How to Put an iPhone or iPad into Recovery Mode or DFU Mode (Every Model)

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Recovery mode lets Finder or iTunes reinstall iOS when the device won’t start normally. DFU mode (Device Firmware Update) goes one level deeper and skips the bootloader. Use it when recovery mode doesn’t help. In both cases you then restore with an IPSW — see our restore guide.

Connect the device to your computer and open Finder (Mac) or Apple Devices / iTunes (Windows) before pressing the buttons.

Recovery mode

iPhone 8 and later, iPhone SE (2nd gen and later)

  1. Press and release Volume Up.
  2. Press and release Volume Down.
  3. Press and hold the Side button. Keep holding through the Apple logo until the computer-and-cable screen appears.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

Hold the Side button and Volume Down together until the recovery screen appears.

iPhone 6s and earlier, iPhone SE (1st gen), iPod touch

Hold the Home button and the Side (or Top) button together until the recovery screen appears.

iPad with Face ID or Touch ID in the top button

  1. Press and release the volume button closest to the top button.
  2. Press and release the other volume button.
  3. Hold the Top button until the recovery screen appears.

iPad with a Home button

Hold the Home and Top buttons together until the recovery screen appears.

DFU mode

In DFU mode the screen stays completely black. If you see an Apple logo or the cable icon, start again.

iPhone 8 and later, iPads without a Home button

  1. Press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down.
  2. Hold the Side/Top button for 10 seconds until the screen goes black.
  3. Keep holding it and also hold Volume Down for 5 seconds.
  4. Release the Side/Top button but keep holding Volume Down for 10 more seconds.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

  1. Hold Side + Volume Down for 8 seconds.
  2. Release Side, keep holding Volume Down for 5 more seconds.

iPhone 6s and earlier, iPads with a Home button

  1. Hold Home + Side/Top for 8 seconds.
  2. Release Side/Top, keep holding Home for 5 more seconds.

The computer should report “a device in recovery mode”. That message is correct for DFU too.

How to exit

Force-restart the device: on iPhone 8 and later press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side until the Apple logo appears. On older models hold the same button pair used to enter the mode for about 10 seconds. If the device returns to recovery mode, the installed software is damaged and a restore is required.

Mac with Apple silicon

Macs are revived from a second Mac using Apple Configurator in DFU mode and the macOS IPSW from our Mac list.

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