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Heloise Montini is a content writer whose background in journalism make her an asset when researching and writing tech content. Also, her personal aspirations in creative writing and PC gaming make her articles on data storage and data recovery accessible for a wide audience.
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CEO at SalvageData Recovery, Bogdan Glushko has over 18 years of experience in high-security data recovery. Over the years, he's been able to help restore data after logical errors, physical failures, or even ransomware attacks, for individuals, businesses, and government agencies alike.
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When restoring your iPhone from a backup, you may discover it is corrupted or incomplete. Then you might ask: Can a corrupted iPhone backup be fixed? Yes, it is often possible to fix a corrupted iPhone backup. While it can be frustrating to encounter a corrupt backup error, there are several steps you can take to resolve the issue and recover your data.
How to identify a corrupted backup:
You may have a corrupted backup if you see error messages like:
- “iTunes could not back up the iPhone because the backup was corrupt or not compatible”
- “iTunes could not restore the iPhone because the backup was corrupt or not compatible”
Important: This is a different process from when an iPhone is attempting data recovery.
Steps to fix a corrupted iPhone backup
Before restoring your corrupted backup, ensure the iPhone runs with the latest iOS version and then restart it. You can also turn off antivirus and firewall software to attempt to open or create the backup again.
If you can’t create or update a backup, you can delete and recreate the backup:
- Open iTunes (Windows) or Finder (Mac)
- Go to Preferences > Devices
- Select the corrupted backup and click “Delete Backup”
- Create a new backup of your iPhone
Sometimes, your iPhone may attempt data recovery on its own when it detects issues with its files or system. This process can occur after a failed update, unexpected shutdown, or other system disruptions. If you’re experiencing this situation or want to learn more about what happens during an iPhone’s automatic data recovery attempt, our article on “iPhone Attempting Data Recovery” provides detailed information on the process, its causes, and what you can do if your device gets stuck in this state.
Why do iPhone backups become corrupted?
Understanding how iPhone backups can become corrupted is crucial for maintaining access to your data. By learning about potential causes, you can take proactive steps to prevent corruption. Here are some common reasons for backup corruption:
- Interruption during the backup process
- Software glitches in iTunes or Finder
- Hardware issues with your computer or iPhone
- Insufficient storage space on your computer
- Outdated software versions
By following these steps and prevention tips, you can often resolve corrupted iPhone backup issues and maintain the integrity of your important data. If you continue to experience problems after trying these solutions, please contact Apple Support for further assistance.
Recover iPhone data using software
If you can’t access your backups and need them, you can always try using iOS data recovery software to retrieve your files. You only have to download the tool and connect your device to your computer. Then, scan the iPhone, select the files you wish to recover, and select a destination folder for them.
If you can’t access your iPhone backup using the software tool, contact iPhone data recovery services to ensure your data availability and integrity.
