iPhone stuck on the Apple logo after the iOS 27 update? Here's the fix

Why does an iPhone get stuck on the Apple logo after an update?

An iPhone gets stuck on the Apple logo when the update is interrupted or ends up incomplete. The phone is rarely damaged. The system simply can't finish booting. The usual causes are:

• Not enough storage. If space runs out partway through installing, the install can fail.
• The battery died. An iPhone that hits 0% mid-install stops at a bad moment.
• The download was damaged. A connection that drops can leave an incomplete update file.
• Beta software. Pre-release builds have more bugs than public releases, including install bugs.
• Old data or settings. Occasionally something left over from the previous version conflicts with the new one.

Your photos, messages and apps are very likely still on the phone. Work through the fixes below in order, because the first ones keep your data and the last ones erase it.

Fix 1: force restart the iPhone

A force restart cuts the current boot attempt and starts a fresh one, much like holding down the power button on a frozen computer. It does not touch your data. Every iPhone that runs iOS 27, from the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation) to the iPhone 18 Pro, uses the same buttons.

1. Press and quickly release Volume Up.
2. Press and quickly release Volume Down.
3. Press and hold the Side button.
4. Keep holding while the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears again, then release.
5. Give the iPhone a couple of minutes to boot.

The common mistake is letting go of the Side button too soon. If nothing changes, repeat the sequence two or three times with a full hold before you move on. Our guide to force restarting an iPhone covers what to do when the buttons seem to do nothing.

Fix 2: charge it, then try again

An iPhone with a nearly flat battery may look stuck when it simply doesn't have the power to carry on. Updates use a lot of energy.

1. Plug the iPhone into a wall charger rather than a computer port.
2. Leave it for 30 minutes without touching it.
3. Force restart it again while it stays on the charger.

Fix 3: give the update more time

A big update can take a long time, especially on an older iPhone or one full of data, and the screen may not change for a while. Before you assume the worst, feel the back of the phone. If it is warm, the processor is still working and the install is probably still running. Leave it plugged in for up to a couple of hours. If it is cool and nothing has moved in 30 minutes, it is stuck. Go on to recovery mode.

Fix 4: use recovery mode and choose Update

Recovery mode lets a computer reinstall iOS. Its Update option tries to do that without erasing anything. You need a Mac with Finder or a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app, a USB cable for your iPhone and a decent internet connection, because the computer downloads a fresh copy of iOS.

1. Connect the iPhone to the computer and open Finder (Mac) or the Apple Devices app (Windows).
2. On the iPhone, press and release Volume Up, then press and release Volume Down.
3. Press and hold the Side button. Keep holding past the Apple logo until the recovery mode screen appears, showing a computer and a cable.
4. On the computer, a message offers Update or Restore. Choose Update.
5. Wait for the download and install to finish, and don't disconnect the cable.
6. If Update fails, repeat the steps and choose Restore. This erases the iPhone, and you then set it up from your backup.

Recovery mode times out after about 15 minutes. If the download takes longer and the iPhone leaves recovery mode, put it back in and carry on. That is normal.

If you were installing a beta

When Finder or the Apple Devices app downloads iOS itself, it installs the current public release, iOS 27.0.1 (24A446). If your iPhone was on an iOS 27.2 beta, that public build is an older version, and a backup made on the beta will not restore onto it. To reinstall the beta instead, download the IPSW for your model from our iOS 27 beta IPSW page. Then hold Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) as you click Update, and pick the file. The latest beta is iOS 27.2 beta 4 (24B5110a).

Fix 5: restore in DFU mode

DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode is the last resort when recovery mode fails. It reloads the iPhone's firmware from scratch and always erases the device. If you have no backup and the data matters, stop here and talk to Apple before you go further.

DFU mode is fiddly because the screen stays completely black when you get it right.

1. Connect the iPhone to the computer with Finder or the Apple Devices app open.
2. Press and release Volume Up, then press and release Volume Down.
3. Hold the Side button for 10 seconds.
4. Keep holding Side and also hold Volume Down for 5 seconds.
5. Release Side but keep holding Volume Down for another 5 seconds.

If the iPhone screen stays black and the computer reports an iPhone in recovery mode, you are in DFU mode. If the Apple logo appears, you held too long, so start again. Once it is detected, click Restore, wait for a fresh copy of iOS to install, then restore your backup during setup.

Will you lose your data?

Only the last two fixes erase your iPhone.

• Force restart: no data loss.
• Recovery mode Update: keeps your data when it succeeds.
• Recovery mode Restore: erases the iPhone. You need a backup.
• DFU mode: erases the iPhone. You need a backup.

If iCloud Backup was on, you may already have a recent copy. Anything synced to iCloud, such as photos with iCloud Photos turned on, contacts and notes, comes back when you sign in with your Apple Account, even after an erase. Our guide to backing up and restoring around the iOS 27 beta explains which backup restores onto which version.

When it might be a hardware problem

A stuck update is almost always software. Suspect hardware if the iPhone was recently dropped or got wet, if it keeps getting stuck after a successful restore, or if both recovery mode and DFU mode fail. Other symptoms, such as random restarts or overheating, point the same way. At that point book a repair through Apple Support. Repairs may be covered by warranty or AppleCare+.

How to stop it happening next time

Most stuck updates come down to space, power or a bad connection, so a little preparation goes a long way:

• Free up plenty of storage before a major update. Our guide to cleaning up iPhone storage shows the quickest wins.
• Charge the iPhone well, or keep it plugged in for the whole install.
• Use a stable home Wi-Fi network rather than public Wi-Fi, and turn off any VPN.
• Update your apps first.
• Back up to iCloud and to a computer.
• Leave the phone alone until the install finishes.

Be careful with beta software on a phone you rely on. If you only want iOS 27, install the public release, iOS 27.0.1, instead of a beta. Our list of common iOS 27 beta installation errors covers other failures during the install.

What to do next

Once the iPhone boots, make a fresh backup straight away, then check Settings › General › About to confirm which version you are running. If you would rather leave iOS 27 for now, our guide to downgrading to iOS 26 uses iOS 26.6.1 RC, the version Apple is currently signing.

Frequently asked questions