Q: My phone has gone into recovery mode, but I want to save my pictures before I restore it. What do I do?

   To anyone who is searching through this post looking for an answer to the original question, let me tell you this.  NO.. YOUR INFORMATION IS NOT GONE AND YOU CAN STILL GET IT BACK.   If your iphone is stuck in recovery mode,  you can still get your photos, contacts, and any other information needed back again.

I know you're probably frustrated like I was of people saying things like "just restore from back up",  or "you have to restore the iphone first to get it working again"...or suggesting tools like  Dr. Fone, and TinyUmbrella which don't work at all because the phone isn't being recognized in Windows explorer or by the USB in general.

This is what you have to do.   Repeat, this is ONLY for an iphone that is able to be turned on an all you get is the usb plug saying plug into itunes screen (the Recovery Mode screen).

This process is for Windows.  I think some MAC users will be able to follow it also, but the instructions are for PC users.

1.) Turn your iphone on if it isn't already. 

2.) Load up itunes  (make sure you have the latest Itunes.  I would even suggest that you uninstall your itunes if it isn't up to date, through Control Panel Add/Remove programs,  and then go to the Itunes website and download the latest version.) 

3.) When you load up Itunes, it will tell you that your iphone needs to be updated or restored.  Just click okay or cancel to get that dialog box out of the way.   Then just minimize the itunes for right now. 

4.)  Download the LATEST firmware for your correct model of iphone.  Just choose your model from the drop down boxes.  Once you've chosen everything, click the Download button. It will produce a link.  Just click the link and take note of where that file downloads on your computer. 

5.) Once the download finishes, go back to Itunes...and you'll have two buttons to click... Restore and Update.   VERY IMPORTANT:  Hold down the SHIFT key and click UPDATE    (SHIFT + UPDATE) .   

6.)  A box will pop up to search for a file.  Navigate to the folder that you downloaded the firmware file in step 4 to.  And choose that file.

7.)  Then Itunes will tell you things like  Blah blah..this file might not work,  if your phone can't be updated it will have to be restored....blah blah.  Just click OK through all of that and start the update. 

8.)  Your phone will update to the latest firmware after a pretty lengthy process,  maybe about 30-40 mins.  Could be longer, but it will work.  Don't get anxious, don't unplug the iphone because you think it's frozen or something. There will be times when it seems like it's not doing anything. Just sit back, put on a netflix movie, and continue to monitor the process from time to time.   Soon your iphone will turn back on...and everything will be updated and back to normal.  

BACK IT UP IMMEDIATELY   

I hope this works for a lot of you out there, and I hope it gives those of you like me who felt there was no hope.......a little bit of relief.

<Edited by Host>

Seems like the webmasters edited ALOT of my previous post which basically makes it hard for anyone to follow who doesn't know what they are doing....on the borderline almost useless.   So if you've read my previous post,  and you aren't 100% sure on what exactly to do, I want to help as many people as possible because I know how frustrating this problem is. 

<Personal Information Edited by Host>

That's because it is spam.

Oh you mean, because Apple wants customers to pay extravagant amounts of money to have a problem fixed... Got you... 

<Edited By Host>

Does this work? I am desperate for help. I forced quit during the ios8 verification process on my iphone 5. When I tried to re-start, it went into bootloop. I can set to recovery. I am SUCH an idiot, I haven't backed up my phone - again, I get it I am an idiot. All I care about are my photos and videos. Can someone please help me!

Not sure what you mean by "bootloop" or "I can set to recovery". However, if your phone is not showing the connect to iTunes display, then you can try to reset it (nothing will be lost): Hold down the Home and Power buttons at the same time and continue to hold them down until the Apple appears (up to 30 seconds). If the reset is successful, the Slide to Unlock screen will display shortly.

Best of luck,

GB

Thank you Gail from Maine for your help! When I say "infinite boot loop", it's the apple then black, apple, then black....over again. and it never fully boots. I can put it into recovery (which is the connect to itunes display). But I can also take it out and re-boot it....then it goes back into the infinite boot loop. it is a 64GB iphone, is it possible that it's just going to take a while to reboot? I really am such an idiot - and advise anyone and everyone to back everything up regularly. If I could just get my photos and videos back....

Unfortunately, no. If it's stuck in a boot-loop, the only real option you have is to restore it. Anything that was on it is pretty much already gone.

So you tried the reset? It's not likely it would help, but any port in a storm, right?

As Tim has suggested, you are probably already at the point of no return. Your advice is exactly right - back up, back up, back up. It's not just this situation that would result in the same loss of your precious photos and data. A lost or stolen phone would put you in the same boat.

I would suggest just giving the reset a try. It certainly can't hurt at this point. But it is likely that you have lost those videos and photos....

Sorry

GB

Hi! I haven't given up yet...been doing some research...a forensics data specialist suggested I take it to Mac and have them flash the firmware? Not sure what that means...but she said it could help me get out of boot loop without losing data. Have you heard of this? Thank you so much for any help you can offer....I really should walk around with a sign that says in all caps, "BACK UP YOUR DATA NOW IN 3 PLACES"....

No. It won't help you get out of it without losing data. The "forensics data specialist" you spoke to is an idiot. There's no other way to put it.

I cannot thank U enough Digital311...U are Godsend!! Everyone kept saying oh u will have to restore it but I still wanted to try my best. Yours was the last thing I tried, had to do it 2-3 times, but I kept trying to update it and third time got lucky. Phone was updated, working fine and no loss of data AT ALL.

& yeh I managed to impress a few ppl who thought I was being stupid and wasting my time ...so pretty much over the moon and I just wanted to make sure I came and thanked U. So those who are listening to others make sure they give this a shot, after all U r not selling any software

Well thank goodness I DID NOT listen to you KiltedTim - because that is what actually FIXED my phone. They flashed the ios and the firmware and the phone COMPLETELY went back to normal -- all photos, apps, etc. I definitely learned a lesson about backing up. But, I also learned a lesson not to listen to "expert" naysayers in this forum who don't even know what they are talking about.

My phone has been in recovery mode for over a year. I have tried just updating it through Itunes many times with no success. How do I download the firmware other than in Itunes to get it to work?

You don't. Not legally, unless you're a member of the developers program. Maybe if you told us what the error you get when you try to update it, someone could help. We are not psychic.