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Restoring iPhone information from a backup in iTunes. How to restore an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch from a backup using iTunes or iCloud

iPhone owners have to deal with the situation of restoring a backup. You can save music, movies, books, TV shows, contacts, programs, photos, and so on. In a word, almost all the information that your iPhone stores. Most data is backed up to iCloud and iTunes. This article will discuss how to restore an iPhone backup. But some may not even know how to create it. Therefore, we will talk about both creating and restoring an iCloud and iTunes backup.

Backup to iCloud

In order to create a backup, you need to go to “Settings / iCloud / Copy to iCloud (enable)”. And that’s it, after the backup function is enabled, it will happen every day, but only under the following conditions:

  • There is an Internet connection via Wi-Fi
  • Screen is locked
  • Is on charge, that is, there is a connection to a power source

You can create a backup manually. To do this, you will need to connect your device to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Next, you need to go to “Settings / iCloud / Storage & Backups”, then select “Create a copy”. Please note that iCloud only works with devices starting with iOS 5.

Restore from iCloud backup

In order to restore an iPhone from an iCloud backup, you need to do the following:

  • After you start working with your new iOS 5 device, an assistant appears.
  • You should select "Recover from iCloud Backup" and then enter your iCloud account name and password.
  • In the list that appears, from the 3 latest backups, you must select the one that will be restored.
  • The previous settings will be restored immediately after the system is restarted. Your files will begin downloading. To find out if the recovery is complete, go to “Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backups.”

Backup to iTunes

You can back up devices in iTunes in 2 cases. Firstly, during synchronization with iTunes. It should be remembered that the function is disabled if the backup is in iCloud. Secondly, by clicking either the right mouse button or the left mouse button with the Control key on the very name of the iOS device in iTunes, and then selecting the “Create a backup copy” item.

If you need to create a manual backup for your iPhone or other iOS device, you can do it as follows:

  • Connect the device to the computer. Please remember that you must have the latest version of iTunes.
  • Go to the “Devices” tab and select the desired device.
  • Next, you should either right-click or left-click with the Control key on the device name itself and select “Create a backup copy.”

Restoring from a backup in iTunes

Now we come to the question of how to restore from an iTunes backup. To restore information, you need to connect the device to a personal computer. It should be noted that the connection is required exactly to the PC on which this iPhone or other iOS device is usually synchronized, after which the following steps are performed:

  • Connect iPhone to PC and launch iTunes
  • In the sidebar, right-click on the iPhone and click “Restore from backup.”
  • In the list that opens, select the required backup copy.
  • Click "Restore".

For the information of users of jailbroken devices, it can be said that during the process of restoring calendars, SMS, notes, contacts and settings on the iPhone, the device’s firmware is not affected, much less the iPhone’s factory settings are not returned. Therefore, they can use the restore function from an iTunes backup with peace of mind.

So we finished the conversation about restoring from an iPhone backup. Remember that regularly creating backups reduces the likelihood of data loss and helps restore information in the event of loss of your iPhone. This will allow you to avoid problems with data loss. We wish you good luck!

Users are reporting that their iPhone8/X is unable to restore from the latest backup due to various reasons. In this article, we have listed the reasons and corresponding solutions when you were unable to restore your iTunes or iCloud backup.

Part 1: Fix iTunes couldn't restore iPhone

When you have problems with iPhone not restoring from iTunes backup, you can find helpful tips below.

iTunes backup is corrupted or incompatible

When you are in this situation, deleting corrupted backup files is a good way to fix the iPhone cannot restore backup error.

1. Firstly, you should find backups of your iPhone8.

On PC with Windows 7,8 and 10:

To find a list of backups, select \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

You can also do the following:
Find the search string:

In Windows 7, click the Start button.
In Windows 8, click the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
On Windows 10, go to the search bar next to the Start button.

Type %appdata% in the search bar and press Enter, then click these folders: Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup.

On Mac:

Step 1: Click on search in the menu bar.
Step 2: Type or copy and paste the following text: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Step 3: Press Enter.

To find a specific backup, follow these steps:

Open iTunes. From the menu bar, click iTunes and select Preferences.
Select "Devices".

Control-click the backup you want and choose Show in Finder.

