Restoring your iPhone doesn’t seem to be functioning for some reason. Now that you’ve synced up your iPhone and begun the restoration process, you’re getting an error notice saying “This iPhone cannot be restored” and you’re stumped as to why. Here, I’ll explain why your iPhone won’t restore and how to use iTunes to resolve the issue quickly and easily.”
Don’t be alarmed: this is a very frequent occurrence. iPhone software issues, particularly severe ones, are often fixed by restoring the phone. So, without further ado, here we go!
To resolve the iPhone will not restore issue, check the USB/lightning cable’s quality. Replace your cable or try a different computer. This kind of error may occur as a result of a hardware malfunction. If you continue to get it, you may need to reboot your device while connecting it to your system.
Perform the following steps on a Windows computer:
Then you may connect your iPhone to iTunes and follow the on-screen instructions. Restore and refresh your iPhone by clicking restore.
By doing so, you would be able to enter the DMU mode on your device. You can use it as one of the solutions to fix iPhone won’t restore problem and recover your device.
Part 1: What iPhone Won’t Restore Problems You May Encounter
Here we summarized the most common iPhone not restoring problems that you may encounter. You can use the methods in this article to fix them effectively.1. Cannot Restore iPhone Unknown Error Occurred
When you connect your iPhone to iTunes and attempted to restore, a pop-up message said “The iPhone was not able to be restored. A previously unidentified problem occurred (error code) “‘. The most often seen faults are error 3194, error 9, and error 4014.
2. iPhone Is Unable to Restore Following iOS 15/14/13/12/11 Update
You upgraded the program on your iPhone to the most recent version, iOS 12 or iOS 11. When you connect your device to iTunes for restoration, iTunes fails to detect it?
3. iPhone Is Unable to Restore After iOS 15/14/13/12/11 Update
You upgraded to the newest iOS 12 or iOS 11 software on your iPhone. When you connect your device to iTunes for restoration, does it fail to detect it?
4. Unable to Restore Jailbroken iPhone
Many users have jailbroken their iPhones but had difficulties while attempting to restore the device to factory reset and get the warning “this device is not eligible for the desired build.”
5. iPhone Is Locked and unable to Restore It
Forgot iPhone password and iPhone is disabled after entering wrong passwords for 6 times. The only way to get into the device is restoring. However, when perform the restoration in iTunes, it also asks for the password.
6. iPhone Was Unable To Restore Enough Space
When restoring an iPhone with iTunes, a notice displays stating that iTunes was unable to restore the iPhone due to insufficient free space on the device. To check storage capacity, go to Settings > General > Usage.
7. iCloud Restore Failed to Complete
You selected “Restore from iCloud Backup” on the setup page, and the procedure started. However, after a lengthy period of time, the procedure is still ongoing, and it seems as if the restoration will take an eternity.
8. iPhone does not restore properly on Catalina
Certain users have presumably upgraded to macOS Catalina. And, more significantly, they begin using Finder to backup and restore their iPhone or iPad. However, restoring using Finder is likely to fail.
Part 2: How to Fix iPhone Won’t Restore Problems
In an ideal world, an iOS device would encounter a variety of issues. We’ve compiled a list of the five most successful ways to resolve the iPhone won’t restore problem right here. Continue reading to discover how to resolve the iPhone won’t restore issue one step at a time.Method 1. Resolve the problem with the “Unknown Error Occurred” message.
This is one of the most often occurring problems seen by iOS users. Occasionally, after connecting your phone to the system or syncing it with iTunes, you may get a “unknown error” notice similar to this one. Additionally, a serial number would be inscribed (for instance, error 21). To begin, you must comprehend the kind of mistake that has been shown. To do so, go to Apple’s list of error kinds here.
Method 2: Reset a non-responsive device
If your gadget has become unresponsive and is refusing to restore, do not panic. You can discover how to repair an iPhone that will not recover after a hard reset. This will interrupt its power cycle and allow it to resume without difficulty. To do so, press and hold the power and home buttons simultaneously for at least 10 seconds. This will restart your phone in a forced manner. Release it when the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Method 3: Update Your Computer’s iTunes
To begin, it’s critical to ensure that your Mac or PC’s iTunes is up to date. It’s simple to verify! On a Mac, do the following three steps:- On your computer, launch iTunes.
- Locate the iTunes button on the left-hand side of the Apple toolbar at the top of your screen.
- From the drop-down option, choose Check For Updates. iTunes will then either update automatically or tell you that your copy of the software is already up to date.

- On your computer, launch iTunes.
- Click the Help button in the Windows menubar.
- From the drop-down option, choose Check For Updates. iTunes for Windows will then either automatically update or inform you that your copy of iTunes is already updated.
Method 4. Restart Your Computer
If iTunes is already up to date, the next step in resolving the issue with your iPhone is to restart your computer. On a Mac, just click the Apple button in the upper-left corner of the screen and choose Restart from the drop-down menu that appears. On a PC, select Start and then Restart.Method 5. Restore Your iPhone Using DFU Mode
If your iPhone still won’t restore after attempting a fresh USB port and Lightning connector, it’s necessary to do a DFU restore. This is a unique kind of restoration that wipes your iPhone’s hardware and software settings clean, thereby giving your iPhone a new start. Oftentimes, a DFU restoration will allow you to restore iPhones that are unable to be restored normally due to software issues.Method 6: In the Event That Everything Else Fails
Therefore, if your iPhone still refuses to restore after doing all of the above procedures, it is worth attempting. Remember to backup your iPhone first, since all data will be deleted after the restoration. If you don’t want to lose your data, you may use Free iPhone recovery mode software to quickly enter recovery mode on any iOS device.
Part 3: Tips to Fix iPhone Won’t Restore Problems
We are sure that after following our suggestions, you would be able to learn how to fix iPhone won’t restore issue. Nevertheless, if you are still facing a few setbacks, then don’t worry. To help our readers, we have come up with some bonus tips to fix iPhone won’t restore problem.1. Make sure your phone has trusted your system
This is one of the most common mistakes iPhone users tend to make. After connecting your device to the system, you would get a pop-up message on your phone’s screen regarding its authentication. In order to establish a reliable connection, you need to tap on the “Trust” button. Otherwise, you won’t be able to connect your phone to your system.
2. Enter the Device Firmware Update (DMU) Mode
This is something that not many iPhone users are aware of. Not just recovery mode, you can also put your phone into DMU mode to fix iPhone won’t restore issue. In order to do this, hold the power button of your device for around 5 seconds. Release it slightly and hold the power as well as the home button simultaneously for the next 10 seconds. Now, release the power button, but keep holding the Home button for another 5 seconds.
3. Update your iPhone
If you haven’t updated your phone in a while, then chances are that you might find it hard to sync it with iTunes. The best way to overcome this issue is by updating the iOS version on your device. You can check it by visiting Settings > General > Software Update. From here, you can see the latest update of iOS available on your device. Just tap on the “Install Now” button to update your phone.