How to Restore Your iPhone from a Computer

What restoring your iPhone means and when you need to do it

Restoring your iPhone from a computer means erasing everything on your phone and reinstalling the operating system using iTunes (on older Macs or Windows PCs) or Finder (on newer Macs). This wipes your phone completely and returns it to factory settings. You are not just backing up or updating — you are starting over.

You might restore your iPhone if it is frozen or crashing repeatedly, if you are selling it or giving it away, if you forgot your passcode, or if you want to clear out years of accumulated data and settings. Restoring is also the fix Apple support recommends when standard troubleshooting has not worked.

The process takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on your internet speed and which iPhone model you have. You will need a computer with iTunes or Finder, a USB cable that works with your iPhone, and your Apple ID password (you will need it to set up the phone afterward).

Key Takeaways

Back up your iPhone before you restore it, unless you are erasing it intentionally because it is broken or you are giving it away.
Use Finder on a Mac running macOS Catalina or newer, or iTunes on older Macs and any Windows PC.
Connect your iPhone with a USB cable, select it in Finder or iTunes, and click the Restore button — the software downloads the latest iOS version automatically.
After restoration completes, you can set up your iPhone as new or restore from your backup, and you will need your Apple ID password to finish.
If your iPhone is disabled, in recovery mode, or you forgot your passcode, restoring is often the only way forward.

Back up your iPhone before you restore (unless you want to erase it completely)

If you want to keep your photos, messages, contacts, and app data, you must back up your iPhone before you restore it. Restoring erases everything, and a backup is your only way to get it back.

The easiest way to back up is through iCloud: go to Settings, tap your name, select iCloud, tap iCloud Backup, and turn it on. Make sure your phone is plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi, then tap Back Up Now. This takes a few minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.

You can also back up through your computer. On a Mac with macOS Catalina or newer, open Finder, plug in your iPhone, click it in the sidebar, and click Back Up Now. On older Macs or Windows PCs, open iTunes, click your iPhone, and click Back Up Now. Either way, the backup saves to your computer and you can restore from it after the restoration is complete.

If your iPhone is broken, frozen, or you are erasing it intentionally because you are selling it, you do not need to back up — the whole point is to wipe it clean.

Connect your iPhone and open Finder or iTunes

Plug your iPhone into your computer using a USB cable. Use the cable that came with your phone or any Apple-certified USB-to-Lightning or USB-C cable (depending on your iPhone model).

On a Mac running macOS Catalina or newer, open Finder and look for your iPhone in the sidebar on the left. Click it. On older Macs or any Windows PC, open iTunes. Your iPhone should appear in iTunes automatically — if it does not, try unplugging and replugging the cable, or restart both devices.

If your computer does not recognize your iPhone, try a different USB port on your computer, or try a different cable if you have one. Sometimes a cable that charges your phone fine does not work for data transfer. If you still see nothing, restart your computer and your iPhone, then try again.

Start the restore process in Finder or iTunes

In Finder, click your iPhone in the sidebar, then click the General tab at the top. You will see a Restore button — click it. In iTunes, click your iPhone at the top left, then click Summary in the left sidebar. You will see a Restore iPhone button — click it.

A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm. It will warn you that restoring will erase your iPhone and install the latest version of iOS. Click Restore or Restore and Update (the exact wording depends on your macOS or iTunes version). Do not unplug your phone during this step.

Your computer will read the latest iOS version for your iPhone model — this can take 5 to 15 minutes depending on your internet speed. Do not close Finder or iTunes while this is happening. Once the read finishes, the restoration begins automatically.

Wait for the restoration to finish and your iPhone to restart

The restoration process itself takes 10 to 30 minutes. Your iPhone screen will show a progress bar. Leave it plugged in and do not touch it. You will see the Apple logo appear and disappear several times — this is normal.

When the restoration is done, your iPhone will restart and show the Hello screen (the setup screen you see when you first turn on a new iPhone). At this point, you can unplug it from your computer.

If the restoration gets stuck on the Apple logo for more than 15 minutes, or if you see an error message, unplug the phone, force restart it (the method depends on your iPhone model — look up "force restart iPhone [your model]"), and try the restoration again.

Set up your iPhone and restore your backup

When your iPhone shows the Hello screen, you can set it up as a new phone or restore from a backup. If you backed up to iCloud before restoring, you can sign in with your Apple ID during setup and choose to restore from that backup. If you backed up to your computer, you can restore from that backup after setup is complete.

To restore from a computer backup after setup: plug your iPhone back into your computer, open Finder or iTunes, click your iPhone, and click Restore Backup. Choose the backup you want (Finder and iTunes show the date and size of each backup). Click Restore and enter your Apple ID password if prompted. This takes 5 to 20 minutes depending on how much data is in the backup.

You will need your Apple ID password to finish setting up your iPhone no matter which route you take. If you do not remember your password, go to iforgot.apple.com before you start the restoration, so you can reset it.

What to do if restoration fails or your iPhone stays disabled

If you see an error message during restoration, note the error number. Unplug your iPhone, restart your computer, and try again. Most errors clear up on a second attempt.

If your iPhone is disabled (you see "iPhone is disabled, try again in [X] minutes"), you have entered the wrong passcode too many times. You cannot restore it without erasing it completely — that is the point of the security feature. Restoring through Finder or iTunes is the only way forward. After restoration, you can set it up fresh or restore from a backup.

If your iPhone is stuck in recovery mode (you see a screen with a cable and computer icon), it means the restoration did not finish properly. Plug it into your computer, open Finder or iTunes, and click Restore again. Do not unplug it this time.

If you see a message that your computer cannot communicate with your iPhone, try a different USB cable and a different USB port on your computer. If that does not work, restart both devices and try again. If the problem persists, your iPhone may have a hardware issue and you should contact Apple Support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose everything when I restore my iPhone?

Yes, restoring erases all photos, messages, apps, and settings. That is why you should back up first if you want to keep anything. After restoration, you can restore from your backup to get everything back, or set up as new and start fresh.

Can I restore my iPhone if I forgot my passcode?

Yes. Restoring erases the passcode, so you can set a new one during setup. You will need your Apple ID password to finish setting up the phone, but not the old passcode.

How long does restoring take?

The whole process usually takes 15 to 45 minutes from start to finish. The read of the iOS version can take 5 to 15 minutes depending on your internet speed, and the restoration itself takes 10 to 30 minutes. Restoring from a backup afterward adds another 5 to 20 minutes.

What if my computer does not recognize my iPhone?

Try a different USB cable and a different USB port on your computer. Restart both your computer and your iPhone. If you are on Windows, make sure iTunes is fully updated. If nothing works, your iPhone may have a hardware issue and you should contact Apple Support.

Can I restore my iPhone without a computer?

Yes, you can erase and set up your iPhone using only the phone itself. Go to Settings, tap General, scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. This does the same thing as restoring through a computer, but you cannot restore from a computer backup afterward — you can only restore from an iCloud backup or set up as new.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.