Not enough free space to restore iphone backup

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Level 1

29 points

Not enough free space to restore iphone backup

I've encountered the following problem with my iphone 5s. When I try to restore a backup using iTunes, the process starts in iTunes, the iphone restarts, but then I get an error message: iTunes could not restore the iphone because not enough free space is available on the iPhone. Please see screenshot below.

I've tried to the same thing on my wife's iphone 6 and her mac. Exactly the same result. I could not restore a backup made minutes before trying to restore it.

To clarify, I am using the latest software (iTunes, IOS, MacOS), the backup is not larger than the storage space on my iPhone and it is a backup from the same iPhone to which I am trying to restore it.

Surely Apple doesn't expect me to restore my iphone first (i.e. reset to factory settings and erase all data) before restoring a backup? I'm reluctant to reset it to factory settings as I will have lost a lot of data if the backup still doesn't restore...

I've read all the relevant threads on Apple support communities (at least I think I have) and no one has provided a solution to this problem.

Can anyone help please?

Thanks,

Jan

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.0.4

Posted on Sep 9, 2015 12:25 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 9, 2015 1:03 PM in response to europajan

Hi

Just delete some Apps / photos from iPhone .

You can get them back later.

Then go to iCloud check backup .

If thats ok try update over your WiFi .

If that doesn't work you need to use pc on itunes.

But i would Restore iphone back to Factory settings .

Use same Apple ID set back up over WiFi .

Cheers

Brian (UK )

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Answer 2

Oct 5, 2015 11:57 PM in response to europajan

Hi

Just delete some Apps / photos from iPhone .

You can get them back later.

Then go to iCloud check backup .

If thats ok try update over your WiFi .

If that doesn't work you need to use pc on itunes.

But i would Restore iphone back to Factory settings .

Cheers

Brian (uk)

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Answer 3

europajan Author

Level 1

29 points

Sep 9, 2015 2:58 PM in response to Briansyddall

Hi Brian,

I'm afraid this doesn't answer my problem.

First of all, I am backing up over itunes (on a mac). No iCloud backups, no updating/syncing over wifi. I connect to my mac via USB.

Secondly, the size of the backup I am trying to restore to my iphone is not larger than the storage space on the iphone. I am assuming that normally, when you restore a backup to your iphone, it replaces whatever is currently on the iphone. Correct? If so, the only reason I could get the error message I describe is if the backup was larger than the total storage space of the iphone. But it isn't!

Restore to factory settings is a last resort because if the problem with restoring to a backup persists, I will have lost all my data.

THanks,

Jan

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Answer 4

europajan Author

Level 1

29 points

Oct 6, 2015 3:40 PM in response to omgimbored8592

Hi,

I spoke to Apple support and they recommended a factory reset and restore. There are different ways of doing this and the various people I spoke to at Apple didn't all say the same thing. In the end, I reset my iphone by switching it on while connected to itunes via USB and hold the home button pressed at the same time. That starts some sort of safe mode. Then you restore to factory settings via itunes. This erases everything on your phone and reinstalls the latest iOS.

Then when the phone restarts and asks if you want to set up as new or restore from backup, you chose to restore from your backup. It worked. I still have no explanation why I experienced what I did but at least I know I can restore from backups if I need to.

Hope this helps.

Jan

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Answer 5

Oct 5, 2015 11:19 PM in response to europajan

Hi did you ever find a solution to this problem? what did you end up doing? I have the same issue with my iPhone but factory reseting is my last resort because i'm scared to lose everything if it still wont backup from restore after that

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