How to Fix iTunes Error 26 When Restoring iPhone
What error 26 means
Error 26 appears in iTunes on Windows or Finder on a Mac while you are restoring or updating an iPhone. The message reads, "The iPhone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (26)," and the phone typically stays in recovery mode, showing the computer-and-cable screen and waiting for a restore that will actually complete. Your data is still on the phone at this point, and nothing is permanently broken — the attempt simply never finished.
The "unknown error" label hides a very ordinary meaning. A restore is a long, chatty conversation: the computer sends firmware in chunks, the iPhone acknowledges each one, and the computer also checks in with Apple's servers to verify that the firmware is signed for your device. Error 26 means that conversation broke down somewhere along the way — the computer sent data the phone never confirmed, a security tool or proxy blocked the server check, or the firmware file itself was damaged. That makes it a connection-and-software failure, not a dead iPhone. The fixes below work in a deliberate order: first the physical link, then the software on both ends, then the network, then the firmware file itself, and finally the deeper firmware state.
One reassuring fact: error 26 is not one of the dreaded hardware errors like 4013 or 4014, which point at NAND storage or board-level faults. Error 26 lives on the computer side of the cable, and computer-side problems are the kind you can fix at your desk.
Common causes
- Interrupted USB data stream: the cable or port drops packets mid-restore, and iTunes aborts the attempt instead of risking a half-written firmware.
- Outdated iTunes, Apple Devices app, or macOS: old restore software mishandles the current restore protocol and loses the phone mid-process.
- Security software interference: antivirus or firewall tools pause, scan, or block the restore traffic, breaking the timing iTunes expects.
- Proxy or filtered network: a proxy server or a restricted network blocks iTunes from reaching Apple's servers to verify the firmware.
- Damaged firmware download: a corrupted or incomplete .ipsw file on the computer makes the restore fail at the same point every time.
How to fix error 26 — step by step
Work through these in order. Error 26 resolves at the cable, the restart, or the network setting in the large majority of cases — save the DFU restore for last, since it erases the phone.
- Swap the USB cable and port. Error 26 is most often a broken link between the computer and the iPhone during a restore, and the cable is the weakest point in that link. Use an Apple-certified cable, plug it directly into the computer with no USB hub, dock, keyboard port, or extension cable in between, and on a desktop PC choose a rear USB port, which supplies steadier power than the front ones. If the cable only works when held at an angle, or the connector feels loose, replace it outright. Then start the restore again from the beginning.
- Restart the iPhone and the computer. A full restart clears a stuck USB session and any half-finished restore state on both devices. On Windows, choose Restart from the Start menu rather than Shut down, so Windows genuinely reloads its USB drivers instead of resuming a saved session. If the iPhone is sitting in recovery mode, hold the Side button and either Volume button until the screen changes, then put it back into recovery once the computer is back up. Run the restore with nothing else competing for the computer — close browsers, pause downloads, and stop any streaming.
- Update iTunes, the Apple Devices app, or macOS. Older restore software is a common trigger for error 26 because Apple changes the restore protocol and the firmware signing checks over time. In classic iTunes on Windows, click Help at the top of the window and choose Check for Updates. If you use the separate Apple Music and Apple Devices apps on Windows 10 or 11, update them from the Microsoft Store under Library. On a Mac, Finder handles restores, so keep macOS current through System Settings, General, Software Update. Restart the computer after updating, then retry the restore.
- Temporarily disable security software. Antivirus programs, firewalls, and endpoint-protection tools can interrupt the steady stream of data between iTunes and the iPhone, and that interruption surfaces as error 26. On Windows, open Windows Security, go to Virus and threat protection, and pause real-time protection for the duration of the restore; also confirm that iTunes or the Apple Devices app is allowed through the firewall. Run the restore while the protection is paused, then turn everything back on immediately afterward.
