What Happens During an iPhone Restore
When restoring an iPhone from a backup, the entire contents and settings of the iPhone are erased first. This restores the iPhone to its factory default state with no data, apps, or settings present (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204184).
After erasing the iPhone, the latest version of iOS is installed. This ensures the iPhone is up-to-date with the newest operating system from Apple.
Finally, the content from the backup is restored onto the iPhone. This includes apps, data, settings, and other information that was backed up. The time it takes to restore the backup depends on the size of the backup. Larger backups with more apps and data will take longer to restore (https://support.apple.com/en-my/HT204184). The entire process of erasing, installing the latest iOS, and restoring the backup can take over an hour for a large backup.
Why You Might Want to Stop a Restore
There are a few reasons why you may want to stop an iPhone restore once it has already begun:
You accidentally started the restore process and didn’t intend to wipe your iPhone. Restoring deletes all data and settings on your iPhone, so if you start a restore unintentionally, you’ll want to stop it before you lose anything important.
You realized there is important data or media on your iPhone that you forgot to back up beforehand. If you have photos, messages, or other information that is not saved elsewhere, stopping the restore may allow you to recover it before it gets deleted.
You don’t want to upgrade to the latest iOS version that would get installed during the restore process. Stopping the restore would allow you to stay on your current iOS version.
Overall, the main reasons for stopping an in-progress iPhone restore are to prevent data loss in case the restore was unintentional or if you forgot to properly back up your device. You may also want to stop the update portion of the restore if you wish to avoid upgrading iOS versions.
When You Should Not Stop a Restore
You should avoid stopping an iPhone restore once the process is nearing completion. Interrupting the restore too close to the end will likely brick the iPhone, rendering it unusable. This is because critical system files may be partially written or corrupted if the restore is forced to quit prematurely.
According to discussions on the Apple Support Communities forum, there is no way to recover data or undo the damage if a restore is interrupted towards the end [1]. The iPhone essentially becomes a brick that gets stuck in recovery mode and fails to boot up properly again. At that point, the only option is to attempt another full restore process.
Therefore, it’s not recommended to stop an iPhone restore when you see indications that it’s nearing completion, such as the “Finishing restore…” progress bar. Interrupting the process at this stage will likely make your iPhone unusable and unable to be recovered.
How to Attempt Stopping a Restore
There are a couple methods you can try to stop an iPhone restore in progress:
Hold down the power button and home button together for 10-15 seconds to force restart the iPhone. This may interrupt the restore process and bring you back to the normal iPhone home screen. However, this is not guaranteed to work if the restore is too far along (Source).
If your iPhone is connected to a computer via USB cable, unplug the cable. This disconnects the iPhone from the restore source and may halt the process. You can then try restarting the iPhone (Source).
Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup on the iPhone. Look for and tap the “Stop Restore in Progress” button if available. This should interrupt the iCloud restore (Source).
Keep in mind that force stopping a restore is not guaranteed to work. The iPhone may get stuck in a reboot loop if interrupted mid-restore. Proceed with caution.
What Happens if Restore is Stopped
If you stop an iPhone restore in progress, the iPhone will enter recovery mode and become unusable until the restore process is completed (Apple Inc., 2022). This is because interrupting the restore corrupts the operating system files, leaving the iPhone in an unfinished state.
The only way to get the iPhone functioning again is to connect it to a computer and complete the full restore process. Unfortunately, this usually results in all data and settings being erased from the iPhone, as the interrupted restore fails to transfer information back to the device (Apple Community, 2020).
Therefore, it is not recommended to attempt stopping an in-progress iPhone restore. The restore process should be allowed to finish, even if it is lengthy, to avoid potential data loss or rendering the iPhone inoperable until restored again.
Sources:
Apple Inc. (2022). If I restore a new phone from an iCloud b…. Apple Community. Retrieved from https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253686831
Apple Community. (2020). Can you stop an iPhone restore in progress? Quora. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Can-you-stop-an-iPhone-restore-in-progress
Recovering Data After a Failed Restore
If an iPhone restore is unexpectedly stopped or fails, you may be able to recover some or all of your data from a recent backup or using data recovery software. Here are some options for recovering data after a failed restore:1
Extract data from latest backup: If you have a recent backup of your iPhone through iCloud or iTunes, you may be able to selectively restore parts of that backup to retrieve your data. Connect to iTunes on a computer and try restoring from that backup to recover your files.
