7 Fixes to “Restore from iCloud Paused” Solved!

When restoring photos from iCloud, you may suddenly find a message Restore from iCloud Paused in the Photos app. This issue can prevent your iPhone from fully restoring your photos, leaving you in limbo with incomplete data on your iPhone.

In this article, we'll explore why your iPhone may display this message, offer several solutions to fix the issue, and provide a quick and reliable method to download photos from an iCloud backup using a third-party tool. Let’s get started.

Why iPhone Says “Restore from iCloud Paused”?

There are several reasons why your iPhone might display the "Restore from iCloud Paused" message. Understanding these reasons is the first step to resolving the issue:

❌ Unstable Internet Connection: iCloud restoration requires a consistent and fast Wi-Fi connection. If the connection drops or weakens, the restoration process may pause or fail.
❌Insufficient Storage Space: If your iPhone doesn’t have enough storage to accommodate the restored data, the process may be interrupted.
❌Apple Server Issues: Occasionally, the problem lies with Apple's iCloud servers. If they are experiencing downtime or high traffic, it can delay the restoration.
❌Battery Level: If your iPhone battery is low, especially below 50%, the restore process may pause to prevent a sudden shutdown during data transfer.
❌Software Glitches: Minor bugs or glitches in the iOS system can also cause the restore process to pause.

Understanding the root cause can help you identify the right fix for the issue. Let’s dive into various solutions.

6 Fixes to “Restore from iCloud Paused” Issue

This part will conclude some workable solutions to fix the “Restore from iCloud Paused”issue. If you are in a hurry or intend to restore selective photos from iCloud backup to your iPhone, you can go to the next part to get quick solution.

1# Check Apple System Status

Sometimes the issue may be related to iCloud servers, not your iPhone. You can check the system status to ensure Apple’s iCloud services are running smoothly.

Go to Apple’s System Status page. Look for the iCloud Backup status. If there’s an issue with iCloud, wait for Apple to resolve it before trying the restore again.

2# Charge Your iPhone

If your battery level is below 50%, the iPhone might pause the restore to preserve power. Charging your iPhone may automatically resume the restore.

Connect your iPhone to a charger and ensure that it is charging. Make sure your battery is charged above 50% before attempting to restore.

3# Check Internet Connection

If your iPhone is fully charged but still cannot restore from iCloud, you may need to check your Internet connection. A weak or unstable internet connection is often the main cause behind a paused iCloud restore. Here are some tips you can try to fix this:
• Ensure that your iPhone is connected to a strong Wi-Fi network. Avoid using mobile data for the restoration process, as it can be slower and less stable.
• Restart your Wi-Fi router to clear any network issues.
• Switch to a different Wi-Fi network if possible.
• Forget and reconnect to the Wi-Fi network on your iPhone by going to Settings > Wi-Fi> [Your Network]> Forget This Networkand reconnecting with the correct password.

If the problem persists after stabilizing your internet connection, move on to the next solution.

4# Force Restart iPhone

A simple force restart can resolve minor glitches and bugs in the iOS system that may be causing the pause to restore photos from iCloud. Depending on the model of the iPhone you’re using, the steps are slightly different.

• For iPhone 8 and later with Face ID:
Quickly press and release the Volume Up button > Quickly press and release the volume Down button> Press and hold the Side button> When the Apple logo appears, release the button.

• For iPhone SE with Home button:
Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button. When the Apple logo shows up, release both buttons.

5# Check iPhone Storage Space

Insufficient storage is another cause of the Restore from iCloud Paused error that happens during the iCloud restore procedure on your iPhone. If you find iPhone's storage almost full, it will be unable to store any additional data that has to be restored.

To check available iPhone storage space, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to check available space.

If your storage is indeed nearly full, delete unwanted files, apps, or media to free up space. You can offload apps by selecting Offload Unused Apps. Retry the restore process once there is adequate space.

6# Update iOS to the Latest Version

Outdated iOS software can cause restore issues. Ensure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS.

To check and update iOS to the latest version, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Tap Download and Install to get the latest iOS.

Quick Fix: Download Photos from iCloud Backup via AOMEI FoneBackup

If you don’t want to waste time trying solutions one after another, a quick fix is to utilize a third-party tool like AOMEI FoneBackup to access and download photos from iCloud backup.

If you have a Windows computer at hand, download AOMEI FoneBackup by clicking the icon below, and download selective photos from iCloud backup, and then transfer photos from computer to iPhone via AOMEI FoneBackup.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI FoneBackup, and click My iCloud > Sign into your iCloud account, enter the six-digit code to confirm > Choose Manage iCloud.

Step 2. Go to Photos, and you can access all photos in iCloud > Select the photos you’d like to restore to iPhone > Click Download icon to confirm.

Step 3. You can choose a folder to save your iCloud photos from the box under Download Location > Click Download again, and wait for the process to complete.

• Transfer Photos from PC to iPhone/iPhone to PC
After downloading iCloud photos on your computer, you may want to transfer photos from computer to iPhone. AOMEI FoneBackup provides you with transfer functions to transfer photos without degrading their quality in three steps.

• Backup iPhone Data to Computer
As an powerful iCloud alternative for iPhone, you can also rely on AOMEI FoneBackup to backup your iPhone data without iCloud. Different from iCloud, there is no Internet requirement, storage space limit, or safety concern when backing up iPhone via AOMEI FoneBackup.

Summary

The "Restore from iCloud Paused" message can be annoying, but with the right solutions, you can fix the issue and complete your iPhone's restoration process.

For those who want a quicker and more reliable way to download photos from iCloud, AOMEI FoneBackup is a great alternative. By following these steps, you can efficiently fix iCloud restore issues and safely recover your data.