- Turn off any proxy and check the network connection. During a restore, iTunes or Finder must reach Apple's servers to verify the firmware, and a proxy server or a filtered network can block that check and produce error 26. On Windows, open Settings, Network and internet, Proxy, and turn off Use a proxy server and Automatically detect settings if a manual proxy is configured. On a Mac, open System Settings, Network, and check the proxy settings for the active connection. If you are on a school, office, or public network, try a home network or a phone hotspot instead, then retry the restore.
- Delete the downloaded firmware and try another computer, or use DFU mode. A damaged or incomplete firmware file on the computer can make the restore fail at the same point every time. On Windows, open File Explorer and go to Users, your username, AppData, Roaming, Apple Computer, iTunes, iPhone Software Updates, and delete the .ipsw file there. On a Mac, open Finder, press Command, Shift, and G, type ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates, and delete the .ipsw file. Then start the restore again so iTunes downloads a fresh, complete copy. If the error persists on one machine, try the restore on a different computer — success there proves the iPhone is fine and the original computer was at fault. If no second computer helps, a Device Firmware Update restore is the last resort: it reloads the bootloader and the operating system from scratch. Connect the iPhone, then press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, hold the Side button for 10 seconds, then — still holding Side — hold Volume Down for 5 seconds, release Side, and keep holding Volume Down for about 10 more seconds. The screen stays completely black in DFU mode. iTunes or Finder will detect a device in recovery and offer a restore; accept it. DFU mode erases the iPhone, so restore your data from an iCloud or computer backup afterward.
Did this fix it? Quick checklist
- Apple-certified cable plugged directly into the computer, no hub or dock
- iPhone and computer restarted, iTunes or macOS fully updated
- Security software paused only during the restore attempt, then re-enabled
- Proxy turned off and the network able to reach Apple's servers
- Damaged firmware download deleted so iTunes fetched a fresh copy
- The restore completes without error 26 — or the DFU restore finishes clean
If error 26 survives a new cable, a restart, updated software, disabled security tools, a proxy-free network, a fresh firmware download, and a DFU restore on two different computers, you have ruled out every common cause and the problem may be the iPhone's USB controller or logic board. Book an appointment at an Apple Store or authorized service provider — mentioning that you already tried DFU mode on two computers skips the first round of their diagnostics.
Frequently asked questions
What does iPhone error 26 mean?
Error 26 means iTunes or Finder could not complete a restore or update and aborted with the message 'The iPhone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (26).' It is usually a failure in the connection between the computer and the iPhone, or in the computer reaching Apple's servers during the restore — not proof that the iPhone itself is broken.
Is error 26 a hardware problem with my iPhone?
Usually not. Most error 26 cases trace back to the USB cable, the port, outdated restore software, security tools, a proxy server, or a damaged firmware download — not to the iPhone's hardware. If the restore succeeds on a different computer, your iPhone hardware is fine. Hardware becomes the suspect only after you have ruled out the cable, the port, the software, the network, the firmware file, and a DFU restore.
Why does error 26 keep happening at the same point in the restore?
A failure that repeats at the same progress point points to one consistent cause rather than a random glitch. If it fails while verifying or installing the software, suspect a damaged firmware download on the computer and delete the .ipsw file so iTunes fetches a fresh copy. If it fails right at the start, suspect the cable, the port, or a proxy or security tool blocking the connection instead.
How is error 26 different from errors 2006 and 4013?
Error 26 sits in the same family as error 2006: both are computer-to-phone communication failures during a restore, and both respond to cable, driver, software, and network fixes. Error 4013 is different — it points to hardware-level and NAND-storage faults on the iPhone itself and is much harder to fix at home. If you are seeing 26 rather than 4013, your chances of fixing it yourself are far better.
Will error 26 delete my data?
The error itself does not delete anything — it just aborts the restore attempt. However, a restore wipes the iPhone when it completes, and the final DFU-mode step definitely erases everything. Before you go that far, make sure you have a recent iCloud backup or a computer backup you can restore from afterward.