Have you been trying to update your iPhone and got stuck on the “Attempting Data Recovery” screen? Maybe you were updating to iOS 16, and your cable or the wifi that got disconnected at some point in the process. The chances of your iPhone getting stuck at this screen are quite high in that case.
While waiting 30-40 minutes should usually resolve it, sometimes you might need to try other workarounds. For instance, force the phone to reboot, manually put it into recovery mode with iTunes, or use third-party software.
Let’s look at these options more closely to find out which works best for you. Also, we’ll see how to recover your data when the restoration fails. So, stick around.
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Why Do iPhones Get Stuck in the Attempting Data Recovery Loop?
iPhones getting hung up in the “Attempting Data Recovery” screen is a software glitch that can occur during an iOS update or downgrade process.
It typically happens if the charging cable comes loose, your iTunes version is outdated, or your network goes haywire and gets disconnected multiple times during the update.
However, several Redditors have noticed that this issue seems to be more common among particular iOS releases – particularly the various versions of the recent iOS 16. Even some of the beta versions
have been known to cause a bit of trouble.
In addition, if you’ve had your iPhone jailbroken, you’re more likely to get stuck in this ‘loop’ post-recovery when attempting an iOS update.
How to Fix the “Attempting Data Recovery “Issue on iPhones?”
As mentioned earlier, the most common and simplest solution is to patiently wait out the recovery process. Just leave your phone for about 30 to 40 minutes, and the issue should hopefully disappear, as confirmed by several Redditors.
However, if that pesky loop refuses to go away, don’t worry – You Still have three other solutions to try.
Fix 1: Force Reboot Your Phone
The simplest way to start troubleshooting an iPhone stuck in “Attempting Data Recovery” is to try a force reboot, commonly known as a hard reset. This will give your iPhone a fresh start and clear out any unwanted glitches that might be hindering the recovery process.
Here are the steps to do it:
- Press and release the Volume Up button quickly.
- Do the same with the Volume Down button.
- Finally, press the Side/Power button and release it once the Apple logo appears.
This rebooting method works for iPhone 8 and later models. If you own an older model, you should follow these steps;
For iPhone 7 or 7 Plus:
- Simultaneously press the power and volume down buttons.
- Keep the side buttons held until the Apple logo pops up.
For iPhone 6s and older devices:
- Simultaneously hold down both the Home and Power buttons.
- Keep them held in place while you wait for the Apple logo to appear.
Fix 2: Set Up Your iPhone In Recovery Mode
If a simple reboot didn’t help, you should try entering your iPhone in recovery mode. This can come in handy when a firmware update or OS downgrade process goes wrong. However, it does mean you’ll need to use iTunes to restore your iPhone.
To put your iPhone into recovery mode:
- Hook your iPhone up to your computer with a USB cable and launch iTunes.
- On your iPhone, press and hold the Side/Power button (depending on the model) and either of the Volume buttons for a few seconds. You should see the Apple logo after that.
- Once you see the iTunes logo on your iPhone and the “Connect to iTunes” message, you can release all the buttons.
- When you open iTunes, you’ll see a pop-up message prompting you to update or restore your iPhone.
- Then, just hit “Update” or “Restore”.
Fix 3: Use Third-Party Software
If nothing else works, third-party software can come to the rescue. We recommend Tenorshare ReiBoot as the perfect tool to get your iPhone out of the “Attempting Data Recovery” error loop.
It might look quite intimidating at first, but ReiBoot is incredibly easy to use. Here’s what you need to do:
- Download
and install the software on your computer. - Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch ReiBoot.
- Now click on the ‘Start’ or ‘Enter Recovery Mode’ option.
- On the following page, click ‘Fix Now’ and then ‘Standard Repair’.
- The software should detect your iPhone now.
- If not, you can enter recovery mode manually by following the on-screen instructions for different devices.
- Wait for the software to detect your latest firmware version. Once detected, click ‘Download’ and wait for the process to finish.
- Finally, hit ‘Start Repair’ to begin the process, and the iPhone stuck in ‘Attempting Data Recovery’ should soon restore back to normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have further queries regarding iPhones getting stuck on the Attempting Data Recovery screen, you might find the below questions and answers helpful.
No. This issue may seem to be more common among particular iOS releases, like iOS 16 and its various versions. However, it can occur in any older or newer iOS version as well. It often results from system file corruption rather than being limited to any particular iOS version.
Will I lose my iPhone data if Attempting Data Recovery fails?
While the error itself won’t wipe out any of your data, data loss can still happen if the recovery process fails or gets interrupted. However, if you have your data backed up via iCloud or iTunes, you should be able to restore them back easily by simply logging in or using your computer.
Can I recover my Messenger messages after attempting data recovery on my iPhone?
The Messenger app itself is responsible for its messages, not your iPhone data. If you lose your Messenger data during recovery, simply sign back in and they will appear again. Likewise, you cannot recover deleted Messenger messages on your iPhone if you’ve deleted them yourself.
Can I recover my saved passwords after attempting data recovery on my iPhone?
Yes, you can. If the Attempting Data Recovery error wipes out your data, you can easily get them back by restoring a saved backup from iCloud or your computer.
So, to recover saved passwords on your iPhone, all you have to do is restore it using a previously made iTunes or iCloud backup.
Conclusion
Getting stuck on the ‘Attempting Data Recovery’ screen on an iPhone is more common than one might imagine. Fortunately, for most users, this problem can be easily resolved without any complications.
And remember, while it’s unlikely you’ll lose any data due to the error, things can go wrong if the recovery process fails or gets interrupted. So, to prevent potential data loss, always make sure you have your important data backed up.
Hope this article has proven helpful in getting your iPhone out of the ‘Attempting Data Recovery’ loop. But if none of the above steps worked for you, we strongly suggest that you contact official Apple Support for help.