To restore your iPhone from a backup, choose From iCloud Backup on the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen during setup, or select Restore Backup in Finder or Apple Devices on your computer. An iCloud restore requires a new or erased iPhone, so check your saved backup before deleting anything.
The short version
- Use iCloud during setup to recover an online backup.
- Use Restore Backup for a backup saved on your Mac or PC.
- Restore iPhone erases the phone and reinstalls iOS before you recover saved data.
- Try updating before a recovery mode restore, which deletes your data.
- Preserve an older iCloud backup by saving your current data on a computer before restoring.
| Method | What it does | Time | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCloud backup | Recovers an online backup | Minutes to an hour initially | Your backup is in iCloud |
| Mac backup | Loads a saved Mac backup | A few minutes for prompts | Your backup is on a Mac |
| Windows backup | Loads a saved PC backup | A few minutes for prompts | Your backup is on a PC |
| Computer factory restore | Erases and reinstalls iOS | A few minutes for prompts | You need to reinstall iOS |
| Recovery mode | Updates or restores iOS | A few minutes for button steps | Normal startup or recovery fails |
| Lock screen reset | Erases a forgotten passcode | A few minutes for prompts | You cannot enter your passcode |
Except for iCloud's initial progress bar, these estimates cover entering commands with your account details and equipment ready. Downloads, backup size, installation and syncing add time afterward; iCloud's background restoration can take hours or days. Turning off Stolen Device Protection may add a security delay before a factory restore.
Get your iPhone ready for a backup restore
Make sure you have a backup containing the data you want before erasing your phone. If you can still use it, check Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup, where the last backup date appears under Back Up Now. If you want to recover an older iCloud backup, avoid overwriting it with the phone's current state. Save your current data in a separate computer backup before restoring.
If your phone already shows Hello, move to the restore method you need. For a new or erased iPhone, follow setup to Transfer Your Apps & Data and choose From Mac or PC before connecting to the computer containing your backup. Older setup screens may call these Apps & Data and Restore from Mac or PC.
To erase an already configured phone on iOS 15 or later, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. On iOS 14 or earlier, the path is Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
On current iOS, tap Continue and, if an eSIM choice appears, choose whether to keep or delete it. Deleting the eSIM requires contacting your carrier to reactivate the plan. Enter the requested passcode and Apple Account password, then wait for Hello. On older versions, follow the onscreen confirmations.
Bring back your data from iCloud
Start at Hello and follow setup until you reach Transfer Your Apps & Data. Tap From iCloud Backup, sign in to your Apple Account, and choose the backup by its date and size. If setup requests newer software, follow the update prompts before continuing.
Keep Wi-Fi connected until the initial progress bar finishes, which can take a few minutes to an hour depending on backup size and network speed. Complete the remaining setup prompts, then keep connecting the phone to Wi-Fi and power while apps, photos and other content return in the background. That background work can take several hours or days, so reaching the Home Screen does not mean every download has finished.
If purchases came from more than one Apple Account, enter each account's password when requested. Repeated sign-in prompts can be for different purchases rather than a failed restore. Check which account each prompt names before entering its password.
Load a Mac backup through Finder
On macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, connect your iPhone to the Mac containing the backup and open Finder. Use a USB cable and follow any passcode or Trust This Computer prompts. A Wi-Fi connection also works if you previously configured Wi-Fi syncing.
Select the iPhone in the sidebar, click General, then click Restore Backup. Choose the saved backup from the Backup menu and click Restore. Enter the encryption password if requested, and keep the phone connected after it restarts until syncing finishes.
On macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, use iTunes instead. Select the iPhone button, open Summary, and choose Restore Backup. Select your backup and click Restore, supplying its password if encrypted.
Recover a backup on Windows
Connect your iPhone to the PC containing your backup, then open Apple Devices. Select the phone in the sidebar and choose General. A USB connection works without configuring Wi-Fi syncing first; an existing Wi-Fi syncing connection is also supported.
Select Restore Backup, choose the saved backup from the Restore Backup menu, and select Restore. Enter the backup's encryption password when asked. Keep the iPhone connected through the restart and subsequent sync.
If your PC does not have Apple Devices, use iTunes. Connect the iPhone, follow any trust and passcode prompts, and select its device button near the upper left. Click Summary > Restore Backup, choose the backup, then click Restore.
Reinstall iOS with a computer
A computer factory restore removes your data and settings and installs the latest iOS available for your device. Preserve your current data in a computer backup first if you can, and update your Mac or PC before starting. This is the erasing option, so choose Restore Backup instead if you only need saved data.
If Stolen Device Protection is enabled, turn it off before trying to disable Find My. Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, tap Stolen Device Protection, and turn it off. Follow any biometric authentication and security delay prompts. By default, the extra requirements apply away from familiar locations; choosing Always makes them apply everywhere.
