Device issues with depicted by symptoms like lags, random freezes and unresponsive/stuck display are usually tied to memory errors and more major data corruption. The same symptoms can also be attributed to hardware damage from accidental drops or liquid exposure on the phone. Errant apps and faulty updates can also trigger the same minor symptoms of stuck or frozen display among mobile devices. Minor symptoms are usually remedied by some workarounds, thus you don’t have to pay for a tech fee to fix your device.
Highlighted in this post are among the possible solutions and suggested workarounds to deal with software-related issue on an iPhone 8 Plus that gets stuck on recovery mode and unable to restore through iTunes. Feel free to refer to this walkthrough if you need further inputs when troubleshooting similar symptoms when attempting to perform a recovery mode restore on your iPhone 8 Plus with iTunes.
How To Fix iPhone 8 Plus Failed To Restore And Gets Stuck On Recovery Mode
First solution: Force restart your iPhone 8 Plus
Unplug your iPhone from the computer and then do a force restart when it’s plugged out. Doing so will clear any errant background apps from that might have caused conflict and interrupted the restore process. Follow these steps to force restart your iPhone 8 Plus:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Finally, press and hold the Power/Side button until the Apple logo appears.
After performing a force restart on your iPhone 8 Plus, reboot your computer and remove any other USB devices that are plugged into other USB ports of your computer. Any of these devices can also interfere with iTunes and cause the restore process to fail. Also close any other opened programs on your computer to prevent them from interrupting iTunes operations.
Second solution: Re-attempt to restore your iPhone 8 Plus in iTunes
It wouldn’t hurt to give it another try. Your device might have failed to restore at first but it doesn’t always mean it will fail again on the next try. That said, reattempt to carry out a recovery mode restore after restarting your iPhone 8 Plus. Here’s what you should do then:
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac or Windows computer using the original Lightning cable. Remove any other external devices from your computer’s USB port to prevent any of them from causing conflict. Also close all running applications or programs on your computer to prevent any of them from interrupting iTunes during the restore process.
- When your iPhone is connected, quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button and finally, press and hold the Side/Power button until the phone reboots. Continue holding the Side/Power button even when you see the Apple logo.
- Release the Side/Power button once you see the Connect to iTunes screen. This is an indication that your device has entered recovery mode.
- Go to iTunes and you should see a message saying that “There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored.”
- Select the option to Restore to confirm.
Follow the rest of the given instructions to finish the entire iOS restore process through recovery mode.
Third solution: Try a DFU mode restore
If your iPhone 8 Plus still failed to restore and gets stuck on recovery mode in your second attempt, then you can resort to the deepest type of iOS restore referred to as a DFU mode restore. It’s a different restore method from the recovery mode restore but still uses iTunes on a computer. DFU stands for Device Firmware Upgrade, a state in which the device is still able to communicate with iTunes on a computer without activating the operating system or bootloader. This makes it possible for a fully corrupted iOS system to be restored and repaired. Please note though that this restore process will wipe out everything from your iPhone system, and therefore all your saved data would be deleted. In addition, carrying a DFU mode restore is also discouraged especially if your device has obtained any sort of physical or liquid damage as you may end up having a totally dysfunctional iPhone. If damage is present, there’s a higher chance that the process wouldn’t be completed and when this happens, the operating system may become totally corrupted.
If you wish to proceed and give DFU mode a try, then you may refer to these steps:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the supplied USB cable or Lightning cable.
- Quick-press the Volume Up button.
- Quick-press the Volume Down button.
- Hold down the Side/Power button until the screen goes black.
- When the screen turns black, hold down both the Side/Power button and Volume Down button for 5 seconds.
- After 5 seconds, release the Side/Power button but continue to hold down the Volume Down button. If you see the Apple logo, it means that you’ve held the Side/Power button for too long and that you need to start all over.
- If the screen remains black, then your device has successfully entered DFU mode and all set for a DFU mode restore procedure.
- On your computer, you should see iTunes showing an alert message saying that it has detected a device in recovery mode. Follow the onscreen prompts to restore your iPhone 8 Plus in iTunes.
If you see other display like a Connect to iTunes screen, it means that your device has not yet entered DFU mode. This means that you will need to go back to the previous steps and then retry until you finally enter DFU mode. Entering this mode requires perfect timing so if you failed to get in on your first attempt, then you should try again. Otherwise, you can seek a technician’s aid or try other alternative solutions available.
Fourth solution: Use third-party iOS recovery software
You may consider resorting to a third-party iOS recovery or repair tool if you suspect that the problem is with iTunes. You can download and install any of these tools online. Just be sure to pick the most credible and compatible software on your computer. Reading prior reviews can help you decide on which software to download. Once you’ve made your choice, download and install the preferred software on your computer. Open it and then plug in your iPhone 8 Plus to your computer using the supplied USB cable or Lightning cable. Once connected, navigate to the iOS recovery software main screen and then follow the onscreen prompts and commands to restore and repair your iPhone.
Seek more help
For more options and advanced solutions, you may contact your carrier’s technical support department or Apple Support. Alternatively, you can take your iPhone to the nearest Apple Genius bar in your area and ask an iPhone technician to scrutinize your device for any visible signs of physical or liquid damage. Your iPhone 8 Plus screen may also get stuck due to a damaged component. Don’t forget to avail for service warranty.