iPhone X stuck on restore loop

[mdwsta4]

decided to activate my iPhone X last night. Started by placing my iPhone 7 next to the X as prompted and then tried to restore from backup. Unfortunately the iPhone 7 firmware was higher than the X.

No problem I thought, I’ll just update the firmware. I did that, but keep getting an error message stating the iPhone cannot be updated then the iPhone cannot be found. Restarted my computer and tried to restart the phone as well as put into DFU mode.

So far, no dice. I cannot get the phone to update firmware or get out of the restore loop. So now I have a useless phone.

What am I missing and what can I do to fix this?

 

[tekchic]

I'm struggling with something similar as well, but not stuck in a loop. I had to give up and say "set up as new iPhone" just so I could get to the damn screen to update to 11.1. I was on 11.0.3 on iPhone 7+ and the X has 11.0.1 installed.

I'm hoping once both are on 11.1 (they're installing now) and I take *another* backup of my 7+, then maybe I can restore. Wasn't looking forward to spending the day doing this and potentially losing all the game saves, texts, and health/Watch data from my old iPhone. My X managed to get activated in the process, so my 7+ no longer has cell service haha.

I'm not sure how to get the phone into DFU mode on the X -- is it possible to do something similar and just set up as new iPhone? I guess if the restore loop is stuck, probably not -- but I managed to be able to back out of the screen and just give up and say "Set up as new" (I was on the screen that said "Connected to iTunes").

Good luck - it might have to be an Apple Store visit for you if it's stuck in restore/boot loop. SO frustrating when our pricey new toys don't work smoothly out of the gate. 🙁

 

[sjperformance]

This happened to me Friday when I received my X. All 3 computers in my office was giving me same error. I was stuck in DFU mode. I even had scheduled an appt for genius bar for that Sunday. Once I got home...I used my GF's 5 year old dell laptop. I updated iTunes/downloaded iOS 11.1. No luck! I was no way first time ever getting a new iPhone on release and its bricked. So what I did was force restart many times. Like 5-6 times a row. Tried it one final time. Went upstairs to shower. Came back and bamm! Phone had updated. Apple logo. No more DFU mode. Then I backed up from the back up I had on my i7. Phone has been working just fine. My suggestion...try a different computer and force restart it many times.

 

[tekchic]

Mine's FINALLY restoring from backup. Here are the steps I had to take:

1) Update old phone to 11.1
2) Set up X as "new phone" and sync to iTunes just so I could get into the darn thing
3) Update X to 11.1
4) When updates are done, back up (again) the old phone to iTunes
5) Connect the X to iTunes and select "Restore backup"
6) Hold breath, turn around 3 times, maybe swear a little.

This was more annoying than last year, but I think it's because Apple iterated a bit quickly on iOS versions this time and I was out of sync - 11, 11.0.1, 11.0.3, 11.1... X was still on 11.0.1 and my 7+ was on 11.0.3.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Mine's FINALLY restoring from backup. Here are the steps I had to take:

1) Update old phone to 11.1
2) Set up X as "new phone" and sync to iTunes just so I could get into the darn thing
3) Update X to 11.1
4) When updates are done, back up (again) the old phone to iTunes
5) Connect the X to iTunes and select "Restore backup"
6) Hold breath, turn around 3 times, maybe swear a little.

This was more annoying than last year, but I think it's because Apple iterated a bit quickly on iOS versions this time and I was out of sync - 11, 11.0.1, 11.0.3, 11.1... X was still on 11.0.1 and my 7+ was on 11.0.3.

Those don't really matter, only .1's will matter if different. But they changed it now where it is part of the starting up the new phone. My 7+ was on 11.1, X on 11.01, but updating it to 11.1 was part of the setup process for me. Works great. Sorry to hear yours didn't, glad it is working now though.

 

[sjperformance]

My i7 was on 11.2 (beta). So had to downgrade to 11.1 then create back up. Last year we didn't have this issue going from 6S to i7.

 

[nasa25]

My i7 was on 11.2 (beta). So had to downgrade to 11.1 then create back up. Last year we didn't have this issue going from 6S to i7.

I'm happy that I had to work on Friday so by the time I was able to setup my X, apple had already pushed the X ready 11.2 beta. Sucks for those users that setup on Friday morning.

 

[Mad4clay]

I'm in the same car sort of as well. My 7 is beta 11.2 as well as my final backup. The X would only go to 11.1. So I had to set up as a new phone and do a restore from an older backup to allow it to upgrade to the 11.2. So now when I get home my plan is to do a reset and then restore from my 11.2 back up from 11/6 am. I don't want to loose stuff from 11/3-11/6. Hoping this works. So far loving the phone though.

 

[tekchic]

Those don't really matter, only .1's will matter if different. But they changed it now where it is part of the starting up the new phone. My 7+ was on 11.1, X on 11.01, but updating it to 11.1 was part of the setup process for me. Works great. Sorry to hear yours didn't, glad it is working now though.

Aah good to know. It definitely didn't work until I got both up to 11.1 however. Not sure why the 11.0.1 / 11.0.3 wouldn't work prior to that. Here I was holding off updating to 11.1 on my 7+ because I didn't want to run into this issue - sounds like it would've gone smoother had I just updated. 🙂

 

[mdwsta4]

I'll try using my GF's MBA in hopes that will work. I can't get to the 'set up as new' or 'restore from backup' option anymore on my MBP. Just sits with the stupid 'connect to itunes' image on the phone and the update error on the computer.

IP7 was on 11.1; not beta. Original IPX firmware was 11.0.1 iirc

 

[shareef777]

I'll try using my GF's MBA in hopes that will work. I can't get to the 'set up as new' or 'restore from backup' option anymore on my MBP. Just sits with the stupid 'connect to itunes' image on the phone and the update error on the computer.

IP7 was on 11.1; not beta. Original IPX firmware was 11.0.1 iirc

Did you check that your firewall is disabled? I only mention it as I was having issues updating my iPhone via factory restore to 11.1. Would go through all the steps and then prompt that it could not be restored once it got half way. Once I disabled the firewall it was all good.

 

[bored2426]

I'll try using my GF's MBA in hopes that will work. I can't get to the 'set up as new' or 'restore from backup' option anymore on my MBP. Just sits with the stupid 'connect to itunes' image on the phone and the update error on the computer.

IP7 was on 11.1; not beta. Original IPX firmware was 11.0.1 iirc

This may be a stupid suggestion, but are you using the apple supplied lightning cable? I had the exact same issue setting up my X on Friday - I switched to the apple supplied cable and it worked. Worth a shot...

 

[mdwsta4]

I have not, but have had zero problems updating any other device recently.

Did you check that your firewall is disabled? I only mention it as I was having issues updating my iPhone via factory restore to 11.1. Would go through all the steps and then prompt that it could not be restored once it got half way. Once I disabled the firewall it was all good.

I am not. I have a touch bar MBP so I have a usb-c to lightning connector which Apple still doesn’t ship with new f-ing phones. Suppose I can try using the supplied cable with an adapter, but have had no problems with any other device using the usbc since I bought it last year.

This may be a stupid suggestion, but are you using the apple supplied lightning cable? I had the exact same issue setting up my X on Friday - I switched to the apple supplied cable and it worked. Worth a shot...

 

[mdwsta4]

To follow up, I tried the same process on my gf’s MBA and also received an error message. Went through the process two more times on her machine and it finally worked. Was then able to restore from backup on my machine so now I’m up and running.

Thank you for the help!