What happens if you restore a jailbroken iPhone?

Answered by Willie Powers

When you restore a jailbroken iPhone, you essentially remove all the modifications and tweaks that were made to the device’s software. Restoring a jailbroken iPhone means returning it to the official version of the iOS firmware provided by Apple. This process erases all the customizations and changes made to the device, effectively making it “not jailbroken” anymore.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what happens when you restore a jailbroken iPhone:

1. Back up your data: Before you begin the restoration process, it’s crucial to back up your data. This ensures that you don’t lose any important information such as contacts, photos, messages, or app data. You can back up your iPhone using iCloud or iTunes.

2. Connect your iPhone to a computer: To restore a jailbroken iPhone, you’ll need to connect it to a computer with the latest version of iTunes installed.

3. Put your iPhone into recovery mode: To initiate the restoration process, you’ll need to put your iPhone into recovery mode. This is done by following specific steps based on your iPhone model. For example, on iPhone 8 and later models, you can press the volume up button, then the volume down button, and then hold the power button until you see the recovery mode screen.

4. Choose the restore option in iTunes: Once your iPhone is in recovery mode, iTunes will detect it and prompt you with options. Select the “Restore” option to proceed.

5. Download and install the official iOS firmware: iTunes will download the official iOS firmware for your iPhone model. This firmware is provided directly by Apple and does not contain any jailbreak modifications.

6. Install the iOS firmware on your iPhone: After the firmware download is complete, iTunes will automatically install it on your iPhone. This process may take some time, and your device will restart during the installation.

7. Set up your iPhone: Once the restoration process is complete, your iPhone will reboot and prompt you to set it up as a new device or restore from a backup. If you have previously backed up your data, you can choose to restore from that backup to get back your apps, settings, and data.

It’s essential to note that restoring a jailbroken iPhone removes all the benefits and customizations that come with jailbreaking. These include the ability to install third-party apps and tweaks not available on the App Store, customizing the device’s appearance and behavior, and gaining more control over the device’s functionality.

By restoring a jailbroken iPhone, you essentially return it to its original state as intended by Apple. This can be useful if you want to remove any potential instability or security risks associated with jailbreaking. However, it also means losing any modifications or features you may have enjoyed by jailbreaking your device.

Remember to proceed with caution when jailbreaking or restoring your iPhone, as both processes can have risks. Always ensure you have a backup of your data before making any changes to your device’s software.

Restoring a jailbroken iPhone involves removing all the modifications made through jailbreaking and returning the device to the official iOS firmware. This process erases customizations and tweaks, making the device “not jailbroken” anymore.