iPhone stuck in boot loop

Question

Level 1

17 points

iPhone stuck in boot loop

Hi there,

I have an iPhone 5s that's gone into a boot loop. It won't go into safe mode and force restarting isn't helping.

Unfortunately my memory is full and I'm two software updates behind (haven't had time to clear things out - new job etc) and I think it was iTunes that crashed.

The reason I turned the phone off in the first place was because iTunes wouldn't load, and turning the phone off and on again normally fixes app problems.

I'm trying to do anything I can to avoid having to reset or restore because I have a lot of things on the phone I don't want to lose (pictures of dead pets, relatives, record of work hours that haven't been paid yet, health issues, appointments etc) that I could really do without losing.

I know it's a really slim chance but is there anything anyone can think of that I could do?

I've contacted apple and they say just to reset it but I'm trying to contact any tech guys in my area to see if anyone knows anything.

Any help would be much appreciated, thank you so much.

Regards

iPhone 5s

Posted on Nov 4, 2016 7:24 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jul 6, 2017 9:33 AM in response to darren.s

Hi darren.s,

Thanks so much for your post. I know it's been a while since this thread was updated, but I am having the same issue as the OP. I just have a question should iTunes' attempt to update the phone without erasing my data be unsuccessful. If the update is unsuccessful, will I have an option to not do the restore, which will erase my iPhone? Or will iTunes automatically proceed from the unsuccessful update to the restore?

Thank you!

Reply

Answer 2

darren.s

Community Specialist

Nov 5, 2016 10:11 AM in response to EarthenWitch

Hi EarthenWitch,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. I understand that the iTunes app on your iPhone 5s would not load and after restarting the iPhone it will not boot up completely. I also understand that the iOS software on your iPhone needs to be updated, but your iPhone storage is full so you've been unable to do so. I know how important it is to have your iPhone working properly and the significance of all the information and memories we keep on our phones, so I am happy to look into this with you.

Before taking any further troubleshooting steps you'll want to see if you can locate a backup of your iPhone. It's possible that your information has been saved through iCloud or iTunes, here's how to look: Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

You'll also want to check that you have an updated version of iTunes installed: Get the latest version of iTunes

Next, you'll want to take these steps to see if iTunes can update your iPhone without erasing any information. Follow the steps below to update your iPhone:

If your device turns on but gets stuck during start up

You might see the Apple logo or a red or blue screen for a long time during startup. Try these steps:

Connect your device to a computer and open iTunes. If you don't have a computer, you can borrow one, or go to an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for help.

While your device is connected, force it to restart.

On an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Volume Down buttons at the same time.

On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad, or iPod touch: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons at the same time.

Don't release when you see the Apple logo. Keep holding until you see the recovery mode screen.

When you get the option to restore or update, choose Update. iTunes will try to reinstall iOS without erasing your data.

iTunes will download the software for your device. If it takes more than 15 minutes, your device will exit recovery mode and you'll need to repeat steps 2 and 3.

If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch won‘t turn on
If updating is unsuccessful, iTunes will notify you saying that a restore is needed, restoring through iTunes will erase your iPhone. If you were able to locate a backup, you can restore that information by following the steps in this link: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup
Cheers!

Reply

Answer 3

Dec 2, 2017 3:43 PM in response to darren.s

what if you have a slow internet should I still repeat the steps? or wait for itunes to finish downloading? Because it is currently downloading IOS for my phone

Reply