Quick answer: charge it, force restart, then try updating (not restoring) through a computer or recovery mode. Choose “Update” first – it reinstalls the software and keeps your data. Only restore or wipe as a last resort.
1. Charge and force restart
A battery that’s too low or worn can cause a loop – the phone starts, runs out of power and restarts. Charge it for 30 minutes on a known-good charger, then force restart.
2. Remove accessories and the SIM
Unplug cables, earphones and memory cards. Occasionally a faulty accessory or SIM causes a loop.
3. iPhone: update with a computer
- Connect the iPhone to a Mac (Finder) or a Windows PC (Apple Devices app or iTunes).
- Put it into recovery mode: press and release volume up, press and release volume down, then hold the side button – keep holding past the Apple logo until you see a computer and cable on the screen.
- On the computer, choose Update, not Restore. This reinstalls iOS and keeps your data.
- If it takes more than 15 minutes, the iPhone leaves recovery mode – repeat step 2.
4. Samsung and Pixel: safe mode and recovery
- Safe mode starts the phone without downloaded apps. If it starts in safe mode, a recently installed app is the likely cause – uninstall it. On Samsung, hold volume down while the phone starts up; on Pixel, long-press Power off on the power menu and choose safe mode.
- Recovery mode lets you wipe the cache partition (on models that offer it) without losing data. A “factory reset” in recovery mode erases everything – only use it if you have a backup.
Restoring or factory resetting erases the phone. If you don’t have a backup, stop before this step – we may be able to save your data.
When it’s hardware
If the phone loops even when fully charged and after a software update – especially after a drop or water – the cause can be a faulty battery, charging port, or a problem on the board. We diagnose loops free and always try to save the data.
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