaneous pressing of the volume and power buttons, which on iPhone X and iPhone 8 activates emergency calls.
To put the iPhone X / iPhone 8 in recovery mode you must first connect the iPhone (even off) to the computer and open iTunes.
- Press and release the volume up button.
- Press and release the button to decrease the volume.
- Keep the side button pressed until you see the Apple logo and continue to hold it until you enter recovery mode.
Forced reboot on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus :
Press and hold the side button and the volume down key at the same time.
Release the buttons after 10 seconds when you see the Apple logo.
To put the iPhone 7 / iPhone 7 Plus in recovery mode, you must first connect the phone to the computer and open iTunes, then simultaneously hold down the side button of the off / on and the volume down button, continuing to keep them pressed also when the Apple logo appears.
Release both buttons only when the recovery mode screen is displayed.
Forced reboot iPhone 6S and earlier
For all iPhones that have the mechanical central button without TouchiID, such as on iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 5s and iPhone SE, to force the restart you just have to hold down the Home buttons (the central one) and the side one (i.e. the one that turns off the screen) for 10 seconds.
To enter recovery mode, you must therefore connect the phone to the PC, start iTunes and then press the Home and side keys, keeping them pressed until the Apple logo appears first and then the recovery mode screen.
NOTE 1: Remember that when you put the iPhone in recovery mode you must reinstall iOS within 15 minutes before the time runs out and the device automatically exits from recovery mode.
You will then have to repeat the procedure of pressing the buttons to put it back in recovery mode if this should happen.
NOTE 2: Once the iPhone is restored and reinstalled, at the first restart you will still have to log in with the credentials of the previously configured Apple account.
READ ALSO: Restore dead iPhone, if it no longer turns on or does not charge the battery
In this way, whatever the problem of the iPhone, if there is something broken on the hardware side, you can always recover the phone and bring it back to work.
When your device no longer responds completely, you could choose whether to wait for the battery to fully drain until it shuts down to initiate a hard reset.
Recovery mode goes a step further, restarting the device in a state where iOS can be reinstalled by connecting the iPhone to a computer with iTunes.
Recovery mode is the way to go when the iPhone refuses to boot or freezes on startup.
With the reinstallation, of course, all the data and apps installed on the iPhone are lost, even if you can recover everything (especially the address book) from the iCloud backup.
Unfortunately, the device cannot be backed up in recovery mode.
To force the restart of the iPhone and restore iOS, however, there are different ways depending on the model and generation:
- iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s, iPad, iPhone 5s etc.
To forcefully restart iPhone X, iPhone 8 and, iPhone 8 Plus you need to press some buttons in sequence very quickly.
Press and release the volume up button.
Press and release the volume down button.
Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
It is a matter of pressing these keys in sequence and not using the simultaneous pressing of the volume and power buttons, which on iPhone X and iPhone 8 activates emergency calls.
To put the iPhone X / iPhone 8 in recovery mode you must first connect the iPhone (even off) to the computer and open iTunes.
- Press and release the volume up button.
- Press and release the button to decrease the volume.
- Keep the side button pressed until you see the Apple logo and continue to hold it until you enter recovery mode.
Forced reboot on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus :
Press and hold the side button and the volume down key at the same time.
Release the buttons after 10 seconds when you see the Apple logo.
To put the iPhone 7 / iPhone 7 Plus in recovery mode, you must first connect the phone to the computer and open iTunes, then simultaneously hold down the side button of the off / on and the volume down button, continuing to keep them pressed also when the Apple logo appears.
Release both buttons only when the recovery mode screen is displayed.
Forced reboot iPhone 6S and earlier
For all iPhones that have the mechanical central button without TouchiID, such as on iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 5s and iPhone SE, to force the restart you just have to hold down the Home buttons (the central one) and the side one (i.e. the one that turns off the screen) for 10 seconds.
To enter recovery mode, you must therefore connect the phone to the PC, start iTunes and then press the Home and side keys, keeping them pressed until the Apple logo appears first and then the recovery mode screen.
NOTE 1: Remember that when you put the iPhone in recovery mode you must reinstall iOS within 15 minutes before the time runs out and the device automatically exits from recovery mode.
You will then have to repeat the procedure of pressing the buttons to put it back in recovery mode if this should happen.
NOTE 2: Once the iPhone is restored and reinstalled, at the first restart you will still have to log in with the credentials of the previously configured Apple account.
READ ALSO: Restore dead iPhone, if it no longer turns on or does not charge the battery
