iTunes Cannot Restore Backup to iPhone 15/14? Here Are 10 Solutions

User Concern

“I tried to restore my iPhone 15 using iTunes but got this message: iTunes could not restore the iPhone because the backup was corrupt or not compatible. What should I do?”

iTunes provides a convenient way to back up iPhone/iPad to avoid unexpected data loss. Restoring from iTunes backup is useful in case when you want to get back lost data, activate a new iPhone, or fix minor bugs on the iPhone's system, etc. 

However, restoring from iTunes may fail due to various errors. If you're trying to restore your iPhone using iTunes but facing the error of iTunes cannot restore backup to iPhone, don't worry. Here in this article, we will explain why your iPhone won't restore from iTunes backup and the solutions to fix it. 

Why Won't My New iPhone Restore from Backup?

Before moving on to the solutions to fix iTunes cannot restore backup to iPhone isssue, let's first see the causes. Your iPhone may not restore from iTunes backup for the following reasons:

• The copy of iTunes backup is corrupted.
• Your iPhone's iOS version is not compatible with the backup.
• The version of iTunes on your computer is outdated.
• The USB cable you're using is faulty or damaged.
• You don't have a stable internet connection.
• You don't have enought space on your iPhone to restore the backup.

Simple Tips to Fix iTunes Cannot Restore iPhone from Backup

Below are all the simple steps you can follow to fix the iTunes cannot restore backup to iPhone error:

1. Disconnect everything from your computer, then restart both your iPhone and the computer.
2. Check the USB cable and USB port that you're using. Try using another cable and port.
3. The restoring process will be interrupted if the internet connection is poor. Make sure your iPhone and computer connect to a stable and active network.
4. Make sure that you have installed the latest version of iTunes on your computer. Open iTunes and click on About > Check for Updates.
5. Ensure that you have updated your iPhone to the latest iOS version. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install the iOS update.
6. The restore will fail if you don't have enough free space on your computer or on the iPhone. You can delete some unnecessary files to free up some storage space on your devices.

If these simple methods don't work, try the methods below.

Delete Corrupt or Incompatible Backup in iTunes

iTunes will not restore your iPhone from backup if the backup is corrupt or not compatible. If it is the corrupted backup file that leads to the restore problem, it's time to delete the backup in iTunes. Here's how to do it:

On Windows:

• Close iTunes. Click Start and enter %appdata% in the search box, you’ll be directed to C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming.
• Then go to Roaming > Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup, select the iTunes backup and copy it to your desktop.

• Open iTunes and go to Edit > Preferences > Devices, select all the iTunes backups and click "Delete Backup".

On Mac:

• Open the Library and navigate to the destination of Application > Support > MobileSync > Backup to drag the backup file to your desktop.
• Launch iTunes and then tap on "Preerences". Click on "Device", select the backup you want to remove and click "Delete Backup".

After deleting the corrupted backup, you can try to make a new complete backup and see if that works.

Try Putting Your iPhone into Recovery Mode

If you can't restore iPhone from iTunes backup, you can put the device into recovery mode. Make sure you're using the latest version of iTunes and you have the latest backup in iTunes before doing this. Follow the steps below to put your iPhone in recovery mode and restore it:

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to computer via USB cable and launch iTunes.

Step 2: Keep your iPhone connected and force restart it, don't release the buttons until you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen.

• For iPhone 8 or later, press and quickly release the Volume Up button, press and quickly release the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Side button.
• For iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold the Side button and Volume Down button together.
• For iPhone 6s or earlier, press and hold the Home button and Side/Top button at the same time.

Step 3: iTunes will detect your iPhone that is in recovery mode and provides the option to Restore or Update, choose "Restore".

Use Alternate Backup - iCloud to Restore iPhone

If you have turn on iCloud backup on your iPhone, iCloud will automatically backs up the device when it is locked and connected with WiFi. If iTunes is having problems in restoring your iPhone, you can restore iPhone from iCloud backup. Here's how to do it:

• On your iPhone, head over to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and choose "Erase All Content and Settings".
• Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone and on the "Apps & Data" screen, select "Restore from iCloud Backup".
• Sign in to your iCloud backup and choose to restore the latest backup. Then wait for the restore process to complete.

Note

Same to iTunes, restoring from iCloud backup will erase and replease all the existing data on your iPhone. If you don't want to lose data, it is a better bet to use a third-party tool (introduced in Tip 10).

Selectively Restore iPhone Backup without Using iTunes/iCloud

If none of the solutions mentioned above are helpful to you, there is still another choice for you to restore from iTunes backup. FoneGeek iPhone Data Recovery comes with the exclusive features to meet your needs. This product has been a leading role in this industry and won much reputation.

• Restore deleted or lost data from iTunes or iCloud backup, or from iPhone/iPad directly.
• Restore all data or only selected files without overwriting exisint data on your iPhone.
• Supports to recover photos, videos, contacts, messages, notes, WhatsApp messages, Safari history, voice memos, and more.
• Fully compatible with all iOS versions and iPhone models, even the newest iOS 17/16 and iPhone 15/14/13.

Here's the steps to extract and recover data from backup without using iTunes:

Step 1: Download, install and launch FoneGeek iPhone Data Recovery on your computer, then choose "Recover from iTunes Backup".

Step 2: All the iTunes backup files on this computer will be detected and listes. Choose the one that contacts the data you want to restore and click "Next".

Step 3: In the next windows, select the types of data you wish to recover and click "Scan" to scan for all data in the selected iTunes backup.

Step 4: All the recoverable files in the backup will be listed by categories. You can preview and mark the data you need, then click "Recover" to save them to your computer.

Conclusion

If you can't restore your iPhone from an iTunes backup, you can follow the 10 tips in this article to resolve it with ease. Among these methods,FoneGeek iPhone Data Recoveryis certainly the most preferred choice to restore iPhone data without deleting the exising data. Moreover, it allows you to preview the backup data and selectively recover what you need only.