[2024 Latest] How to Fix iTunes Stuck on Preparing iPhone for Restore

While restoring your iPhone with iTunes, iOS 16 will be used to restore the device. In some cases, you might end up with the preparing iPhone for restore stuck issue during the process. When this happens, the progress bar will be stuck in a specific screen and won’t move forward.

Typically, iTunes stuck on preparing the iPhone for restore issue usually occur because of the bug in the iTunes software or a glitch on the iPhone. In this guide, we will discuss what can cause this stuck and what you can do to fix it.

How Long Does It Require to Prepare iPhone for Restore?

How long the procedure of iPhone restoration takes will depend on various factors. Hence, it is hard to determine a specific duration. However, you can expect around 15 minutes for the entire restoration process.

However, as per some users, the process requires a lot more time than 15 minutes which causes the device to exit the recovery mode. Trying again doesn't help, as it seems like the process is stuck on a specific screen.

How to Solve iTunes Stuck on Preparing iPhone for Restore

Here are some of the appropriate solutions that you can try to fix the issue.

Inspect Your WiFi

One of the most typical reasons behind the stuck issue is the slow and unstable WiFi connection. And when the connection is unstable, your iPhone will be unable to connect to the Apple server. Check the WiFi connection if the device is stuck in the preparation phase.

If the WiFi is slow and unstable on other devices, too, consider switching to a different network and repeat the process of restoring.

Switch Off Antivirus

The antivirus software on your computer can prevent iTunes from connecting to the Apple server. This happens because the antivirus thinks iTunes is partaking in suspicious activity.

So, make sure to turn off the antivirus before starting the restoration.

Use A Different Cable (Don’t Use USB Hub)

Another common reason that can lead to the preparing iPhone for the stuck issue is when you use the wrong USB. Ensure you are utilizing the original USB cable that arrives with the iPhone. Utilizing a fake cable will significantly slow down the restoration process. Instead, try to use the authentic Apple-certified lightning cable. Using a USB hub can also cause the same issue. Instead, connect the USB directly to the PC.

Restart iPhone and Computer

Sometimes the stuck issue can be rooted by a minor glitch or system bug in your computer or iPhone. Restarting the devices stop all the running processes and freshly start them. As a result, the bugs and glitches get eliminated.

• To restart your iPhone, long-press and hold the Power button and move the slider afterwards. Your iPhone will go off after that. Then long-press the power button again to restart it.

• Select "Restart" from the Window's Start Menu or Apple Menu to restart the PC. The PC will turn off and on automatically after doing so

Update iTunes

Sometimes an outdated iTunes version can also lead to such issues. That is because there can be bugs in the old version that can prevent you from restoring the iPhone. Updating the software will come with the latest optimization from Apple to assure you a better performance.

• Update iTunes on Windows: Start iTunes and go to Help > Check for Updates.

• Update iTunes on Mac: Start iTunes and go to iTunes > Check for Updates. (If you are using macOS before Catalina).

Update iPhone Version

Sometimes major glitches on iPhone software can cause the iTunes stuck on preparing iPhone for restore issue, which can't be fixed with the restart. By reupdating your iPhone, you can get rid of any glitch that can affect the restore process. Here are the steps you require to pursue to do so:

• Start iTunes and attach the iPhone to the PC.
• After doing so, iTunes should detect the iPhone. Press on your device name in iTunes and then press “Summary”.
• Press “Restore iPhone” to start the update process. The process should take a while to be completed.

Utilize a Reliable iPhon Repair Tool

If you are still unable to solve the issue following the above fixes, consider utilizing a system recovery program. We recommend you FoneGeek iOS System Recovery, an all-in-one software to fix all the system issues on your iPhone, including the iTunes stuck on preparing iPhone to restore.

Now let’s see how to utilize the Umendit to solve iTunes stuck on preparing iPhone.

• First, download and install the Umendit software program on your PC. Then, launch the program and select "Standard Mode".

• Attach the iPhone to the PC through a USB cable. If the phone is not detected, follow the prompt on the PC to boot the device into DFU/recovery mode.
• On the new page, you can download the firmware provided by Unmendit. Press “Download” and then press “Next”.

• Press the "Fix Now" button on the new page and wait till you get the confirmation message that says your iPhone has been restored.

Employ Another Computer to Restore iPhone

Sometimes some issues on your computer can prevent iTunes from working adequately. There can be certain issues on your PC which can lead to the restoration error. The best solution for such a problem is to utilize a different computer and use iTunes on that computer to restore your iPhone.

Conclusion

As you see, there can be different causes behind iTunes being stuck on preparing iPhone for restore issue. We hope after reading the above guide, you will be able to solve the issue without much difficulty. For the stuck issue as well as other system issues on your iPhone, make sure to utilize the Umendit to solve the problem quickly.