what is error -1

Hi lorelai16,

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you're having an issue with restoring your iPhone and seeing error code (-1). We're happy to provide some information to assist.

The article here goes over possible error codes and reasons: iOS update and restore errors

For error code 1, it's possible there is a hardware issue as the category states:

Check your hardware

If you see error 53, use these steps.

If you see one of the errors below, you might have a hardware issue:

• 1, 3, 11, 12, 13, 16
• 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 56
• 1002, 1004, 1011, 1012, 1014, 1667, 1669

Here's what to check. Try again after each step:

1. If iTunes is already open, quit and reopen it.
2. Check your third-party security software.
3. Make sure that your USB cable, computer, and network are reliable. Then try twice more to restore your device.
4. Check for outdated or modified software. 

If you still see the error, contact Apple Support.

Be sure to complete the steps and test. If the issue continues you can use the link to Contact Apple Support or reach out using a list of telephone numbers by region here: Contact Apple for support and service

Take care!