Apple is making it much easier for iPhone users to recover a device that refuses to work properly. With iOS 27, users can manually enter a dedicated recovery screen without needing a Mac or Windows PC, giving them more control when something goes wrong.
Until now, iPhones running iOS 26 could only access Recovery Assistant automatically if the device failed to boot. In iOS 27, which is currently available as a public beta, Apple has removed that restriction and allows users to launch the recovery screen whenever they need it.
The new recovery interface is designed to help users fix software problems, install updates or reset their device without plugging it into another computer. The screen can automatically connect to a saved WiFi network and even displays the iPhone’s battery percentage.
How to enter recovery mode
To open the recovery screen, first switch off the iPhone and wait around a minute to make sure it has fully powered down.
Next, press and keep holding the Side button. The Apple logo will appear, followed by a message asking you to continue holding for recovery. Release the button once the screen says “Loading recovery options”. Instead of starting iOS, the iPhone will open the recovery menu.
The process also works on iPads running iPadOS 27.
What you can do in recovery
The new recovery screen includes several built in tools that can help fix common issues.
Recovery Assistant checks for software problems and attempts to repair them automatically. Software Update installs the latest version of iOS, which can help if an interrupted update has left the device stuck in a restart loop.
Users can also run Diagnostics Mode to check for hardware or software faults, erase all content and settings, or switch to the traditional recovery mode used with a Mac or PC.
On newer iPhone models, Apple has also included a hidden option called Nearby Device Recovery. By pressing and holding the Side button again while on the recovery screen, users can restore their iPhone using another nearby Apple device.
To leave the recovery screen, users can tap the power button in the top right corner and restart the device, or hold the Side button and choose Restart or Shut Down.
Although most users may never need this feature, it could prove useful if a software update fails or a beta version leaves an iPhone unable to start. Apple is currently testing iOS 27 through its public beta programme ahead of the software’s wider release later this year.
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