How to Fix iTunes Error 1602 When Restoring iPhone

By ErrorFix · Updated October 25, 2026 · 7 min read

What error 1602 means

Error 1602 appears in iTunes on Windows or Finder on a Mac while you are restoring or updating an iPhone. You get the blunt message “The iPhone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (1602),” and the iPhone drops into recovery mode, showing the computer-and-cable screen. Your phone is not dead — it is simply waiting for a restore that actually completes.

The “unknown error” label hides a fairly specific story. During a restore, iTunes has to do two things at once: keep a rock-steady USB connection to the phone, and verify the firmware with Apple's servers before writing it. Error 1602 shows up when either half of that job falls apart. On the connection side, the usual suspects are a worn cable, a weak USB port, or a hub adding noise to the chain. On the verification side, the classic trigger is a firmware file that fails Apple's signature check — which is why this error became famous among people restoring custom firmware, but it also bites ordinary users when iTunes is outdated or security software blocks the verification traffic.

The good news is that error 1602 is almost never a hardware death sentence. The steps below work through the causes in order of likelihood, so most people get past it within half an hour without losing anything — and if your last backup is recent, even a worst-case DFU restore ends with your data back where it belongs.

Common causes

• Worn or uncertified USB cable: the top cause — cheap or aging cables drop the connection mid-restore.
• Flaky USB port or hub: front-panel ports and hubs often can't sustain the transfer a restore needs.
• Outdated iTunes or macOS: old software fails the firmware-verification handshake with Apple's servers.
• Firmware that fails Apple's signature check: custom, outdated, or corrupted firmware files get rejected mid-restore.
• Security software interference: antivirus or firewall blocking iTunes' traffic during the restore.

How to fix error 1602 — step by step

Work through these in order. The restart, cable, and software steps solve the large majority of error 1602 cases, so don't skip ahead to DFU mode until you've ruled them out.

1. Restart the computer and the iPhone. A restart clears stuck USB drivers and half-finished restore states on both sides. Shut the computer down completely — don't just sleep it — then power it back on. On the iPhone, hold the Side button and a Volume button, swipe to power off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. Reconnect the phone and try the restore again.
2. Swap the cable and USB port. Use a genuine Apple or MFi-certified Lightning or USB-C cable and plug it directly into the computer — skip hubs, monitor ports, and keyboard ports. On a desktop, use a rear USB port. A shaky connection is the most common cause of error 1602, so this step alone fixes many cases.
3. Update iTunes or macOS. Outdated software can fail the firmware-verification handshake that a restore requires. On Windows with the modern Apple apps, open the Microsoft Store, go to Library, and update the Apple Music and Apple Devices apps (in classic iTunes, go to Help and choose Check for Updates). On a Mac, open System Settings, go to General, and choose Software Update. Restart the computer afterward, then retry.
4. Temporarily disable security software. Antivirus and firewall tools sometimes block the traffic between iTunes and Apple's verification servers, or interrupt the device connection during a restore. On Windows, open Windows Security, go to Virus and threat protection, and pause real-time protection. Turn everything back on immediately after the restore attempt finishes.
5. Restore with official signed firmware in recovery mode. Error 1602 often appears when the firmware being restored can't pass Apple's signature check — most commonly with custom or outdated firmware files. Put the iPhone in recovery mode (press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the computer-and-cable screen appears), then choose Restore in iTunes or Finder and let it download the current signed iOS version. Don't load a custom firmware file.
6. Try a different computer. Connect the iPhone to another computer with a fresh iTunes or Finder install and run the restore there. If it works, the problem is your main computer's USB ports, drivers, or security software — not the iPhone.
7. Do a DFU-mode restore. Connect the iPhone to the computer, then press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, hold the Side button for 10 seconds, then — while still holding Side — hold Volume Down for 5 seconds. Release the Side button but keep holding Volume Down for about 10 more seconds. The screen stays black: that's DFU mode. iTunes or Finder will offer to restore the device. This erases the iPhone, so restore your data from an iCloud or computer backup afterward.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• Using a certified cable plugged directly into a good USB port
• iTunes or Finder and the computer's OS fully updated and restarted
• Restoring Apple's current signed iOS, not a custom firmware file
• The restore completes without error 1602 (or the DFU restore succeeds)

If error 1602 survives new cables, new ports, a different computer, official firmware, and a DFU restore, something deeper is wrong — likely the iPhone's storage or logic board. Book an appointment at an Apple Store or authorized service provider and mention the exact error code; it's a useful diagnostic clue for them.