How to Fix iPhone 8/8 Plus/X Can't Restore Backup from iTunes/iCloud

Part 1: iTunes Could Not Restore the iPhone X/8 Fixes

When you have problem with iPhone 8 not restoring from iTunes backup, below you may find some suggestions helpful.

iTunes Backup Is Corrupt or Incompatible

When you are in this situation, deleting the corrupted backup files is a good way to fix iPhone could not be restored error.

1. Firstly you should locate backups of your iPhone X/8.  

On Windows PC: Type %appdata% in the search bar and press Return then click Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup.

On Mac: Type ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ in the menu bar or press Option button and click Go to open the library.

2. Copy iOS backups to another location like your desktop.

3. Open iTunes on your computer and select Edit > Reference > Devices.

4. Select all backup files listed and hit Delete Backup option.

5. Copy all previous backup files back to the Backup folder.

6. Try restore with iTunes again.

If these won't help, you then consider removing all backups and making a new backup.

An Error Occurred During Restoring Backup

If a message says an unknown error occurred thus you cannot restore iPhone 8 from iTunes backup, you can resort to a freeware Tenorshare TunesCare. Instead of keeping trying possible solutions one by one, Tenorshare TunesCare offers an ultimate solution to fix various iTunes sync/backup/restore errors.

The iPhone Is Disconnected or Not Recognized by iTunes

• Make sure the iTunes version is up to date.
• Check the USB cable and connections.
• Reboot both your computer and iPhone 8.
• Put iPhone in Recovery mode with free Tenorshare ReiBoot to be detected.

The Backup Password Is Incorrect

If you have enabled encrypted backup and accidently forgotten the backup password, there is no way to restore iTunes backup to your iPhone 8 unless you remove the password with some third-party software like iPhone Backup Unlocker. Find more details on how to delete encryption on iTunes backup.

Part 2: New iPhone 11/X/8/8 Plus Won't Restore from iCloud Backup

For another situation, if you are using iCloud backup and can't restore iPhone from iCloud backup iOS 11/12, things are different. Most the backup restore failure with iCloud are caused by:

No Enough Space on iPhone

If the previous backup file is fairly large in size, you may be prompted that there is no enough space for restoring from iCloud backup. In this case, it's suggested to clean up some space on your iOS device. Tenorshare iCareFone Cleaner is a good tool to regain the limited storage space.

iCloud Restore Takes Too Long to Finish

The problem that iPhone won't finish restoring from iCloud backup are mainly caused by slow network connection, and large file size also plays a part. Make sure your device is connected to a reliable and steady Wi-Fi network then wait patiently.

Or you can try the iTunes backup alternative – Tenorshare UltData. Supportive to both iTunes and iCloud backups, Tenorshare iPhone Data Recovery processes restoring in an amazing speed. You just need to log in your Apple ID account and select a specific backup file for download.

Some Items Won't Restore or iCloud Restore Is Incomplete

When your backups contain purchases made from more than one Apple ID, you will be prompted with a message keeping asking to sign in your Apple ID otherwise iPhone could not be restored from backup. Tap Skip this Step and sign in later.

iOS Version of Made Backups Is Lower Than Current iOS Version

We should already know iPhone X/8 is shipped with iOS 11/12 preinstalled, and if the backup files was created with earlier version like iOS 10.3.3, it's possible that iCloud backup cannot be completed smoothly. To solve this, you need to downgrade to compatible iOS version with Tenorshare ReiBoot.

Hope these suggestions work for you. Share it if this article helps with solving your iPhone 8/8 Plus/X won't restore from iTunes/iCloud backup.