Q: Stuck in recovery mode while updating ios 9.1 and cannot restore my iPhone

I have the exact same problem now. Initially it gave an error when doing the update over the cloud then I tried with my PC and now I can;t get out of the recovery mode!

I unplugged everything from my computer, restarted the computer, plugged the iPhone back into the computer, relaunched iTunes and tried again. At that point it did complete the restore. I am on a Mac though.

Note: I've now had two devices require restores while attempting to update to 9.1 which is frustrating.

Is there a solution? I have the same problem with my iPhone 6. Tried update with 4 different PCs - no chance it returned  always to recovery mode.

There seems to be no solution by now. After 9.1 I had no signal from my network provider. I tried to fix it in recovery mode and since then my iPhone 5C in in a recovery mode coma. Error 50.
Then I got myself a iPhone 5. Tried to restore from backup and it crashed. Now this one is stuck in recovery mode too with Error 9. Tried everything. Different computers, cables, phones; nothing works. Tomorrow I get a call from Apple Support again. Guess our last hope is 9.2. Otherwise I ask myself what Apple is about to do after they made 100s of iPhones useless...

PS: Is there a chance to restore my iPhones if I try to install a Beta?

Unfortunately my friend, I have the same problem after trying to upgrade my iphone 5s to the new ios 9.2. My phone is stuck in recovery mode, I can't upgrade or restore, I have updated windows 10 and iTunes, have tried different USB cables, a different computer, and so on. What now? Is my iphone gone???

Hi All

I'm in the same boat my phone offered the up grade and I did it.

It has not came out of recovery mode since last week on Thursday when I ran the upgrade.

I have tried 4 different systems windows 7 - windows 10 and my Mac Book.

I have even gone to the Apple store to be told its not a software issue its hardware!  Where I replied then why did it work before the upgrade????

Looking for ideas either that or I have a 32gb IPhone 5 paper weight !!

I was able to restore my iPhone 5 after I let it cool down on the bathroom floor because it got really warm after x attempts to run 9.1 and my backup. I then waived the backup (because it was probably corrupted) and set it up as new a phone.

My 5c, on the other hand, stuck with error 50 and I got a replacement. No idea what happened there but error 50 indicates a hardware defect. The defect could be a hidden one which then was detected during the hardware check of the installation. But that is speculation.

I read about people with similar problems under ios 7/8 on the internet. Maybe there is a solution somewhere in an internet forum.

And don't ever use third party (uncertified) lightning cables between iPhone and Mac. I read multiple times about connection errors.

iOS 9.2 is out now. Probably it works with the new version?

Good luck, though.

Apparently it worked for me when i tried connecting to an UDB3.0 (SS) on my PC. i held the power and home buttonfor a few seconds and waiting for the apple logo to come up. Once i saw the logo i released the power button, but held on to the home button till itunes and itunes started recognizing my phone.

I hope this helps.

So your iPhone is stuck in a Recovery Mode?  (It's seemingly frozen or stuck in a loop, displaying an iTunes symbol with a plug-in cable pointing towards it).

I go on the presumption that your device went into Recovery Mode because an iOS update didn't work out.

But before I go on, this question needs to be asked: Did your device's hardware get damaged?  For example, if it tumbled down a flight of stairs and the glass got cracked, or the housing suffered dents.  Or ...did it get wet?  If it did sustain damage, contact Apple Support or take it to a repair tech. Look up a certified Apple Repair Tech in the White Pages or run an online search for a reliable Tech in your area that knows how to fix Apple products.

I'll give you the potentially bad news, first.  Quoting from payetteforward.com : "DFU stands for Default Firmware Update, and it’s the deepest type of restore you can do on an iPhone ...If your iPhone is damaged in any way, and especially if it’s water-damaged, a DFU restore may break your iPhone. I’ve worked with customers who tried to restore their iPhones to fix a minor problem, but water had damaged another component that prevented the restore from completing. A useable iPhone with minor problems can become completely unusable if a DFU restore fails because of water-damage."

But if your device didn't sustain such grievous damage, let us begin the recovery process. This is the good news that a recovery is doable.  Needless to say, PATIENCE IS REQUIRED.

So, let's begin.  Recharge your device, uninterrupted, for at least an hour. (I let mine recharge overnight).

Make sure that your computer has the latest version of iTunes installed.  If you're not sure of this, download and install the latest version straight from the Apple website.

After you've done this, restart your computer and wait for the desktop to return.

Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable. I've found that the cable MUST connect to your computer's USB 3.0 (SS) port. (This procedure didn't work for me when I connected the USB cable to a USB 2.0 or 1.0 port.  It had to be connected to a powered 3.0 SS port).

After you've done this, on your iPhone, physically hold down both the Power and Home buttons for a few seconds and wait for the white Apple logo to appear.

Once you see the logo, release your finger off the Power button, but keep holding down the Home button for a few moments until you notice that the iTunes program has appeared on your computer's  desktop.  This is proof that iTunes has finally recognized the existence of your iPhone that was stuck in Recovery Mode.

From there, iTunes will give you a pop-up message asking if you want to Restore and/or Update your device. Select to restore it.

Follow and answer the prompts.

Meanwhile, if you had previously saved your iPhone's profile or settings to your computer or to the iCloud, let iTunes continue to sync the saved history of your Apps through all of the steps it requires to go through.

Note: Don't let anything disturb the restoration process until iTunes tells you that it was successful.  Don't fumble with the USB cable, don't mess around with your iPhone or the iTunes program while the restoration is in progress.  Only give input when you are prompted to do so. 

You'll know the restoration was successful when your iPhone feels very warm in your hand, temperature-wise. Press the Home button, swipe, and answer the prompts.

Hope this helps.

P.S. -- If this procedure STILL doesn't work, contact that certified Repair Tech, contact Apple Support (hopefully, your device's warranty is still in effect), or make an appointment with the Genius Bar at your nearest Apple Store.

Thank you so much. Fixed my iPhone with your help. USB 3.0 is the key and patience of course. =)

what if your computer doesn't have a usb 3.0 port? will this work or is there a workaround without the 3.0 usb port?

If your computer doesn't have usb 3.0 port you may try it with usb 2.0 port. I am not sure though if it will work. In my case, I was following all the advice I got from here using the usb 2.0 but no result. When I read this post, I realized I could try using the usb 3.0 port. Viola, it worked for me.

So I tried multiple times with my computer that only has a usb 2.0 with no luck, thankfully I was able to use a friend's computer which does have a usb 3.0 port and now everything is working again, the only bad part is all data is lost and icloud backup was apparently not turned on.

Congratulations on fixing your iPhone! I feel you, well luckily I didn't lost all the data but some apps were missing with some important files In it. When I searched it in the AppStore I have to purchase it again. Looking on the brighter side I'm still lucky because there's  no need for me to buy a new phone for now. Hope youll get better and no more fixing needed with your phone.