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How to Restore Your iPhone 8, iPhone X, or iPhone 11

Lance Whitney
 & Lance Whitney Contributor

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Uh oh, your cool and expensive iPhone isn't working properly. Maybe it's freezing or crashing. It could just be running too slowly. Whatever the reason, you can restore and recover your iPhone to see if a clean start can fix the glitch.

When you put your phone in recovery mode, you can try to update iOS to see if that resolves the problem without losing your content and settings. If that works, great. If not, a restore attempts to recover your phone by erasing all data and installing iOS from scratch. If the restore fixes your dilemma, you can then set up your phone as a new device or try to bring it back to its previous state through a recent backup.

The process for putting recent iPhones (iPhone 8 and up) in recovery mode is different than with older iPhones. Here's what you need to know.

Back It Up

Before a problem pops up, make sure you're backing up your iPhone on a regular basis. That way you can always restore your phone using an up-to-date backup. To do this on your phone, navigate to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. You'll just need to make sure you have enough iCloud storage. By default, Apple offers 5GB for free. If you need more, you can grab 50GB for 99 cents a month, 200GB for $2.99 a month, or 2TB for $9.99 per month.

Alternatively, you can rev up iTunes and back up your phone to iCloud or your computer. On a Mac running Catalina, you would use Finder to back up your phone instead.

Try a Manual Restart

If a problem is stalling your phone, try a normal restart. Hold down the Side button and the Volume Up or Volume Down button at the same time until you see the screen with the "slide to power off" option. Slide that button to the right until the phone turns off. Wait a few seconds, then press down the Side button until you see the Apple logo. Swipe to unlock the screen and enter your passcode to access your phone.

Initiate a Recovery

Did this normal restart resolve the issue? If so, you're all set. If not, then it's time to attempt a recovery. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes/Finder. On your iPhone, press and then quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and then quickly release the Volume Down button. Then press and hold down the Side button.

You'll see the screen with the "slide to power off" option. But don't do anything. Continue to hold down the Side button. The screen will go black and show the Apple logo. Don't release the Side button just yet. Finally, a screen will appear with the Connect to iTunes graphic. Now you can release the Side button.

Connect Your iPhone to iTunes

Go back to iTunes/Finder on your computer. A message says there's a problem with the iPhone and asks if you want to Update or Restore. Click Update. You are given the choice to either update your phone or perform a reset. Choose Update again, but if the program says your iPhone can't be updated, you'll need to restore it to factory settings. Now sit back and wait for iOS to be updated on your phone.

Unlock Your Restored iPhone

After the update, iTunes may prompt you to enter your passcode on the phone. Swipe up to unlock the lock screen. Type your passcode and click Try Again on the computer.

Rinse and Repeat

Now take your iPhone for a spin to see if the problem has been resolved. If not, you'll need to repeat the initial process but opt for the Restore route instead. Follow the same steps as above, but this time click the Restore button instead of the Update button.

Confirm Factory Reset

A confirmation message asks if you're sure you want to restore the iPhone to factory settings. Click the button to Restore and Update.

Activation Lock

After the process has finished, you may receive an Activation Lock message in iTunes/Finder, prompting you to enter your Apple ID and password. This is a security measure that occurs if you didn't sign out of iCloud before restoring your phone. Type your ID and password and click Continue.

Enter Passcode

You'll likely also need to enter the passcode on your iPhone. You should then receive a message telling you that your iPhone has been unlocked. Click Continue.

Set Up New Phone

At the next screen, you have the choice to set up the device as a new phone or restore from a backup. In this case, choose the Set up as new iPhone option and click Continue.

Finalize Setup

Finish the process on your iPhone, opting to set it up as a new phone. Now put your phone through its paces to see if the previous problem has been eliminated. If so, hooray. You can then use it as a brand new phone or restore it from the last backup to see if it continues to behave with all your apps, data, and settings intact.

Set Up New Phone

At the next screen, you have the choice to set up the device as a new phone or restore from a backup. In this case, choose the Set up as new iPhone option and click Continue.

Finalize Setup

Finish the process on your iPhone, opting to set it up as a new phone. Now put your phone through its paces to see if the previous problem has been eliminated. If so, hooray. You can then use it as a brand new phone or restore it from the last backup to see if it continues to behave with all your apps, data, and settings intact.

About Our Expert

Lance Whitney

Lance Whitney

Contributor

My Experience

I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.

My Areas of Expertise

I've used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I'm well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I'm always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that's become another key area for me.

The Tech I Use

My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it's time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.

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