2. Copy your iOS backups to another location, such as your desktop or external drive.

3. Open iTunes on your computer and select "Devices".


4. Select all backup files and click "Delete Backup".

5. Copy all previous backup files back to the Backup folder.

6. Try restoring iTunes again.

If this doesn't help, you may want to consider deleting all backups and creating a new backup if the new iPhone doesn't see the iTunes backup.

Error when restoring a backup

If the message says unknown error, you cannot restore iPhone 8 from iTunes backup, you can turn to free Tenorshare TunesCare. Instead of trying possible solutions every time, it offers a definitive solution to fix various iTunes sync/backup/restore errors.


iPhone is disabled or not recognized by iTunes

Make sure the new version of iTunes is up to date.
Check the USB cable and connections.
Restart your computer and iPhone 8.
Put your iPhone into recovery mode with free Tenorshare ReiBoot to be detected.

Backup password is incorrect

If you enabled an encrypted backup and accidentally forgot the backup password, there is no way to restore the iTunes backup to your iPhone 8 unless you remove the password using third-party software like Tenorshare iBackupUnlocker. Learn more about how to remove iPhone backup password.

Part 2: New iPhone 8/8 Plus cannot restore data from iCloud backup

In another situation, if you are using iCloud backup and cannot restore iPhone from iCloud iOS 11, things are different. Most iCloud backup errors are caused by:

Not enough space on iPhone 8

If the previous backup file is large enough, you may be prompted to indicate that there is not enough space to restore from your iCloud backup. In this case, it is suggested to clear some space on your iOS device. Tenorshare iCareFone is a good tool to recover limited storage space.

iCloud recovery takes too long to complete

The problem of iPhone not finishing restoring from iCloud backup is mainly caused by slow network connection as well as large file size. Make sure your device is connected to a reliable and stable Wi-Fi network, then wait patiently.

Or you can try the iTunes backup alternative - UltData. Supporting both iTunes and iCloud backups, UltData processes recover with incredible speed. You just need to sign in to your Apple ID account and select the file to back up.


Some items cannot be recovered or iCloud recovery is incomplete

When your backups contain purchases made from more than one Apple ID, you will be prompted to send a message requiring you to sign your Apple ID, otherwise the iPhone cannot be restored from the backup. Click "Skip this step" and sign in later.

Hope these suggestions work for you. Share it if this article helps in resolving your iPhone 8/8 Plus/X will not be restored from iTunes/iCloud backup.

The safety of working with various information and the ability to create backup copies are one of the priorities for Apple developers, so they endowed all their devices with this ability. This option is useful not only when updating your smartphone or downgrading from a new version of iOS, but also when completely resetting information, transferring copies from one iPhone to another, clearing unnecessary files, etc. The modern user is nowhere without backups!

There are several official ways to restore so-called “backups”, both using the iCloud service and through the iTunes program. There are also unofficial methods that consider working with the iTools program. We'll look at them all!

The method involves restoring a backup copy of data directly from the iCloud cloud, which serves as the main service for creating copies when working with iPhones.

The system periodically saves important information not only from the operating system, but also from all applications and user data. Thus, if this item was initially activated and the information was constantly updated, you can restore the backup from there.

Please note that initially the user is allocated only 5 GB of disk space, which is provided free of charge. If there is more data, you will have to pay an additional tariff of 59 rubles per month or reduce the amount of information for backups and synchronization with the cloud.

And so, about the process of recovery from Aiklud itself. It is only possible through the setup assistant. This service is only available when you initially set up your phone, for example when you first purchased it or downgraded it. If you decided to restore via the cloud, you will have to rollback.

  1. Initially, you need to check the date of the last synchronization with iCloud, make sure that there is a backup, and check whether all the important data from the applications is saved or not. To do this, go to “Settings”, then to “iCloud”, and click on “Storage and copies”. Scroll to the end of the list and see when the last copy was created.
  2. Let's assume that everything is in order and the copies are saved. In this case, go to “Settings”, then to “General” and click on “Reset”. Now you need to click the “Erase content and settings” tab.
  3. The system will ask you to enter a password, if one is set. Confirm your password and confirm the deletion operation again. Please note that all user information will be completely deleted and the phone will be reset to factory settings.
  4. The screen will display the full progress of the procedure. Once the process is complete, the phone will reboot and the iPhone Setup Assistant will appear. Here you need to select the “Recover from iCloud copy” option. Click on this item and specify the Apple ID and password for it.

    5. It is important to know! You need to indicate exactly the Apple ID to which your iCloud with stored copies is linked. If there is no access to this account, then recovery from the cloud will not be possible.

