Q: iCloud restore problems

I am having the exact same problem. I have tried on multiple wifi networks. i have restored the iphone several times, and I even got a new iphone and still have the issue. i tried to take a previous icloud backup and still have the error.

I found a support article saying the switch airplane mode on/off but this doesnt seem like a feasible option? i am currently trying but my backup takes a long time and i get the problem near the end

I had this same problem. I think I tried 10 times to restore. Each time it said it was going to be about 3h for the restore then lost the network connection at about 2h.

The trick that worked for me (besids persistance) was keeping the device active. I never let the phone go to sleep for more than a second or two. I'd just touch the screen periodically to keep it alive. I can't be sure this trick was what made the restore work, but on try 11 the backup was restored okay.

Have got exactly the same problem!! I'm ****** about that as I lost **** loads pictures !!!!! Try on few networks and still the same, suddenly losing connection ***?

Now I'll do Backup to iTunes ONLY, and yes I try this trick to touch the screen

I'm currently attempting this method, but I think it's absolutely ridiculous that we should have to revert to this. I was reading the icloud restore article on Apple's support site and it says that the iPhone is designed to be used while the backup is taking place, but there is no way to exit the restore screen for me. I wish I could, so I can at least change the sleep settings to keep the phone awake :/

This is partly true. The restore is a two part process. First it needs to get your settings and config for the device in place, then in need to replace all your content: apps, media, contacts, etc. For the first part of the restore you can't use the phone, for the second part (usually the longest part) you can use it.

I am also having this issue. I would give up except I've been using the phone for drawing, there is hours and hours of work backed up that I don't want to loose. Did the 'keeping the phone active' technique work for anyone else?

i've lost 1000+ photos!!!

*****!

I've lost 1600 photos and 9 months of work hours....Every time I try to restore it fails before it even getspast the setting part. I'd be laughing if it made it to the screen with the icons. At least then there would be hope. I spent 2 hours at the apple store today and got a new phone. It still won't restore. I know the info is there. . .up high in the clouds. . .I just can't get it. If my problem can't be solved I'll be switching to Samsung asap. Why worry about losing anything from switching when Apple has already lost all my supposedly "backed up" data and pictures.I've also learned a valuable lesson. . .don't trust the cloud!!!

I fixed this issue after a lot of time and pain (see below)

Seems to have come up on various threads so it seems to be an issue and should be escalated by Apple. They were none the wiser at the genius bar apart from telling me the iCloud backup is probably corrupted and I should call Apple care (as if that is going to do anything)

https://discussions.apple.com/message/18829957#18829957

https://discussions.apple.com/message/17988389#17988389

https://discussions.apple.com/message/17887940#17887940

https://discussions.apple.com/message/18811914#18811914

https://discussions.apple.com/message/18688593#18688593

https://discussions.apple.com/message/19426061#19426061

https://discussions.apple.com/message/19203831#19203831

https://discussions.apple.com/message/18390030#18390030

I experienced the same problem with the iCloud restore not working properly. I had my iPhone 4 replaced as the home button was defective. When attempting to restore an 9.5GB iCloud backup from the day before it just would not work properly. Firstly, half my apps did not restore, they would begin to download showing the progress indicator then just disappear, leaving my home screen naked. No big deal as apps can be downloaded again.

However, what was a big deal for me was the 1,625 photos on my camera roll, including many of the first year of my kid's life. The camera roll would say downloading x of 1,625 photos, download a few of them, then simply stop downloading any new shots. When I would restart the phone it did not show any downloading message, it believed the restore was complete. I tried about ten different restore scenarios, listed below, all of which gave me varying results (some resulting in all my apps restoring) but all of which would only give me some of my photos back.

What was a comfort was that I once got about 700 of the shots back. So the photos were still in the cloud rather than gone and this indicated that it was the restore process or the iCloud backup on my phone that was the problem. These are the things I tried in sequence as I despairingly tried to get my photos back...

Things I tried that DID NOT work

1) Erase all settings and attempt to restore again from scratch (four times)

2) Tried the restore from a different WiFi network (once)

3) Tried the restore from one WiFi network then switched to another once the restore 'hung' (once)

4) Tried the restore from an Apple store WiFi network (once)

5) Tried the restore from a previous iCloud backup (twice)

6) Had Apple replace the iPhone 4 (once)

With all of these I got a varying amount of my photos and apps back before it stopped restoring. I was also making the mistake (I learnt afterwards) of opening and moving between apps during the download to check progress.

Thing I tried that DID work

1) Did not plug the phone into my MacBook, I used the wall charger only to prevent any iTunes sync activity

2) Erase all settings and data, restore from the iCloud backup and input passwords in all the pop up windows once it reboots.

2) Open photos app gallery to see photos downloading and show the progress message "downloading xx of x,xxx"

3) Left it on this photo screen and did not touch the phone at all for the entire restore. I did not close the photo galley/camera roll app once, open any other apps.

Finally this time round it work and all my photos and apps restored in full. I am going to go back to syncing with iTunes as I don't trust iCloud for restores. It seems that iCloud does not handle photo restores that well, especially if the gallery is large. In short: Wall charger only, restore from iCloud, open Photos app, don't touch. Really hope this works for you too if you've had the same issue.

I tried this but it didn't work for me;  I see that the restored back up still has 12gb of data (mostly photos) and when I select the back-up, plugged into the wall, after putting in my passwrds, etc, opening the photos ap shows no pictures, no pictures loading or anything.  Does it matter is the photo stream is on or off?  So frustrating after 5 restores and a second phone replacement