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Getting Out of Recovery Mode Loop without Restoring. - Possible?

For no apparent reason, my NOT-jailbroken iPhone 3GS running iOS 5.1.1 went into Recovery Mode:

Turning it on shows the Apple logo for 2-3 seconds, then the screen shown below for about 20 seconds, then the iPhone turns itself off - unless plugged.

User uploaded file

If I plug it to my MacBook Pro, iTunes demands a restore (see screen shot), which I don't want to do before I recover some files from the iPhone - if that's possible at all.

User uploaded file
Is there any way to get my iPhone out of this Recovery Mode loop without restoring?


I've read many threads about Recovery Mode loops, but all seem to involve jailbroken iPhones, or failed restores, updates or downgrades of the iOS version, which is not my case. Although I don't know if that makes any difference with regards to a fix.


Thanks in advance for any help!

iPhone 3GS, iOS 5, 32GB

Posted on Aug 17, 2012 2:58 PM

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Posted on Aug 17, 2012 3:21 PM

It might be possible to backup your data. When the "iPhone in recovery mode" window pops up, go ahead and click "OK". On the second popup window, click "Cancel". You sould then be taken to the main iTunes screen. If your iPhone is listed under Devices, right-click it and attempt a backup. If your phone isn' there, then you're stuck restoring it.



A backup at this moint may or may not be advisable: because your iPhone went into recovery mode suddenly, there's most likely a software glitch causing the problem which would simply be carried over once you've restored your phone.

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Question marked as Best reply

Aug 17, 2012 3:21 PM in response to albertop9

It might be possible to backup your data. When the "iPhone in recovery mode" window pops up, go ahead and click "OK". On the second popup window, click "Cancel". You sould then be taken to the main iTunes screen. If your iPhone is listed under Devices, right-click it and attempt a backup. If your phone isn' there, then you're stuck restoring it.



A backup at this moint may or may not be advisable: because your iPhone went into recovery mode suddenly, there's most likely a software glitch causing the problem which would simply be carried over once you've restored your phone.

Aug 18, 2012 3:26 AM in response to AjaxOfSalamis

No luck, Ajax… No second window pops up, so I'm left with the same "Summary" window (see screen shot above). And whether I click the "Restore" button, cancel the subsequent popup (see below), then right-click on my iPhone under Devices, OR I directly do the latter, the contextual menu allows only to "Open in New Window" and "Eject iPhone".

User uploaded file

As to the possibility of backing up and restoring that backup, I'm aware it's not advisable. My aim was saving some personal files, then restoring an old backup or even factory settings. Thanks for the reminder anyway.


Yesterday I spent the whole day searching for a fix for this, so I'm going to take your advice and any other suggestions popping up in this thread, as final.


Thanks again for your input Ajax! Any more ideas, yourself or anyone??

Jan 21, 2013 9:37 PM in response to albertop9

albertop9 wrote:


For no apparent reason, my NOT-jailbroken iPhone 3GS running iOS 5.1.1 went into Recovery Mode:

Turning it on shows the Apple logo for 2-3 seconds, then the screen shown below for about 20 seconds, then the iPhone turns itself off - unless plugged.

User uploaded file

If I plug it to my MacBook Pro, iTunes demands a restore (see screen shot), which I don't want to do before I recover some files from the iPhone - if that's possible at all.

User uploaded file
Is there any way to get my iPhone out of this Recovery Mode loop without restoring?


I've read many threads about Recovery Mode loops, but all seem to involve jailbroken iPhones, or failed restores, updates or downgrades of the iOS version, which is not my case. Although I don't know if that makes any difference with regards to a fix.


Thanks in advance for any help!



Did you end up finding a solition to this?

Jan 24, 2013 6:25 AM in response to AshDLP

Nope. As far as I learnt there is no way of getting out of the recovery mode loop without restoring.


However I did end up recovering everything upon restoring! because I happened to have iCloud Backup enabled, and (surprisingly to me) the restoration process did restore *everything* flawlessly: 11 home screens filled with apps and folders, their data, my photos, documents… Over 30 GB. (It took it hours tough!)


iCloud Backup in iOS 5 can be found in the Settings app > iCloud (scroll to bottom) > Storage & Backup.


