Using a Computer to Restore a Disabled iPhone or iPad Backup
Using Finder on a Mac is one of the simplest ways to repair a damaged item (or iTunes on a Windows PC). If you routinely use your iPhone or iPad with a computer, you may have a backup on file and be able to quickly restore your device and get it back up and running.
Simply connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer via USB cable to recover your device. Then open Finder or iTunes and look in the sidebar or upper left-hand corner for your device. To restore a backup, go to Summary > Restore Backup.
Note: Some users will be automatically asked to restore after plugging in a disabled device. Some users will also only see a Restore iPhone or Restore iPad option if they don’t have a backup on file.
If you don’t have a backup on file on your computer, there are other places you might have a backup, like on iCloud. However, you will need to restore your device first before you can restore the backup.
Using iCloud to restore a disabled iPhone or iPad.
There are ways to delete your iPhone without needing to connect it in if you don’t have access to a computer. This method is also suitable for those who do not have any backups and simply wish to reset their phone.
You can log in to iCloud and wipe your iPhone or iPad there if you use it. To access your account, go to icloud.com/find and log in. Select Erase iPhone from the Find My iPhone page.
You can use your iPhone or iPad right away after this is done, but you’ll need to restore a backup to get all of your data restored. Because iCloud is so widely used, your contacts and photographs will be restored automatically. Your smartphone will take care of the rest after you sign in to your iCloud account again.
After that, your gadget will be ready to use once more.
When you set up your device and log in with your Apple ID, you’ll see an option to restore from an iCloud backup if you have one saved. This restores your iPhone or iPad to the state it was in when the backup was created.
Using Recovery Mode to Restore an iPad or iPhone
If you don’t back up your smartphone using a computer or iCloud, you’ll have to put it into Recovery Mode to use it again. This should be the last option because it will completely wipe your iPhone and you won’t be able to recover anything.
Recovery Mode is a method of wiping your iPhone and starting afresh. This will necessitate the use of a computer.
To begin, connect your device to your computer via USB cable and launch Finder or iTunes on your PC. After that, there are three ways to force your device into Recovery Mode, depending on your device.
If your iPhone or iPad has a Home button, press and hold both the power and the Home buttons at the same time. Keep your fingers on the buttons. Your smartphone will turn off or on, you will see the Apple logo, and your device will finally enter Recovery Mode. When this happens, your device will display a computer icon, which you can release.
If you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold the power button as well as both volume buttons simultaneously. Keep holding these buttons until you see the Apple logo, and your smartphone will enter Recovery Mode. A computer icon will appear on the screen, indicating that the device is in Recovery Mode, at which time you can release go.
To access Recovery Mode on any other device (including iPads), hit the volume up button, then the volume down button, and then hold the Side or Top button until the device enters Recovery Mode. When the logo displays, remember to keep pressing the button. A computer icon will appear, same as it did on previous versions, indicating that your device is in recovery mode. You can relax once this occurs.
Please keep in mind that this will only work if the gadget is plugged in. A notification stating a device has been detected but cannot be identified may also be received by some users. If this happens, keep holding the button down until it enters Recovery Mode.
Your device will appear on your computer once it is in Recovery Mode, and you will receive a notification stating that there is an issue with the device and that it has to be upgraded or restored.
When this appears, hit Restore and your device will be wiped. It may take a long time for it to restore (sometimes a few hours), but once it is done, your device will be ready to use again.