How to put your iPhone or iPad into recovery mode.
Regardless of how stable the system software on your iPad is, it’s not without its problems. If this ever causes you serious problems, you should try using recovery mode. It’s possible that this is the difference between a quick iPad recovery and a long visit to the Genius Bar.
Below you will find everything you need to know about starting and using iPad Recovery Mode.
What Is iPad Recovery Mode?
Recovery Mode is a unique recovery environment that allows you to update your iPad’s system software or restore it to factory settings. This is a fallback mechanism for when you can’t use iPad’s built-in reset options to restore your device. If you come across any of the scenarios below, you should use recovery mode.
Stuck on Apple logo
Is your iPad stuck on the Apple logo? This usually happens after a failed system software update or after a backup failure. Going into iPad recovery mode should allow you to reinstall the system software and (hopefully) get the device back to working order. This can also come in handy if your iPad is stuck in a continuous boot loop.
The computer does not recognize iPad
If you are experiencing constant crashes or freezes on iPad, you can reset it via iTunes / Finder on Mac or PC. However, if your computer is unable to detect the device, Recovery Mode can make iTunes / Finder recognize it. Then you should be able to update or reinstall the system software without any problem.
Upgrade to iPadOS Beta
Does your iPad have a beta version of iPadOS? If you continue to run into problems, resetting the system software via iPad recovery mode will automatically downgrade the system software to the latest stable version.
iPad is already in recovery mode
On rare occasions, your iPad may boot itself into recovery mode. This already means that something is seriously wrong with your tablet, so you must either update or reset it. Skip down to the section on how to use Recovery Mode on iPad.
also read:How to Force Restart an iPhone and Enter Recovery Mode(Opens in a new browser tab)
What You Need to Launch Recovery Mode on iPad
You must use iTunes / Finder on Mac or iTunes on PC to enter Recovery Mode and interact with it on iPad. It’s also best to launch the most recent versions of iTunes or Finder on your Mac / PC before proceeding.
You can download the latest iTunes updates from the Mac App Store or Microsoft Store. If you’re using a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, you’ll need to update the operating system itself to use the most recent Finder — go to System Preferences> Software Update to update your Mac.
In addition, you should have an appropriate USB cable (USB-A to Lightning, USB-C to Lightning, USB-C to USB-C, etc.) on hand to connect your iPad to your Mac or PC.
Once you’ve got everything set up, you can force restart your iPad and start recovery mode. Or you can go to it directly by turning on your iPad.
How to Force Restart an iPad and Launch Recovery Mode
If you’ve turned on the iPad, you can launch Recovery Mode by forcibly restarting your device.
iPad without Home button
1. Open Finder / iTunes on your Mac or PC.
2. Connect iPad to Mac or PC.
3. Press and quickly release the volume up button.
4. Press and quickly release the volume down button.
5. Press and hold the top button. Your iPad should restart and you should see the Apple logo shortly after. Hold it until you see the iPad recovery mode screen.
iPad with Home Button
1. Open Finder / iTunes on your Mac or PC.
2. Connect iPad to Mac or PC.
3. Press and hold the Home and Top buttons. Your iPad should restart. Hold them until you see the recovery-mode screen.
How to Boot an iPad Directly Into Recovery Mode
If you’ve turned off your iPad, you can directly enter recovery mode by downloading its backup.
iPad that doesn’t have a Home button
1. Open Finder / iTunes on your Mac or PC.
2. Connect the USB cable to your computer.
3. Press and hold the top button and then connect the cable to the iPad. Keep the top button pressed until you see the recovery-mode screen.
iPad with Home Button
1. Open Finder / iTunes on your Mac or PC.
2. Connect the Lightning to a USB cable to your computer.
3. Press and hold the Home button and then connect the cable to the iPad. Hold the Home button until you see the recovery-mode screen.
How to Use Recovery Mode on iPad
After entering recovery mode, iTunes or Finder will automatically offer you options to update or restore the iPad.
Refresh iPad in recovery mode
You can use Recovery Mode to refresh the iPad without erasing data. This alone should help fix any major system software issues in most cases. If that doesn’t work, you can do it by restarting your device.
1. Select “Refresh” on the “Recovery Mode” screen in iTunes / Finder.
2. Click “Update” again to confirm.
3. Wait while iTunes / Finder downloads the iPadOS system software file to your Mac or PC.
Your iPad may automatically exit recovery mode if it takes more than 15 minutes to boot. If this happens, enter recovery mode again; the download should automatically resume.
4. iTunes / Finder will automatically extract the system software file and update your iPad. It will take a few minutes.
5. Click OK and wait for the iPad to restart. Enter your device passcode and check if your iPad is working properly.
Recover iPad in Recovery Mode
You can use recovery mode to factory reset the iPad. This will permanently delete all locally saved data. However, if you have an iCloud or iTunes / Finder backup, you can restore your data after the reset procedure.
1. Select “Restore iPad” from the “Recovery Mode” screen in iTunes / Finder.
2. Select “Restore and Update” to confirm.
3. Wait while iTunes or Finder downloads the iPadOS system software file to your Mac or PC. If you were trying to update your iPad just a few minutes ago, you wouldn’t need to re-download the file.
4. iTunes or Finder will extract the contents of the file and reinstall the system software on your iPad.
5. Click OK and wait for the iPad to restart. Then you can select the “Recover from this backup” option if you want to restore data from an iTunes / Finder backup.
Alternatively, select “Recover from iCloud Backup” when you set up an iPad to recover data from an iCloud backup.
What If Recovery Mode Fails?
If recovery mode fails to fix your iPad, you can go ahead and use DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode to reset your device. If that doesn’t work, your best bet is to make an appointment at your nearest Apple Store or Genius Bar.
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How to put your iPhone or iPad into recovery mode
How to put your iPhone or iPad into recovery mode.