iPhone Error 9? Learn How To Fix iPhone / iPad / iTunes Error 9 in Multiple Ways

A couple of weeks ago, a user opened a ticket to our Customer Service experts at Dr.Buho. His iPhone 12 Pro was working fine the day before it died (it won't turn on). He tried to plug the phone into charge for an hour but saw it didn't. The battery was stuck at 6%. Then he put it into the iPhone Recovery mode and it just said to go to support.apple.com/restore/iphone.

The weird thing is, that the phone itself turned blank except for the Apple logo. The Site/Power button would not bring it to life so he did a reset with the Site button and the off button and nothing changed. He tried a restore from the computer but iTunes left him a message: The iPhone XXXX could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (9).

After reviewing this ticket, our Customer Service experts, as well as senior iPhone repair engineers, prepared a series of troubleshooting suggestions. You can follow this manual guide to learn what iPhone error 9 is and how to fix it with easy steps.

What iPhone Error 9 Is?

iPhone error 9 occurs when you try to update or restore your iPhone or iPad using iTunes, Finder, Apple Configurator 2, or other third-party software. This error message indicates that your device might be disconnected during the update or restore process, or if your computer couldn't communicate with your device to finish restore.

A usual iPhone error 9 message says: The iPhone [device name] could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (9).

What are the Causes of Error 9?

As there is no specific explanation on Apple's official document, based on our experience, the iPhone Error 9 is just a generic iTunes error we encounter quite often. Although error 9 is vague, we can still make our bold guesses about what the causes of error 9 are.

1. The software system of your iPhone, or iPad, is crashing during an update / restore.
2. iPhone error 9 might be a symptom of NAND corruption.
3. iPhone error 9 may occur if iTunes saw the USB connection drop unexpectedly.
4. Some security software interrupts the update / restore process.

How To Fix iPhone Error 9

The good news is our technical Support experts, formerly Apple Support engineers, have addressed this error with some easy steps. Since it covers a broad range of possible problems, go and try the steps below and be patient until you have a fix for the error.

1. Check the USB Cable and Port

An inferior USB cable may cause connection interruption between the device and the computer. So ensure your USB cable comes with your iPhone or another certified cable. Next, inspect the USB port for any damage and try switching to a different port. Alternatively, you can try connecting your iPhone to the computer using a different USB cable.

2. Update iTunes

Make a quick check if the version of your iTunes is up to date. If not, remember to update to the latest version. However, keep in mind that this method is not 100% effective, it's just a simple tip for solving big problems.

Update iTunes On PC

In the iTunes app on your Windows PC, Choose Help > Check for Updates.

Update iTunes on Mac

For macOS 10.15 or later, iTunes will no longer be available and was replaced by Finder, Music, TV, and Podcasts, meaning it doesn't need a specific action to update.

If your macOS version is running below, you have two options to update iTunes.

Via App Store:

1. Open App Store on your Mac.
2. Click Updates at the top of the App Store window.
3. If any iTunes updates are available, click Install.

Via iTunes

1. Open iTunes > Click on the iTunes menu.
2. Select Check for Updates...

3. Disable Firewall or Antivirus Software

Ensure that your computer has closed all Security, Firewall, VPN, and Virtual Desktop Mac applications, such as Norton, PureVPN, Parallels, or VMWare. Because all these programs can interfere with the computer's ability to communicate with your device via USB, especially if they are improperly configured or outdated. This is one of the most common iPhone error 9 scenarios.

4. Use Another Computer

Try restarting both your computer and device, then try to update or restore your device. If this doesn't fix the iPhone error 9, try connecting your iPhone or iPad to iTunes on another computer to see if that resolves the problem.

5. Update Device with iTunes

1. First, put your iPhone or iPad into Recovery Mode (or force restart) by following the steps below:

iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume up button > Press and quickly release the Volume down button > Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation): Press and hold both the side (or top) button and the volume down button until you see the Apple logo.

iPad models without a Home button: Press and quickly release the Volume button closest to the top button > Press and quickly release the Volume button farthest from the top button > Press and hold the top button until the device restarts.

iPad models with a Home button, iPhone 6s or earlier, and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the side (or top) button and the Home button until you see the Apple logo.

2. Then connect your device to your computer > Open iTunes on your PC or Finder on your Mac > When you see the Update or Restore prompt, choose Update to reinstall the iOS software on your device. This will keep your data intact.

6. Fix iPhone Error 9 with BuhoRepair

Some iOS System Recovery software is available to fix iPhone error 9 and dozens of other iPhone software issues, such as iPhone stuck on the Apple logo, iPad boot loop, iPhone Error 4013, etc. BuhoRepair offers a simple and effective iOS system recovery solution that helps fix common iPhone system issues in minutes.

Using BuhoRepair is easy. Here are the steps to go.

Step 1: Download and install BuhoRepair on your computer. It works on Windows PC or Mac.

Step 2: Click the Repair Now button in System Repair:

Step 3: Connect your iPhone to your computer using an Apple original cable.

Step 4: Choose Advanced Repair > Repair Now.

Step 5: After checking your device info, BuhoRepair will load the proper firmware information for you. Click Download to continue.

Step 6: After the firmware downloading is completed, click Repair Now to start fixing this iPhone update/restore error 9.

Step 7: After a short while, BuhoRepair will finish solving the iPhone error 9.

8. Contact Apple Support

If none of these methods resolve your iPhone 9 error, you can contact Apple Support or go to the local Apple Store and submit your device to Apple Genius.

Conclusion

Now can you fix your iPhone error 9 with our suggestions above? If you have any further questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us and we are happy to help.