New recovery assistant: iOS 26 can repair yourself

It has been possible since iOS 18 to revive iPhone-16 models using further iPhones, for which you used to need a Mac or Windows computer. With iOS 26, Apple goes one step further here: The iPhone gets its own recovery assistant for the first time. The recovery assistant is similar to what you know from the Mac, but is simply structured and used. Like Apple in the Release Notes For the second development beta of iOS 26, the technology is a “new way to restore your device if it no longer starts normally.” The Recovyer Assistant has a diagnostic mode to search for problems and to remedy them if necessary.

Sometimes the second device also necessary

Apple does not say what exact devices activate the recovery assistant. But it is always about boot problems. It is also unclear to what extent the assistant can help to restore the iPhone. According to the information on Reddit, the system also asks the user to connect another device that can be another iPhone or an iPad in addition to Mac and PC on the iPhone 16.

Then it is also possible to record the current operating system on the affected iPhone in order to get it again. It is also unclear whether data will be preserved – in the worst case, a backup must be played back. Certain errors can only be fixed with a second device.

Bigger bug in the first beta of iOS 26

Interestingly, the first developer beta of iOS 26 already contained a bug that was able to prevent the start of the device. As Apple writes, “some” iPhone 15 and iPhone-16 models occurred that starting problems occurred with an empty battery (battery symbol). In the case, restoration was only possible via Mac or Windows (Apple device app)-using USB-C cable.

After that you could only import one update – and later carry out a restore of a backup. This shows that you should be careful with Betas. Apple starts its Public beta of iOS 26. Public preliminary versions are, at least mostly, more stable than developer betas.