How to put an iPad or iPhone in DFU or Restore mode

By | March 18, 2022

How to put an iPad or iPhone in DFU or Restore mode – If you have reached this tutorial, we assume that you have a problem with your iPhone or iPad and you are probably completely scared. 

First of all, we ask you to calm down, many times the problems with these devices have a simpler solution than it might seem and a simple reinstallation of the operating system could solve the problems.

Before getting into the matter you should know the difference between DFU mode and restore mode . 

Both can be very useful in case of problems with the device’s software, but the first should be used only if you want to load a certain version of the operating system, since DFU mode bypasses the iBoot bootloader of the operating system (very useful for Jailbreak users). 

In case you have to do a restore due to problems, but want to restore the version you currently have installed or the latest version available, restore mode is sufficient.

Now that you have a little clearer the difference between one mode and another, it is time to get down to business. You are ready?

How to put iPhone or iPad in restore mode

To put an iOS device in restore mode , you just have to follow the following steps:

  1. Power off the device completely (press the top button until the Slide to power off option appears and slide the control).
  2. Once powered off, connect the USB cable to the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and the other end to a computer running iTunes while holding down the home button (the one on the front of the device). In the case of an iPhone 7, 8 or iPhone X, you must press and hold the volume down button.
  3. Keep the home button (or volume down in case of iPhone 7) pressed until you see a Connect to iTunes screen like the one above:
  4. When it appears on the screen of your iPhone or iPad release the home button. If this screen does not appear, repeat the steps from the beginning.

Once these steps are done, iTunes will show you a window similar to this:

In it you can choose between restoring the current version of the device or updating to the latest version available . It is important to note that if you choose the restore option, all data stored on the device will be lost . 

That is why it is always important to make backup copies , since in the event of a failure or breakdown, not all the data will be lost.

Once the restoration or update of the device is done, you can test if everything is going well. If so, congratulations, your iPhone or iPad only had a software bug and you can continue enjoying it.

In case you were not able to restore the device in restore mode there is still one thing you can do. You can try to put the device in DFU mode and try to restore it this way . We explain how it is done!

Read Also: How to Remove Wi-Fi network from iPhone or iPad

How to Put an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch in DFU Mode

DFU mode is a bit more “aggressive” than restore mode. That is why, in case the mode described above is not enough, we recommend trying this other mode.

You should note that DFU mode will delete all data from the iPhone or iPad and it will be set up as a brand new device . It is true that once restored it is possible to install a backup copy that you have in it and for this reason, we insist on the need to make backups on a regular basis.

To put an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch in DFU mode you must follow these steps :

  1. Open iTunes on your computer and connect the iPad or iPhone with the USB cable.
  2. Power off the iOS device. Hold the top button until the power off bar appears.
  3. Once the device is turned off, you must simultaneously press the home button (the volume down button in the case of the iPhone 7, 8 or X) and the power button (the one on the front of the phone and the one on top) for exactly 10 seconds. It is important to count the seconds , otherwise the process will not work (during the process the Apple apple will disappear from the device screen).
  4. After 10 seconds, release the power button and keep the home button (or volume down in the case of the aforementioned models) pressed. You must hold this button until iTunes recognizes the device.
  5. Once iTunes recognizes the device, a window will appear informing you that it has detected a device in this state and clicking on OK will start the restoration.

Done, with these steps your iPhone or iPad will enter DFU mode and you can restore it . If for any reason you don’t want to restore and you already have the device in DFU mode, all you have to do is hold down the home button and the top button until the terminal restarts.

Were you able to restore the iPhone or iPad with the DFU? If so, congratulations, surely the problem has disappeared and you can continue using the device as the first day. 

Read Also: How to turn off silent mode on iPhone

In case this mode has not worked either and you continue to have problems with the iDevice, it is possible that the problem is more serious. In this case, our recommendation is that you visit an authorized technical service where they can check the device and help you with the problem.

We hope that this short guide on how to put an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad in DFU mode or restore mode has been useful to you. If you have any questions, you can leave us a comment and we will try to help you clear them.