iPhone Stuck in Recovery Mode Loop? Here’re 5 Quick Fixes

Recovery mode is a fail-safe state that your iPhone falls into when fixing serious problems in its Operating System (OS). It is signified by a black screen with an iTunes or computer symbol.

Under normal circumstances, this mode only appears when you manually issue a command to your phone.

So, if it suddenly happens without warning or explanation and doesn't go away, then there's something wrong with your device.

Why Is My iPhone in Recovery Mode Loop?

The common cause why iPhones get stuck in the recovery mode loop is the existence of corrupted system files.

File corruption usually stems from abrupt interruption of system updates.

It may be due to incomplete download and installation of firmware, bugs or malwares.

Whatever the case is, and as long as it's software-related, you may want to try out these quick fixes first before resorting to the service center.

1. Force Restart to Get Out of Recovery Mode

Like other common iOS problems, the first thing you should do when your iPhone is malfunctioning is to restart it.

Obviously, you won't be able to restart your device normally, so you'll need to do a so-called force restart.

This will refresh all the files and components of your iPhone, and might eventually solve the recovery mode loop issue.

Here’s how to perform a force restart on iPhone 8 or later versions:

1. First, quickly press and release the volume up button.
2. Right after releasing volume up, press and release the volume down button.
3. Finally, press and hold down the side button until the Apple logo appears.

If your device is iPhone 7:

1. Press and hold down the volume down and the sleep/wake button at the same time.
2. Wait for the Apple logo to appear, then release both buttons.

For iPhone 6s and earlier generations:

1. Hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons simultaneously.
2. Keep holding down both buttons and wait for the Apple logo to display before finally releasing them.

Hopefully, this will solve the recovery mode loop problem. Otherwise, it's time to move on to the next method.

2.Use an iOS Troubleshooter to Repair iPhone

If there are indeed corrupted files residing in the system, your iPhone just loads them up every time you reboot it, causing it to get stuck in recovery mode.

In order to solve this issue, you'll need to repair those files. In this context, repairing the files means having to delete and recreate them.

It may sound highly technical, but there's nothing to worry about as there are applications that can perform this task for you in a breeze. One of the top-rated apps is TinyFix.

Here's how to use TinyFix to repair your system:

Step 1. First of all, download and install TinyFix onto your computer. Then, turn on your iPhone and connect it to your computer using its data cable.

Step 2. Afterward, launch TinyFix and wait for it to detect your iPhone. From the main interface of TinyFix, click iOS System Repair.

Step 3. Next, click Standard Repair Mode  to begin the repair process.

Step 4. At this point, TinyFix will give you a signal to download the appropriate firmware for your iPhone. Confirm it by clicking the Download button. The process will begin shortly afterward.

Step 5. Lastly, wait for the repair process to complete and check if the recovery mode loop issue is gone. This process should resolve existing issues on your iPhone without deleting your personal files.

3. Restore Your iPhone Using a Computer Running iTunes/Finder

Another fix that you might consider if the previous methods are not effective is to restore your iPhone to its factory settings.

Unlike the other methods, this technique will delete all your files in the process. You'll want to create a backup before you proceed with this step.

To restore your iPhone using a computer, simply do the following:

1. First, plug your iPhone into your computer using its lightning cable.
2. Next, launch the iTunes or Finder application and click the iPhone icon located on the top-left corner of the interface.
3. Afterward, click the Restore iPhone option and confirm that you want to restore your device. This will delete all the files in your iPhone and initiate the restore process.
4. Ensure that your device is connected throughout the entire process. iTunes/Finder will automatically download and install the latest version of iOS for your iPhone.

Your iPhone will restart once the process has been completed. Check if the recovery mode loop issue is gone at this point.

4. DFU Restore your iPhone

Alternatively, you can DFU restore your phone to get rid of the recovery mode loop problem. This process will delete all your files, just like the previous method. So, create a backup before proceeding.

Here's how to perform a DFU restore:

Step 1. First, connect your iPhone to your computer with its USB cable and open iTunes.

Step 2. While connected, start your phone in DFU mode by pressing the appropriate buttons:

• For iPhone 8 or later generations: Quickly press and release the volume up button. Then, press and release the volume down button. Next, hold down the side button until the screen turns black. Keep holding the side button and this time, press and hold volume down as well. Wait for 5 seconds and release only the side button. Finally, wait until iTunes detects your phone before finally releasing the volume down button.
• If your device belongs to iPhone 7 series: Hold down both side and volume down buttons at the same time for 8 seconds. Afterward, release only the side button and keep on holding volume down until iTunes detects your device.
• For iPhone 6s, SE, or earlier versions: Press and hold down both the sleep/wake and home buttons for 8 seconds. Then, release only the sleep/wake button. Keep holding the home button until iTunes detects your device.

Step 3. Once your iPhone has entered DFU mode, proceed with the restore process by following the on-screen instructions on your iTunes.

5. Contact Apple Support

If all else fails, It’s time to call on an expert. Unfortunately, this could mean that your phone might be experiencing the worst-case scenario, which is hardware failure.

Contact Apple support and talk to them about your problem so they can guide you on what to do next.

Conclusion

That's pretty much it about the recovery mode loop issue. It's really annoying when you can't use your phone because of this problem.

It makes you want to throw away your phone, but don't do it! You can still save your device by following our solutions.

Let us know if you have other questions about your iPhone by leaving a comment below.