You left your iPad alone for a while and when you came back, it was stuck in recovery mode. You tried resetting it, but it won’t even connect to your computer. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPad got stuck in recovery mode, how a little-known piece of software may help you save your data, and how to fix the problem for good.
I worked with a lot of customers whose iPads were stuck in recovery mode while I was at Apple. Apple techs love fixing people’s iPads. They don’t love it when that same person walks back into the store two days later, frustrated because the problem we said we fixed came back.
As someone who’s had that experience on more than one occasion, I can say that the solutions you’ll find on Apple’s website or in other articles online may not permanently fix this problem. It’s relatively easy to get an iPad out of recovery mode — for a day or two. It takes a more in-depth solution to fix your iPad for good.
Why Do iPads Get Stuck In Recovery Mode?
There are two possible answers to this question: Software corruption or a hardware problem. If you dropped your iPad in the swimming pool (or it got wet some other way), it’s probably a hardware problem. Most of the time, a serious software problem causes iPads to get stuck in Recovery Mode.
Am I Going To Lose My Data?
I don’t want to sugar-coat this: If you haven’t backed up your iPad to your computer or iCloud, there’s a chance your personal data will be lost. But don’t give up yet: If we can get your iPad out of recovery mode, even for a little while, you may have the opportunity to save your data. A free piece of software called Reiboot can help.
Reiboot is a tool made by a company called Tenorshare that forces iPads into and out of recovery mode. It doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try if you want to rescue your data. There are Mac and Windows versions available on Tenorshare’s website. You don’t have to buy anything to use their software — just look for the Exit Recovery Mode option in Reiboot’s main window.
If you’re able to get your iPad out of recovery mode, open Finder or the Apple Devices app and back it up right away. Reiboot is a band-aid for a serious software problem. Even if it works, I highly recommend you keep reading to make sure the problem doesn’t come back. If you try Reiboot, I’m interested to hear whether it worked for you in the comments section below.
A Second Chance To Save Your Data
iPads stuck in recovery mode won’t always show up on your computer, and if yours doesn’t, skip to the next step. If your computer does recognize your iPad, you’ll see a message that says your iPad needs to be updated or restored.
If Reiboot didn’t work and you don’t have a backup, updating or restoring your iPad with your computer may not delete all your personal data. If your data is still intact after your iPad reboots, use Finder or the Apple Devices app to back your iPad up right away.
The other articles I’ve seen (including Apple’s own support article) stop at this point. In my experience, your computer and Reiboot offer surface-level fixes for a deeper problem. We need our iPads to work all the time. Keep reading to give your iPad its best chance to never get stuck in recovery mode again.
How To Get An iPad Out Of Recovery Mode, For Good
Healthy iPads don’t get stuck in recovery mode. An app might crash now and then, but an iPad that gets stuck in recovery mode has a major software problem.
Other articles, including Apple’s, recommend restoring your iPad to make sure the problem doesn’t come back. Most people don’t know there are three different kinds of iPad restores: The standard restore, recovery mode restore, and DFU restore. I’ve found that a DFU Restore stands a better chance of permanently solving this problem than the regular or recovery mode restores recommended by other articles.
DFU stands for Device Firmware Update, and it’s the most in-depth restore you can do on an iPad. Apple’s website never mentions it at all, but they train their techs to DFU restore iPads with serious software problems. I wrote an article that explains exactly how to DFU restore your iPad. Come back to this article when you’re finished.
Put Things Back The Way They Were
Your iPad is out of recovery mode and you’ve done a DFU restore to make sure the problem never comes back. Make sure to choose to restore from your computer or iCloud backup when you set up your iPad. We’ve eliminated the underlying software issues that caused the problem in the first place, so your iPad will be even healthier than before.
What To Do If Your iPad Is Still Stuck On Recovery Mode
If you’ve tried everything I’ve recommended and your iPad is still stuck, you probably need to have your iPad repaired. If you’re still under warranty, I recommend you make a Genius Bar appointment at your local Apple Store. When a DFU restore doesn’t work, the next step is usually to replace your iPad. If you’re out of warranty, that can be very expensive. If you’re looking for a less-expensive alternative for repairs, iResq.com is a mail-in service that does quality work.
iPad: Out Of Recovery.
In this article, we talked about how to get an iPad out of recovery mode, options for recovering your data, and the best way to prevent the problem from coming back. If you feel like leaving a comment, I’m interested to hear about your experience fixing an iPad that was stuck in recovery mode.
