With the release of iOS 27 beta, Apple has taken a significant step in simplifying device maintenance. Until iOS 26, a malfunctioning iPhone could only boot into Recovery Assistant automatically if a failure prevented normal startup. Now, users can manually access a recovery screen similar to that of Macs with Apple Silicon, without needing to connect the phone to a computer.
How to Access the Manual Recovery Screen on iPhone and iPad
The procedure is straightforward and resembles that of Macs. First, turn off your iPhone and wait about a minute to ensure it is fully shut down. Then press and hold the Side button: after the Apple logo appears, continue holding until you see 'Continue holding for recovery...'. Release the button when 'Loading recovery options...' appears. Your device will then boot into the new recovery screen instead of iOS. The same process works on iPads running iPadOS 27.
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The Five Options Available on the Recovery Screen
The recovery screen offers five main options. Recovery Assistant automatically scans for software issues and attempts to fix them without further input. Software Update installs the latest available iOS version, useful for fixing a failed update that left your device stuck in a boot loop. Diagnostics Mode runs hardware and software checks and can recommend repairs if needed. Erase All Content and Settings completely wipes your iPhone, just like the equivalent option in Settings. Recovery Mode puts your iPhone into the traditional recovery mode for restoring with a Mac or PC, without requiring the usual button sequence. On newer models, there is a sixth hidden option: pressing and holding the Side button again brings up a popup menu with Nearby Device Recovery, which lets you restore your iPhone using another Apple device nearby, a feature first seen on iPhone 16 models.
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Exiting Recovery Mode
To leave the recovery screen, tap the power button in the top-right corner and confirm a restart. Alternatively, press and hold the physical Side button and choose Restart or Shut Down. While you probably won't need this screen often, it is worth knowing the button sequence in case a beta goes wrong or a failed update bricks your iPhone. iOS 27 is currently in public beta, so you can download and try it out now before the official release this fall.
For more Apple-related insights, check out our article on how ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini picked the best smartphone for 2026, which includes iPhone models. For a technical overview of iOS, visit the Wikipedia page.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/ios-27-access-the-new-iphone-recovery-screen
