How to Restore an iPhone without iTunes: 4 Easy Options (2024)

Co-authored byMobile Kangarooand Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: August 29, 2024Fact Checked

Restoring an iPhone without iTunes: The Basics

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1. 1

   Back up your data. Restoring your iPhone will erase all data on your iPhone. You'll want to back up everything you want to keep on your iPhone before doing a system restore. Use the following steps to back up your iPhone:^[1]

   • Make sure your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
   • Open the Settings menu.
   • Tap your name at the top.
   • Tap iCloud.
   • Tap iCloud Backup.
   • Tap Back up now.
   • If you want iCloud to back up your phone automatically, toggle on the switch next to Back Up This iPhone.
2. 2

   Open the Settings menu

   . According to computer repair technician Joseph Alexander, using the Settings app is the easiest way to reset and restore your iPhone. The Settings menu has an icon that resembles two silver gears. Tap the Settings icon on your Home screen to open the Settings menu, if you are still able to access it.^[2]

   • If you’re locked out of your iPhone, you may be able to restore it from the lockout screen.

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3. 3

   Tap General. It's near the top of the Settings menu. It's next to an icon that resembles a gear.

4. 4

   Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone. It's near the bottom of the General menu.

5. 5

   Tap Erase All Content and Settings. It's the last option at the bottom of the menu. This option will erase all data on your iPhone and completely reinstall the latest version of iOS.

   • The path to get to this option may vary depending on your version of iOS. According to Joseph Alexander, in some older versions of iOS, you will need to go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
6. 6

   Enter your Apple ID and password. To continue, you will need to log in with your Apple ID and password. Afterward, your iPhone will begin the process of restoring. When your iPhone restarts, you will need to go through the setup process as though your phone were brand new.^[3]

   • If you have an iCloud backup, you can restore your data during the setup process by selecting Restore from iCloud Back Up when you get to the Apps & Data screen. Then tap Restore from iCloud.

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1. 1

   Enter the wrong passcode until you see “iPhone Unavailable”. If you’ve forgotten your passcode and can’t get into your iPhone, you can still reset it from the lock screen if you’re running a recent version of iOS (15.2 or above). To get started, enter your passcode incorrectly a few times. Eventually, you’ll see a screen that says iPhone Unavailable, with a prompt to try again after a certain amount of time (like 1 minute).^[4]

   • You’ll need to know your Apple ID and password to use this method. If you’ve forgotten it, you might be able to reset it.
   • If you’re on iOS 16 or earlier and you have an eSIM, contact your network provider and ask for instructions on how to set up your eSIM again after you’ve restored your phone.
2. 2

   Tap Forgot Passcode?. You should see it in the bottom right corner of the screen.

   • If you’re using iOS 16 or earlier, you’ll see an Erase iPhone option instead.
3. 3

   Tap Start iPhone Reset to confirm.

4. 4

   Enter your Apple ID password. On the next screen, you’ll be prompted to sign out of your Apple ID. To do this, enter the password for the Apple ID account linked to your iPhone.

5. 5

   Tap Erase iPhone. This will permanently erase all the data and settings on your iPhone. It may take a few minutes for the process to complete.

   • If you’re using iOS 17 and you have an eSIM, you’ll be offered the opportunity to either keep your eSIM or delete it along with your data.
6. 6

   Follow the onscreen prompts to restore your iPhone. Once your iPhone finishes erasing, it will restart to a setup screen. Follow the instructions to restore from a backup (if you have one) and set a new password.

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1. 1

   Back up your device if you can. If you’re still able to access your iPhone, back up your data and settings before you get started. You can either back it up with iCloud or a computer.

2. 2

   Sign out of Find My iPhone. You'll need to sign out of Find My iPhone in order to restore your iPhone on a Mac. Use the following steps to do so:^[5]

   • Open the Settings menu on your iPhone.
   • Tap your name at the top.
   • Tap Find My.
   • Tap Find My iPhone.
   • Tap the toggle switch to turn Find My off.
   • Enter your Apple ID password.
   • Tap Turn Off.
3. 3

   Update your Mac. This process will work best if you’re running the latest version of macOS. On macOS Catalina or later, you can restore an iPhone using the Finder instead of using iTunes.^[6]

4. 4

   Connect your iPhone to your computer. Use the charging cable that came with your iPhone to connect it to a free USB port on your Mac.

   • If you are asked to enter your iPhone's passcode, go ahead and do so.
   • If you see a message on your iPhone asking if you want to "Trust this computer?" tap Trust on your iPhone screen.
5. 5

   Open the Finder

   . It has an icon that resembles a blue and white smiley face. Click the Finder icon in the dock at the bottom of your Mac's desktop to open Finder.

   • If you are using macOS Mojave or earlier, you will need to use iTunes.
6. 6

   Click your iPhone's device name. You can find it under "Locations" in the Finder menu bar to the left. This displays options for managing your phone on your computer.

7. 7

   Click the General tab. It's the first tab at the top of the Finder window. This tab should be selected automatically. If it is not, click General

8. 8

   Click Back Up Now (optional). If you didn’t already back up your iPhone, you can do so now. Click Back Up Now in the lower-right corner. This will make a backup of your iPhone's data. Restoring your phone will erase all data on your iPhone and reinstall iOS. Be sure to back up your iPhone so that you can recover your data after the restore process.

   See Also

   If you forgot your iPhone passcode, use your Mac or PC to reset it - Apple Support (English)

9. 9

   Click Restore iPhone. It's the second button below "Software." This displays a pop-up warning you that this will erase all your data and restore your iPhone back to its factory settings.

10. 10

    Click Restore iPhone…. It's the second option at the bottom of the pop-up. This will restore your iPhone to its factory settings. Your iPhone will restart when the process is finished. You will need to go through the setup process again.

    • To restore your data from a backup on your computer, connect your iPhone to your Mac and click your device name in Finder. Under the "General" tab, click Restore Backup….
    • If you backed up your iPhone to iCloud, you’ll have the option to restore from that backup during setup.

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1. 1

   Back up your data. Restoring your iPhone will erase all data on your iPhone. You'll want to back up everything you want to keep on your iPhone before doing a system restore.^[7]

   • See this article from Apple support for different back up methods.
2. 2

   Install the Apple Devices app. Apple Devices is a free app for Windows developed by Apple. You can use this app instead of iTunes to restore your iPhone on a PC.

3. 3

   Plug your iPhone into your PC. Use a USB or USB-C cable to connect your iPhone to your computer. You may be prompted to trust the computer. If so, tap Trust.

4. 4

   Select your iPhone in the Apple Devices sidebar. If you haven’t already opened Apple Devices, do so now. Click your iPhone’s name in the sidebar menu.

5. 5

   Click General. You’ll see this under the Settings header in the sidebar menu.

6. 6

   Select Restore iPhone…. Follow the on-screen prompts to reset your iPhone. All of your phone’s data and settings will be erased.

   • Once your iPhone finishes resetting, follow the prompts on your phone screen to set it up again. You’ll be able to restore from a backup during this process, if you have one.

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