  5. And so, you have provided your account information. The system will ask you to agree to the provisions, we accept them. We come up with a new password, if we previously had one, or indicate the same one. Once the setup process is completed successfully, the system will automatically begin rebooting. This will connect the phone to a cellular network or wireless connection to download all copies from the cloud service.
  6. When the phone turns on, it will already have all the data saved previously. These are all applications, photos, messages and other user information. Please note that the time of this procedure largely depends on the amount of stored information and the speed of the Internet connection.

What should I do if I don’t have a phone with an iCloud backup?

Even if you don’t have your phone, but the option to save backups to a cloud service has been activated, you just need to enter your username and password on another device to get all the backups there.

This procedure is actively used by people around the world when, for example, they lose their phones or buy a new iPhone model. Bottom line - all you need is an Apple account and that’s it!

This method requires a little more action from the user, but at the same time it is much more popular and convenient, since it provides the ability to save backups both to the local drive of your computer and to the cloud.

Please note that even here, restoring a copy from the cloud implies resetting the settings, so we will already consider an example of working with iTunes and restoring through local copies.

Preparatory work

  1. To operate, you will need the device itself, the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer, and a USB cable for connection.
  2. Before connecting your iPhone to your PC, make sure that the “Find iPhone” option is disabled, because iTunes will not allow you to restore the backup if the option is activated. To do this, go to “Settings” on your device and select “iCloud”, find the “Find My iPhone” tab there and disable it.

Recovery process

  1. Connect your iPhone via a USB cable and open iTunes on your computer.
  2. As soon as the system recognizes the new device, in the program, click on the phone icon at the top of the window.
  3. Now you need to click on the “Restore from a copy” tab.
  4. Select from the list the backup that you want to restore to your device and confirm the operation. In this case, the program will automatically show the most recent copy.
  5. During the entire procedure, the phone may reboot, and as soon as the recovery process is completed, an assistant will appear on the iPhone screen.

As a result of this operation, all the data that was saved in the backup will be received, including all user data, messages and other important information from applications.

For quick recovery and management of backups, there is another program that is not officially related to Apple. This is software from third-party developers, but at the same time it provides a much more extensive list of options and capabilities for its users.

Using iTools, you can manage backups, view individual folders and subfolders, data, the file system, move copies from one device to another, divide data by type, manage your device and its individual options, and many other equally important functions.

  1. To restore your smartphone, you need to download the iTools program from the official website and install it on your computer.
  2. Next, connect your iPhone to your PC using a USB cable and open the application.
  3. Select "Device" and go to the section called "Toolbox".
  4. Next, in the “Data Manager” block, you need to find the “Super Restore” tab.
  5. Here you select the backup you want to restore from the list, mark it and confirm the operation. For each copy, you can view the volume and date of creation.
  6. At this stage, you can mark the type of data that needs to be recovered. If you need all the information, then mark everything.
  7. Click the “Restoring” tab and wait for the procedure to complete. The system will display a progress bar next to each item in percentage.
  8. Once the entire restoration procedure is completed, you need to click on the “Restore Complete” tab and disconnect the device.

We described the menu items in a foreign language, since the iTools program is initially distributed with an English-language interface. But, for example, on the site itools.ru you can download it with a Russian translation, which is supported by a group of enthusiasts. Some menu items may not be translated entirely correctly, but in general, working with the application will be much more convenient if you are not at all familiar with English.

How to recover iPhone data without backup?

Even if you didn’t create any backups or use a cloud service, you can always restore important information from your iPhone using a specialized tool.

We are talking about the Mac FoneLab program, which will allow users to recover any information. Can be installed on both Windows and Mac OS. Only it’s paid, so you’ll have to fork out more. The cost is $90, but sometimes there are discounts. At the time of writing, the cost was $53!

This is an excellent tool with which you can revive your device, for example, after an unsuccessful attempt to flash or update.

What is stored in backups?

We have repeatedly advised you to regularly back up data from your device in order to restore it at any time, and to once again show how important and effective this is. Let's list the main types of information that is stored in backups.

You must understand that the information that is present on the device by default is saved, that is, cloud services are not included here, but they will be automatically connected after recovery.

And so, this is what the system will save in backups:

  • All messages, including those from iMessage.
  • Complete information from every application and games.
  • Custom smartphone settings.
  • Video and photographic materials.
  • The complete order of all tiles on the smartphone screen.
  • Information about all your iTunes and Apple Store purchases.

