If You Can’t Update or Restore Your iPhone or iPod Touch

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/118106

Type: External SOP

Procedure

Before You Begin

Update your Mac or PC to the latest software version.
Ensure you have a USB cable compatible with your iPhone or iPod touch.
Open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (macOS Mojave or earlier / Windows).

Put Your Device into Recovery Mode

iPhone 8 or later:
1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears.

iPhone 7 / iPhone 7 Plus:
1. Press and hold both the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake (Side) button simultaneously.
2. Continue holding until the recovery mode screen appears.

iPhone 6s or earlier / iPod touch:
1. Press and hold both the Home button and the Sleep/Wake (Top) button simultaneously.
2. Continue holding until the recovery mode screen appears.

Restore the Device

Connect your device to your computer using a USB cable.
Locate your device in Finder or iTunes.
When prompted with the option to Update or Restore, choose:
– Update first — this attempts to reinstall iOS without erasing data.
– If Update fails, repeat the recovery mode steps and choose Restore — this erases and reinstalls iOS.
Wait for the restore process to complete.
Set up your device after the restore finishes.

Notes

Data loss warning: Choosing Restore will erase all data on the device. Use Update first to attempt to preserve data.
If the device does not appear in Finder or iTunes, try a different USB cable or USB port.
Recovery mode screen displays a cable pointing to a computer icon — do not confuse this with the charging screen.
If the device exits recovery mode before you can act, you must repeat the recovery mode button sequence.
If recovery mode does not resolve the issue, the device may require service — contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider.