[2024] Top Fixes iPhone Won’t Restore Problem

When you try to restore iPhone data after fixing various issues, updating your device, or just transferring data, you might come across a scenario where your iPhone won't restore from a backup. It can be frustrating and concerning.

This article will explore common reasons why your iPhone won’t restore, offer effective fixes to address the issue including iTunes error 9, and provide a bonus solution for restoring backups without relying solely on iTunes.

Part 1. Why your iPhone won’t restore

There are several factors that can contribute to the iPhone restoration process failing:
⛔ Connection Issues: A stable and uninterrupted connection between your iPhone and computer is essential during the restoration process. A faulty cable, USB port, or computer connection can hinder the restoration.
⛔ Software Conflicts: Outdated or conflicting software on your computer or iPhone can interfere with the restoration process.
⛔ Incomplete Backup: If the backup you're trying to restore from is incomplete or corrupted, it can lead to restoration problems.
⛔ Disabled or Faulty iPhone: If your iPhone is disabled due to multiple incorrect passcode attempts or if it has hardware issues, it might not restore properly.

Part 2. 5 fixes to iPhone won’t restore problem

This part offers you 5 solutions to fix the issue iPhone won’t restore in recovery mode. You can try them one by one until your issue gets fix. Optionally, you can skip to the next part to restore iPhone without iTunes.

1# Check USB cable and Wi-Fi connection

In some cases, iPhone won’t restore when your iPhone might fail to be recognized by iTunes and iPhone icon not showing in iTunes due to factors such as a damaged cable or unintentionally deactivated Wi-Fi. In cases where a faulty USB cable is the culprit, consider substituting it with a different one as a potential solution to address the error  (like an iTunes error 3505).

2# Restart computer, iTunes and iPhone

Should you encounter a message displaying "there was a problem during restore, please restart your iPhone," it's advisable to follow the guidance provided and restart your iPhone accordingly.

You're likely familiar with the process of restarting a computer, iTunes, and your iPhone. However, if circumstances allow, you can opt for a force restart of your iPhone as well. To do so, hold down the Sleep/Wake and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for a minimum of 10 seconds, until the Apple logo vanishes.

3# Update iTunes/iOS to the latest version

Both outdated iTunes and iPhone operating system always can bring bugs and glitches that make iPhone stuck on connect to iTunes screen and won’t restore backup. Simply update your iTunes and iOS to the latest version may fix it.

Update iTunes to the latest version
Disconnect iPhone from computer > Re-open iTunes > Click Help from the toolbar > Tap Check for Updates > If there is a new version available, update it.

Update iOS to the latest version
Go to the Settings app on your iPhone > General > Software Update. If there is a new iOS version, download and install it.

4# Check security software

Occasionally, the presence of security software on your computer could impede the restoration process. In such instances, consider temporarily disabling or modifying the settings of your security software before attempting the restoration process once more.

5# Contact Apple Support

There exist additional factors contributing to the issue of an iPhone not restoring, including the possibility of a corrupted or excessively large backup. Therefore, attempting the restoration process again is recommended.

In cases where all attempted methods have not resolved the problem and you encounter unfamiliar errors like iTunes error 2006, seeking assistance from Apple Support is a prudent course of action. Moreover, there are available solutions for addressing unknown errors that you can explore for further guidance.

Bonus: Restore backup to iPhone without iTunes

If the steps mentioned earlier don't work to fix the problem of your iPhone won’t restore backup in iTunes, you can try using a helpful alternative to iTunes to quickly solve this issue.

Here we recommend FoneTool, a professional data backup & transfer tool for iOS devices. It’s also a remedy tool when your iTunes doesn’t work to restore iTunes backup. Free download the software to your computer, and follow the steps below to make it.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to computer with USB > Launch FoneTool, click the Settings icon > Choose Import Backup Files.

Step 2. Locate and choose your iTunes backup. Usually, your iTunes backup is saved in \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ on Windows computer.

Step 3. Finally, click Start Restore to restore iTunes backup to iPhone.

Hope you can successfully restore iTunes backup to iPhone with FoneTool. Different from iTunes, FoneTool offers you both Selective Backup and Full Backup to backup your iPhone files. Just discover its powerful functions on your own.

Summary

Encountering the issue of iPhone won’t restore can be frustrating, but with the right approach, you can overcome it. By checking connections, updating software, using recovery modes, and even exploring alternative tools like FoneTool, you can effectively resolve the problem. Always ensure you have a reliable backup before attempting any restoration process to safeguard your data and device.