Wish you luck!

Nov 5, 2013 7:46 AM in response to albertop9

Try to put your iPhone in DFU mode and then restore it.
You can try these steps below:
1. Try another USB cord.
2. Restart your computer for a try.
3. Hold the power button, it might restart your iPhone.
4. Update your iTunes to the latest version. Plug in your iPhone.
If iTunes can't recognize it, then in iTunes in the top left corner click help > run diagnostics.
On the box that comes up, check the last two things. Click next and it should identify your iPhone and then restore it.


<Link Edited By Host>

Nov 5, 2013 7:47 AM in response to Stonykhan

Stonykhan wrote:


Try to put your iPhone in DFU mode and then restore it.
You can try these steps below:
1. Try another USB cord.
2. Restart your computer for a try.
3. Hold the power button, it might restart your iPhone.
4. Update your iTunes to the latest version. Plug in your iPhone.
If iTunes can't recognize it, then in iTunes in the top left corner click help > run diagnostics.
On the box that comes up, check the last two things. Click next and it should identify your iPhone and then restore it.

<Link Edited By Host>


Make sure the phone is in dfu mode and it should work.. I have seen alot of those issue recently and safe mode doesn't help in most case so the only option is to upgrade.


If your finding it hard to get into dfu mode from the recovery screen i think you just hold the power and home for 10 sec then home for 15 sec and that should do it.

Jul 12, 2014 12:03 AM in response to albertop9

My Iphone 5c randomly went into recovery mode tonight, and I didn't even try to update it! It literally was just sitting there.. I just so happened to look over and see an apple logo that was stuck on the screen.. so I turn it off, reset it, and it was still stuck. Then the little usb and itunes icon appeared and my computer said the device was in recovery mode, and I needed to restore. I disconnected, and tried to turn it on and off again. But this time after a few seconds the bright white apple logo, turned faint gray and faded away. I thought my only option to was restore. I however, am stubborn and wanted to research this further. I did a backup to my computer just in case. I got a little ear ring and popped my SIM card out. I powered the phone back on, and it turned on just fine. As if nothing was wrong. So, I left the SIM card out for a bit, and played with my phone a little, to make sure it'd stay on. Then I popped the SIM card back in after an hour, and it works! Didn't even have to restore (thank God!!) So I suggest people to try this too (: Hope this helped someone!

Sep 3, 2014 10:54 PM in response to albertop9

Just now I got error while updating my iPhone 4 to iOS 7, and it stucks in the DFU mode. But I found the solution after I installed TinyUmbrella.


1. Disconnect your phone from iTunes
2. Turn Off your phone
3. Install TinyUmbrella (http://thefirmwareumbrella.blogspot.com/)
4. Connect your phone again
5. Click "Exit Recovery" at the top right of TinyUmbrella apps.
6. Done.


Your phone will restart then it returns to normal mode again. Hope it helps!

Oct 21, 2014 4:13 PM in response to djkrave

I don't know if you still have the issue, but this just happened to my ipod touch today with the red itunes logo. I tried the Tiny Umbrella app but it kept reverting back to the red itunes logo screen. I had to install the latest version of itunes, plug my ipod in, and it prompted me saying my device was in recovery mode and I had to either update (iOS 8.1) or restore. I clicked update and after a long time of downloading, it updated and now works fine (all my data, apps, photos are still there).

Nov 22, 2014 12:16 PM in response to albertop9

I have tried literally everything that everyone has suggested!!

My iPhone 5S is stuck on the Recovery Mode screen, what do I do??

Was there a solution that everyone found helpful!

I am lost, with nothing else to get my iPhone back to how it was before...😢


Basically, I have tried to update my iPhone 5S to iOS 8.1 but somehow something went wrong which I don't know what.

So I have been trying to restore my iPhone as I do have a backup, but an error code keeps coming up (1).

I have tried using different USB Ports and Cables, nothing is working.

I am becoming extremely frustrated as I have spent 7 hours trying to restore my iPhone.


Is there anything I can do? Please help!!

Getting Out of Recovery Mode Loop without Restoring. - Possible?

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