Conclusion

As you can see, the process of restoring from a backup is quite simple, both from a cloud service and from a local file.

To use iCloud space more productively, we recommend storing only application data, notes, contact information there, and regularly copying all photos and videos to your computer, creating backup copies or dumping multimedia files separately onto disk. In this case, you will not have to purchase additional space in the cloud service and will always have extra space to save all your important files.

Users store a huge amount of information on their iPhones, the loss of which is highly undesirable. Therefore, backup is an operation that should become a habit. Knowing how to restore an iPhone from a backup can help you quickly get your lost data back, no matter what caused it to be deleted. Let's look at two methods of returning data so that you understand which method will be more convenient for you to use.

Recovery methods

When returning information from a backup, the firmware is not affected, the system version is not updated, and the settings are not rolled back or changed. You can return lost data back to your phone memory in two ways:

  • Via iTunes.
  • Via iCloud storage.

The choice of method depends on how the information was backed up. If you saved a copy via iCloud, then you need to return the data to the iPhone from cloud storage; made a copy on your computer - you will have to connect your smartphone to your PC and synchronize the devices.

Restore to iTunes

If you connect your iPhone to your computer, then you probably have iTunes installed, which provides, among other functions, the ability to save backup copies and return information from a backup file. Copies in iTunes are created automatically, but you can save the data manually if the need arises.

Connect your iPhone to your PC and go to iTunes. Go to the main page of the device and check the "Backups" section. Look for the “Automatically create copies” option - if “This PC” is selected, you can restore information from your hard drive through iTunes. If the “iCloud” value is selected, then the data will have to be returned from cloud storage - this is discussed in detail below.

Let's consider the procedure for restoring information from a copy that was stored on the hard drive. The phone is already connected to the PC. What to do next:


Wait until the information is copied to the iPhone’s memory. After the restoration is complete, you need to reconfigure geolocation, iCloud and other Apple services. The information was returned to the phone without loss, you can continue to use it.

The main thing is not to forget to make backup copies, then no difficulties such as loss of important messages and contacts will arise.

Recovery via iCloud

If you did not connect your iPhone to a PC via a USB interface, but saved a copy on the device itself, sending personal data directly to iCloud, then you can return the lost information through the setup assistant, which appears after resetting your mobile device. Resetting settings and content erases all information from the phone, so before performing it, make sure that a backup has been created and stored in iCloud.

The main advantage of iCloud backup is the ability to customize its content. In order not to take up extra storage space, you can refuse to save some information. For example, do not send messages to the “cloud” that do not contain anything informative.

If the creation of backups was enabled in the iCloud settings, the device should have automatically copied information to cloud storage. However, sending data to iCloud requires that several conditions be met:

If you did not comply with these conditions, then the very fact of enabling backup in iCloud settings will not lead to the creation of an automatic backup. However, usually users do not have problems with this, so if you are satisfied with the date of the last backup, you can safely erase the content and settings, and then restore the information from the saved copy.

When activating (language, region, establishing a connection to a wireless network), select the “Recover from iCloud” mode. To authorize in iCloud, write your Apple ID password.

Then you need to accept the license agreement, create a lock password, and reconfigure the Touch ID scanner. You will only be prompted to create a lock password if this feature was active on your device before resetting and deleting content.

The standard functionality of bringing Windows back to life in critical situations, if the system has crashed or even does not boot at all, is not particularly popular. Microsoft itself involuntarily contributed to the fact that ordinary users did not find this tool in the jungle of system settings. Even in the version of Windows 10, where important system settings are moved to the Settings application, in the Update & Security section you will only see the option and mode with special boot options, which allows you to restore Windows from a system image, essentially from a backup copy. But the function of creating this very system image must be looked for inside the control panel, preferably under the guidance of step-by-step instructions. This will be given below. In this article, we will look at how to create a backup copy of Windows 10 using its standard functionality and how the system recovery process occurs.

1. Standard Windows 10 backup functionality

Windows 10 inherited the standard backup function from Windows Vista. Like third-party backup programs, a backup created using the built-in functionality is a snapshot of the system with all its settings, boot sector, installed programs and user files stored on the system disk.

