iOS 27: Access the New iPhone Recovery Screen

[MacRumors]

Since iOS 26, a malfunctioning iPhone has been able to boot itself into Recovery Assistant, with no Mac or PC required. However, you could only get there if your device failed to start up and dropped into recovery on its own.

In iOS 27, currently in beta, Apple has removed that limitation, and you can now manually boot into a Mac-style recovery screen whenever you like.

The new recovery mode lets you troubleshoot, update, or erase your device without necessarily plugging it into anything. It can connect automatically to a known Wi-Fi network, and it shows your battery percentage in the corner of the screen. Here's how to access it.

How to Boot Into Recovery Mode

Accessing the recovery mode is similar to the equivalent mode on Apple silicon Macs, and it works the same way on iPads running iPadOS 27.

1. Turn off your iPhone, then wait about a minute to ensure it has fully shut down.
2. Press and hold the Side button. The Apple logo will appear as it normally does during startup – continue holding the button and you'll see "Continue holding for recovery...".
3. Release the button when "Loading recovery options..." appears.

Your iPhone will then boot into the new recovery screen instead of loading iOS.

What the Recovery Options Do

The recovery screen offers five options:

• Recovery Assistant: Automatically scans for software issues and attempts to fix them without requiring further input.
• Software Update: Installs the latest version of iOS available for your device, which can help if a failed update has left your iPhone stuck in a boot loop.
• Diagnostics Mode: Runs diagnostics to check for hardware and software issues, and can recommend repairs if needed.
• Erase All Content and Settings: Completely wipes your iPhone, just like the equivalent option in the Settings app.
• Recovery Mode: Puts your iPhone into the traditional recovery mode for restoring it with a Mac or PC, without requiring the usual button-press sequence.

On newer iPhone models, there's also a sixth hidden option. While on the recovery screen, if you press and hold the Side button again, a popup menu will appear showing the option Nearby Device Recovery. This lets you restore your iPhone using another Apple device close by, similar to an existing recovery feature that debuted on iPhone 16 models.

Exiting the Recovery Screen

To leave recovery mode, tap the power button in the top-right corner of the screen and confirm that you want to restart. Alternatively, press and hold the physical Side button and choose Restart or Shut Down.

You shouldn't need the new recovery screen often, but it's worth knowing the button sequence now in case a beta goes wrong or a failed update bricks your iPhone. iOS 27 is currently in public beta, so you can download and try it out now before it's released in the fall.

Article Link: iOS 27: Access the New iPhone Recovery Screen

 

[ELman]

"Erase All Content and Settings" Is this still an option if the device is managed using MDM?

 

[litmag01]

Move over sliced bread! This is kind of one of those things that should have been available since the Phone launch. Ok at least since they moved to their own chips.

Apple has really done well to work itself into the ARM architecture, and pave the way to a unified style of OS across all devices.

 

[boswald]

This will be great for techs and novices alike. I agree with another poster - this should've been there a long time ago. But as they say, "better late than never!"

 

[cogitodexter]

I hope the 'erase content and settings' is protected behind biometric authentication - otherwise that's going to be rather useful for thieves.

 

[jdavid_rp]

I hope the 'erase content and settings' is protected behind biometric authentication - otherwise that's going to be rather useful for thieves.

They can always restore an iPhone with a computer so what would be different?

 

[pigeonguy]

I hope the 'erase content and settings' is protected behind biometric authentication - otherwise that's going to be rather useful for thieves.

It doesn’t disable activation lock, so it doesn’t matter.

 

[Mike Boreham]

It doesn’t disable activation lock, so it doesn’t matter.

Are you saying the EACAS in Recovery is different from the normal EACAS, which does require signing out and disables the activation lock?

 

[svish]

Good to have this option and ability to use a nearby device to recover will be very useful, if required.

 

[JosephAW]

Too bad DFU mode wasn’t easier to get into, always have to try like 20 times. 🙄📱

 

[CarAnalogy]

It doesn’t disable activation lock, so it doesn’t matter.

Thank you, good point. I too was concerned about this.

Still a rough prank/mean thing to do to someone.

But as they say, physical access is total access.

 

[hybrid_x]

“Phone thieves are going to love this one new feature…”

Hopefully Apple will make authentication necessary to shut off the phone. Otherwise, this is going to be a disaster.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

This seems closer now to the recovery options long available on Mac laptops and desktops.

 

[isomorphic]

The software-update-to-latest-iOS feature is great! For example, if you're trying to restore a backup made on a newer iOS to a device with an older iOS (that supports the newer one), this will let you save a lengthy step. I seem to encounter this every year when I backup an old phone and try to restore to a new out-of-box next-gen phone that's a minor point release behind (due to the factory loading software now out-of-date).

 

[Sezel]

Are you saying the EACAS in Recovery is different from the normal EACAS, which does require signing out and disables the activation lock?

I think it will just format the iPhone with activation lock intact.

But still thieves will be at an advantage because they can immediately erase stolen iPhone with this method so that any esim stored is wiped and it won't be traceable at the critical time.

Also all data that was getting backed up using cellular internet will also be gone.

There should be some settings like stolen device protection to enable or it should be accessible if the device detects that it is unable to start normally after a beta OS update.