Apple has changed the method to hard reset or force restart iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. So it also means that there is a change in the method to put the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in recovery mode.

Apple seems to have made this change as pressing and holding the Side button (previously called Power or Sleep/Wake button) and either Volume buttons activate the Emergency SOS feature in iOS 11.

If you can‘t update or restore your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus then you may need to perform a recovery-mode restore.

Please note that you will lose all the data on your iPhone when you restore it, so this should be used only in the worse case situation. However, If you’ve taken a back up of your iPhone using iTunes or iCloud, you will be able to restore from the backup after the restore process.

How to Put iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus into Recovery Mode

STEP 1: Make sure the latest version of iTunes is installed on your Windows PC or Mac.

STEP 2: If iTunes is open, then close it. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes.

STEP 3: When your iPhone is connected to the computer, force restart or hard reset iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus:

STEP 4: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button.

STEP 5: Finally, press and hold the Side button (previously called the Power/Sleep or Wake button) until you see the recovery mode screen with the iTunes logo.

STEP 6: iTunes should give you a prompt to Restore or Update iPhone. Click Update. iTunes will try to reinstall iOS on your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus without erasing your data. If the download takes more than 15 minutes, the iPhone will exit recovery mode. Don’t panic, let the download finish, and then repeat these steps again.

STEP 7: After the update or restore process is complete, set up your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.

Note: If you accidentally put your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus in recovery mode, then don’t worry, it is possible to come out of recovery mode without the need to restore or update your iPhone. Just disconnect the iPhone from the computer, and press the Side button to restart it.