How do I restore my phone?

So, you just backed up and fully reset your phone to resolve a software issue. Or, perhaps you just got a brand new phone and want to get all your photos & account info on it ASAP. Whatever the reason, if you’re asking yourself “How do I restore my phone?” then you’ve come to the right place for the answer. Restoring the settings on an iPhone or Android device after a reset is surprisingly simple and takes just a few steps.

How to restore an iPhone from backup

There are two ways to restore an iPhone from backup: via iCloud or from your computer. It all depends on how you backed it up in the first place.

Restoring an iPhone via iCloud

1. Turn your iPhone on
   • You should see a “Hello” screen. If you don’t, you’ll have to erase your phone’s content again.
2. Follow the steps on-screen until you arrive at the Apps & Data screen
   • Don’t skip the Wi-Fi step, you’ll want to be connected to Wi-Fi for this whole process
3. Tap on Restore from iCloud Backup
4. Sign into your account
5. Choose a backup to restore from based on the backup date and size
6. To restore apps & purchases you’ll need to sign into your Apple ID
7. Wait patiently for the transfer to complete
   • We strongly recommend keeping your iPhone plugged in and make sure you stay on Wi-Fi to avoid using your mobile data

Restoring an iPhone from your Mac computer

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac computer with a USB cable
2. On your Mac, open Finder in the bottom left corner
   • If you have an older version of macOS (earlier than version 10.15), you’ll need to use iTunes to back up your iPhone by following the PC steps below.
3. Select your iPhone
4. Select Restore Backup
5. Pick the backup you want to restore from based on date and size
6. Click Restore

Restoring an iPhone from a PC

1. Open iTunes on your PC
2. Plug your iPhone into your PC with a USB cable
3. Select your iPhone on the screen
4. Select Restore Backup
5. Pick the backup you want to restore from based on date and size
6. Click Restore

How to restore an Android phone from backup

Android phones are easily backed up by just logging in to your Google account. Your photos & videos should already be available via Google Photos.

1. Turn on your Android phone and log in to your Google account
2. A list of available backups will appear, choose the one you’d like to restore based on the date
3. Choose what specific items from the backup you’d like to restore
   • For example, you can leave out Call History if that’s not crucial for you
4. Initiate the Restore