All this can be restored from a backup if Windows fails. Even if the system stops booting, you can return it to functionality from the recovery environment, called up by pressing the F8 key when the computer boots. In this environment, you can begin the process of returning the system to its backup state. You can get into the recovery environment for Windows 10 that won’t boot, if not by calling the F8 key, then in two other ways. The Windows 10 recovery environment is included in the system installation disc. For critical cases, you can specially prepare a Windows recovery disk; this is provided by the standard functionality of the system.

In terms of options for calling the recovery environment for non-booting Windows, the standard functionality as a backup tool outperforms third-party backup programs. But this is his only winning moment. In all other respects, the native functionality, alas, is far from perfect.

However, backing up Windows and restoring it using the standard functionality is the basics for those who want to master the potential of the Microsoft operating system.

2. Creating a system image

In Windows itself, the term “backup”, as in third-party backup programs, is not used, but the concept of “system image” is used. For the function of creating this very image, let's go to the control panel. To do this, we will use the context menu on the “Start” button.

In the “System and Security” section of the control panel, we need the “Backup and Restore Windows 7” subsection.

You can directly get to this subsection using a system search.

Click “Create a system image.”

Next will be a window for choosing where to store the image. This could be a non-system disk partition, another hard drive (internal or external), or network resources. It is even possible to store a system image on multiple DVDs. In our case, the partition on the second connected hard drive is selected. This is a good option for choosing a place to store important data, such as a backup copy of the operating system. In the future, Windows will be able to be restored even if the main hard drive on which the system partition is located fails. Click “Next”.

The standard functionality provides not only for copying the system partition with Windows; copies of existing non-system disk partitions can be included in the image. Backing up non-system data using native Windows functionality is not the best way to ensure the safety of this data due to irrational use of disk space. Still, to backup user data, it is better to resort to third-party software. Therefore, in our case, the system image will include a preinstalled configuration - a partition with Windows and space reserved by the system. Click “Next”.

In the confirmation window for archiving parameters, click “Archive”.

When the image creation process is completed, Windows 10 itself will offer to prepare a recovery disk for the future.

You should not refuse this offer if you are dealing with a computer device with a CD/DVD drive. And, of course, if you have an empty CD or DVD available. If serious problems arise with the system, booting from the recovery disk will be easier than pressing the F8 key when booting the computer. The response time of this key is difficult to catch due to the reduced startup time of Windows 10. System version 10 inherited this feature from version 8.

After inserting a blank CD/DVD into the drive, click “Create Disc”.

You can return to the process of creating a Windows recovery disc at any other time. In the control panel window from which we began the process of creating a system image, there is a button “Create a system repair disk.”

Close the system image creation window.

That's it - now the system image will be safely stored until there is no need to resuscitate Windows 10.

If there is a problem with the system, the first thing you will need to do is get to its recovery environment. It is in this environment that you will have the opportunity to apply the newly created image.

3. Paths to Windows Recovery Environment

Working system

If you have problems with Windows 10, but they do not affect its ability to boot, you can get to the recovery environment by using the Settings application. In "Settings" select "Update and Security".

F8 key

If Windows does not boot, you can try to get into the recovery environment using the F8 key mentioned above. The key must be pressed before the Windows logo appears.

Windows 10 installation disc

The recovery environment for your current system is provided as part of its installation disc. Naturally, we are talking about the official installation disk of Windows 10. Installation disks with “homemade” builds of Windows can only be intended for a clean installation of a new system and do not contain functionality for restoring the current system. After booting from a flash drive or DVD with the Windows 10 distribution, go through the welcome window.

Recovery disk

Windows 10 being unable to boot is a case of using the recovery disk mentioned above. We boot from it and press any key to continue booting from the CD/DVD.

Selecting a keyboard layout

4. Windows Recovery

Using any of the methods discussed above, we will get to the action selection menu. In this menu, select the “Diagnostics” section, and in it – “Advanced parameters”.

The next step is “Restore the system image.” This is the standard tool for restoring Windows 10 from a backup.

The system is preparing for the recovery process.

A step-by-step wizard for restoring Windows from a system image will launch. By default, the last image created will be selected. But if the system needs to be restored from an earlier image, you must manually specify the path to it. Click “Next”.

Now click “Finish”.

We confirm the start of the Windows recovery process and wait for it to complete.

After successful completion, reboot the computer.

That's it - Windows 10 will return to the state it was in when the image was created. The system will have the same settings, the same installed programs, the same user files on drive C.

Have a great day!