Once that is off, open Settings > your name > Find My > Find My iPhone. Turn it off, enter your Apple Account password, and tap Turn Off. Connect the phone, open the computer app appropriate for your system, select the iPhone and open General or Summary.
Accept any connection or trust prompts, then click Restore iPhone and confirm with Restore. When Hello appears, set up the phone and restore your backup using the matching method above. A computer restore does not delete your eSIM.
Use recovery mode when the phone will not start
Enter recovery mode
Recovery mode can help when the Apple logo stays onscreen without a progress bar, the computer cannot recognize the phone, or Recovery Assistant repeatedly fails. Update your Mac or Apple Devices app, connect the iPhone by USB, and open Finder or Apple Devices. Use the button sequence for your model while it remains connected.
On iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE second generation and later, quickly press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down. Hold the Side button until the Connect to computer screen appears. Keep holding through the Apple logo.
If you have an older iPhone, use the model-specific button combination in Apple's recovery mode instructions. The sequence above applies to iPhone 8 and later, so check your model before pressing buttons.
Choose Update or Restore
Select the phone on your computer and try Update first if you have not already tried updating. If that fails, choose Restore, which reinstalls iOS and erases your data. Afterward, set up the phone and recover your saved backup.
Handle download and button problems
If the download exceeds 15 minutes, the phone may leave recovery mode. Let the download finish, then repeat the button sequence to return to recovery mode. If a required button is stuck or broken, seek service rather than repeating the sequence.
Reset an iPhone with a forgotten passcode
Check the previous passcode option
Before erasing, check whether the passcode was changed within the last 72 hours. On iOS 17 or later, the previous passcode may still let you regain access without resetting the phone. The steps for erasing an iPhone after forgetting the passcode also cover that option.
Reset from the lock screen
For a lock screen reset, you need Find My already enabled, an active cellular or Wi-Fi connection, and your Apple Account password. On iOS 17 or later, tap Forgot Passcode? on the iPhone Unavailable screen, then choose Start iPhone Reset. Enter your Apple Account password and tap Erase iPhone.
If you use an eSIM, choose whether to keep or delete it, then complete setup and restore your backup after the restart. On iOS 15.2 or iOS 16, the lock screen instead offers Erase iPhone when the requirements are met. If you use an eSIM on those versions, ask your carrier for a reactivation QR code before erasing.
Use a computer when the option is missing
If the lock screen option is unavailable, follow Apple's computer reset instructions, which start with turning the locked phone off. If you cannot borrow a computer, visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for help. Resetting removes the data currently on the phone, so recovery afterward depends on an existing backup.
Fix a backup that will not restore
If a computer backup requires newer iOS, finish setup using Don't Transfer Apps & Data, then update the phone. The steps for updating Apple software on iPhone cover that update. Let it finish, erase the phone using the Settings path above, then try restoring again.
If your iCloud backup is missing or fails, confirm that a backup exists and try another Wi-Fi network. Use Show All or Show All Backups where offered to check additional backups. If your computer cannot see the iPhone, try a cable that supports both data and charging, then another USB port.
After an iCloud backup restore, check Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup to see whether restoration is still running. If you use iCloud Photos, check its sync settings and the library status in Photos separately. Photos stored in iCloud Photos sync separately and are not included in iCloud Backup.
Content may still be downloading, and purchases require the account that bought them. For an app you need to download again, follow the steps to find and reinstall deleted apps on iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Reset All Settings restore my backup?
No, Reset All Settings returns settings to their defaults without deleting your data or media. Recover a saved backup through setup or the computer's Restore Backup command instead.
Can I restore my iPhone through iCloud.com?
No, Find Devices can remotely erase a phone with Find My configured, but backup restoration happens on the iPhone during setup. Remote erasure leaves Activation Lock enabled, so you still need your Apple Account credentials to reactivate it.
What if I don't have enough iCloud storage to back up before replacing my iPhone?
If you buy a new iPhone and lack backup space, you may qualify for temporary iCloud storage. Update the old phone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, and tap Get Started under Prepare for New iPhone. Follow the backup prompts and restore within 21 days. If the new phone has not arrived, Settings > Keep My Backup Longer adds another 21 days.
Do I need a saved backup to transfer data to a new iPhone?
No, Quick Start can transfer data directly from your available old device. Keep both devices nearby and plugged into power until the transfer completes.
Which backup should I use after removing an iOS beta?
Use a compatible backup made before installing the beta, because beta backups may not restore to an older public release. Turning off beta updates stops future betas; removing the installed beta requires erasing and restoring to the current public iOS release.
What if I forgot my encrypted backup password?
You cannot restore that encrypted backup without its password, and creating a new password does not give access to older encrypted backups. Use an available iCloud backup instead, or another backup whose password you know.