With the launch of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X last year, Apple made some changes to the way a forced restart is performed and also to the way the devices are put into DFU mode. These changes remain in place for Apple's latest iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR devices.

iphone xs lightning
A forced restart can be used if an iPhone is freezing, throwing up errors, or has stopped responding completely. DFU mode (standing for Device Firmware Update) on the other hand restores an iPhone if a restart or standard Recovery Mode doesn't solve the problem you're experiencing.

  • How to Enter DFU Mode on iPhone 6s and iPhone 7

DFU mode lets the device interface with iTunes, update the firmware, and restore the OS without automatically installing the last downloaded version. It's useful for installing older versions of iOS if a beta persistently hangs your phone, or if a jailbreak goes bad.

How to Enable DFU Mode

Before following the steps below, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.

  1. Turn on your iPhone if it isn't already.
  2. Connect it to your computer using a Lightning to USB cable.
  3. Launch iTunes on your computer, and check that your iPhone appears in the list of devices.
  4. On your iPhone, press the Volume Up button immediately followed by the Volume Down button.
  5. Next, press and hold the Side button (or power button) until your iPhone's screen turns black.
  6. Release the Side button and then hold down both the Side button and Volume Down button together for approximately five seconds.
  7. Now release the Side button, but continue to press the Volume Down button.
  8. Wait for at least five seconds for iTunes to recognize DFU recovery mode has been enabled.

You should see a message dialog saying "iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode. You must restore this iPhone before it can be used with iTunes". If you don't see the message, repeat the steps above.

Once you've closed the iTunes recovery prompt you can go ahead and restore your iPhone back to factory settings by selecting Restore iPhone on the iPhone Recovery Mode screen. Once restored, your iPhone will automatically exit out of DFU mode and boot up to its activation screen.

How to Exit DFU Mode

If you enabled DFU mode and want to manually exit out of it, here's how it's done.

  1. Press the Volume Up button on your iPhone and quickly release it.
  2. Press the Volume Down button and release it.
  3. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears on your iPhone's screen.

Your iPhone should now have exited DFU recovery mode.

Related Stories

Best Thanksgiving Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, AirPods Pro, MacBook Pro, More

We're one day away from Black Friday 2021, with many sales already in full swing and just as many ready to kick off tomorrow. In this article we're providing a quick summary of all the best sales we've seen so far this season, and the highlights to keep your eye on come Friday. For more on the best sales happening this week, visit our Black Friday Roundup. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate...

Apple Delays iOS 15 Feature for Adding Your Driver's License to Your iPhone Until Early 2022

Tuesday November 23, 2021 9:35 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple recently updated its website to indicate that an upcoming iOS 15 and watchOS 8 feature that will let you add your driver's license or state ID to your iPhone and Apple Watch in participating U.S. states has been delayed until early 2022. Apple previously said the feature would launch in late 2021. In September, Apple said Arizona and Georgia would be among the first states to introduce ...

Black Friday: AirPods Pro With MagSafe Drop to $159 on Amazon

Amazon is now matching Walmart's price on the AirPods Pro with MagSafe, available for $159.00, down from $249.00. These are shipped and sold directly from Amazon, and in stock now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Stock may begin dwindling soon, ...

Black Friday: AirPods Pro With MagSafe Hit Lowest Ever Price

Apple's AirPods Pro with the new MagSafe Charging Case is now available for its lowest ever price thanks to Black Friday sales. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. The limited-time deal is available at both Amazon and Walmart, which are both...

There's No Windows for Arm Macs Yet Because Microsoft Has Secret Exclusivity Deal With Qualcomm

Monday November 22, 2021 12:56 pm PST by Juli Clover

Microsoft has declined to make a version of Windows 11 available for Apple's M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max Macs that are built on an Arm architecture, and now we may know the reason - a secret exclusivity deal with Qualcomm. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. According to XDA-Developers, Arm-based Windows has only been made available on devices with Qualcomm SoC's because of ...

Apple Black Friday: AirPods Pro With MagSafe Drop to All-Time Low of $159 ($90 Off)

Update November 23: This deal is now also available at Amazon. Black Friday is officially in full swing this afternoon, with the launch of one of the first major discounts at Walmart. There you can get Apple's AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case for just $159.00, down from $249.00. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...

HomeKit Accessories Worth Checking Out

Tuesday November 23, 2021 7:06 am PST by Juli Clover

Every so often, MacRumors videographer Dan rounds up some of his favorite home products that he's been using. We have another installment of our HomeKit series, this time featuring devices from Lutron, Belkin, Sonos, and more. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. You can see everything in action in the video, and we have links and a short description for the HomeKit...

Spotify Users Growing Impatient and Canceling Subscriptions Over Lack of Native HomePod Support

Monday November 22, 2021 10:39 am PST by Sami Fathi

Spotify users are growing impatient with the music streaming giant over its lack of HomePod support, pushing several customers to the brink of canceling their subscriptions entirely and moving to alternative platforms, such as Apple Music. More than a year ago, at the 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced that it would be adding third-party music service support to HomePod. A ...