Use data recovery software: There are various third-party iOS data recovery programs that can scan your iPhone and extract recoverable data after a failed restore. Popular options include Dr.Fone, iMyFone, and PhoneRescue.2 These tools may help retrieve photos, messages, contacts, notes, and more.
Manually recover some data types: For some data types like contacts and calendars, you may be able to manually sync them from iCloud backups by going into Settings > [your name] > iCloud on the iPhone. This could restore your contacts, calendars, reminders, etc. Re-downloading apps from the App Store could also help regain some lost apps.
Completing the Restore Process
If the restore process was interrupted or stopped prematurely, you will need to complete the restore for your iPhone to function properly again. Here are the steps to finish the restore:
First, plug your iPhone back into your computer using the Lightning cable. Open iTunes or Finder on your Mac or PC, and your iPhone should be detected. If you see an option to restore, select it to restart the restore process. If not, you may need to put your iPhone into recovery mode again.
If you have a recent backup of your iPhone available, iTunes/Finder will use this backup file to restore your device, bringing back your apps, data, settings and more. This is the quickest way to get your iPhone working again after a failed restore. Just make sure you have an encrypted backup available that is up to date (1).
If no backup is available, you will need to set up your iPhone as new. This means you’ll have to redownload apps, sign in to accounts again, and configure settings. While inconvenient, it will get your iPhone running again after a failed restore attempt.
Be patient during the restore process, as it can take some time depending on the size of your backup. Do not unplug your iPhone until the restore is fully complete. Once finished, you’ll be able to start using your iPhone again.
Backing Up Before Restoring
It is critically important to regularly back up your iPhone before attempting any type of restore. Backups save a copy of your device’s data and settings, allowing you to restore your iPhone to a previous state if needed. According to the Apple Support guide, you should back up iPhone using either iCloud or iTunes on a regular basis.
The iCloud backup automatically saves your device data daily when connected to WiFi, power, and iCloud is enabled. It backs up information like your photos, messages, contacts, and more. iTunes backup connects your iPhone to your computer to sync and save a snapshot of your data locally. Both methods have advantages, but iCloud allows wireless backups without needing a computer.
Another consideration is encrypted versus unencrypted backups. Encrypted backups protect your sensitive information like passwords and health data by requiring a password to restore. Unencrypted backups are accessible without a password, but do not backup some types of private data. Evaluate your security needs to determine which type of backup fits your iPhone restore strategy.
When to Use an iPhone Restore
There are a few key situations when performing a full restore of your iPhone is recommended:
To fix persistent software issues – If you are experiencing crashes, freezes, or other system-level software problems that cannot be resolved through standard troubleshooting, a restore may help clear out any corrupted files or settings. Restoring the iPhone essentially ‘resets’ the software to a clean state.
To completely erase all content and settings – Before selling or gifting your iPhone, you will want to wipe it back to factory settings. An iPhone restore erases all data, accounts, apps, settings, and content from the device.[1]
To upgrade to the latest iOS version – Sometimes new iOS updates can fail to install properly on an iPhone. Doing a restore before trying to upgrade again often resolves the issue. A restore updates the iPhone software to the newest iOS version as part of the setup process.
Overall, a full iPhone restore is recommended when you need to resolve major software issues, completely wipe your device, or prepare your phone for a major iOS update. Just be sure to backup your iPhone data first.
[1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204184
Alternatives to Restoring
There are a few alternatives to completely restoring your iPhone that may help solve certain issues without erasing all of your data and settings.
Factory Reset in Settings
You can do a simpler reset of your device by going to Settings > General > Reset and selecting “Reset All Settings.” This will reset all settings, but won’t delete any data or media on your device 1.
Erase All Content and Settings
If you want to wipe your device of all content and data while keeping the latest iOS version, you can use “Erase All Content and Settings” in the Settings app under General > Reset. This will remove all of your data and settings, but keep iOS up to date 2.
iOS Update Without Erasing
You can install the latest iOS update on your iPhone without having to erase the device first. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest iOS version. This allows you to get any new features and fixes without deleting your content.
While these options avoid a full restore process, they may not resolve all issues a restore would. But they allow you to update and reset your iPhone while preserving your data.