Fix: Cannot Restore Backup the Server is Currently Unavailable

Problem: Cannot Restore Backup on iPhone

iCloud provides an easy way to help us backup and restore iPhone data. We can take advantage of iCloud to easily transfer data to new iPhone 14. However, things didn't go as expected: you received a message saying that you cannot restore backup. What does this message mean and how to restore the backup smoothly? This guide will give you the answer.

Why Cannot Restore Backup on iPhone 14/13/12?

As the official cloud storage service, iCloud works well most of the time. But sometimes there will be errors for various reasons. Below are two causes of  “cannot restore backup the server is currently unavailable” problem.

● Unstable Internet Connection. The restoration requires high-speed Internet. When the network connection is not stable or the iPhone has problems connecting to Wi-Fi, the backup will not be downloaded smoothly.
● iOS System Issues. Software glitches can also cause download failure. There may be some problems with the iCloud service, or the iPhone and iOS are not compatible, so the restoration could not be completed successfully.

Fortunately, this “cannot restore backup the server is currently unavailable” problem is not very complicated and there are ways to solve it. Please keep reading to find the solution.

How to Fix Cannot Restore Backup the Server is Currently Unavailable

Follow the steps below one after another until the problem is solved. If you want to skip this issue,  you can refer to the next section to get another way to transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone quickly.  

Step 1. Check Apple System Status

Apple System Status is a support page that shows real-time information related to the services offered. You can go to have a check if iCloud is working well at this moment.

If the iCloud services are not green, it means there is a problem. Wait for Apple to fix it.  If it is green, it means that the server is working well, please move to the next step.

Step 2. Try Connecting to Another Wi-Fi Network

As mentioned before, it requires a stable and active Internet connection to access and download content from iCloud. Otherwise, you will meet the “cannot restore backup the server is currently unavailable” problem.

► You can try to connect your iPhone to another Wi-Fi network. It is recommended to choose private Wi-Fi rather than public Wi-Fi.

► In addition, you can try to turn on and off Airplane mode or restart your router to refresh the connection. If you think there is a problem with your Wi-Fi, you can refer to this Top 10 Fixes to WiFi Not Working guide to get more solutions.

Step 3. Restart Your iPhone

A simple reboot may help fix system glitches that caused the “cannot restore backup the server is currently unavailable” problem. In fact, whenever you encounter any iOS problem, you can try this method.

iPhone 8 or later: Press the volume+ button and then quickly release it. Press the volume- button and then quickly release it. Press the side button for seconds until you see the logo of Apple.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press both the power button and volume- button for seconds until you see the logo of Apple.

iPhone 6s or earlier: Press both the power button and the Home button for seconds until you see the logo of Apple.

Step 4. Update iOS

Chances are that the iOS on your iPhone is outdated. An old iOS system may contain many defects so you meet the cannot restore backup problem on iPhone 14/13/12/11.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update to have a check. If there is an update available, you can tap Download and Install option to make it.

Step 5. Contact Apple

If all the above methods cannot help you fix the “cannot restore backup the server is currently unavailable” problem, you can contact Apple Support online or take your iPhone to an Apple Store to have it checked by a professional.  

Workaround: Try Third-party Tools Help You Transfer iPhone Data

Due to network or other issues, iCloud does not always work well. Fortunately, iCloud is not the only solution for iPhone backup and restore. There are many third-party iOS management tools that can help users backup and restore iPhone. AOMEI FoneBackup is such a formidable and reliable tool.

AOMEI FoneBackup is one professional data management tool for Windows users, which supports data backup and transfer. It can always help you put your important data in the right place.

✓ It provides full backup, custom backup, incremental backup to help you backup data in different situations.
✓ As for restoration, you can choose to restore all content to iPhone or just selected files to iPhone according to your needs.
✓ Besides data backup and restore, it also can help you directly transfer all content and settings or selected files from one iPhone to another one.

Compared with wireless transfer, USB transfer is more stable and fast. If you want to transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone quickly, follow the steps below to make it.

1. Download, install and launch AOMEI FoneBackup.

2. Connect old iPhone and new iPhone to computer.

3. On the home interface, click Phone Transfer. Go iPhone to iPhone and click Start Transfer.

4. Confirm the source iPhone and the target iPhone. The source iPhone will be listed on the left.

5. Enable backup encryption > Finally, click Start Transfer.

Final Words

Restoration can be affected by Internet. When the network is poor, you will get the error message saying that you cannot restore backup on iPhone. If you have no stable Wi-Fi connection, you may download AOMEI FoneBackup and let it help you transfer data to new iPhone via USB connection.