Difference Between Recovery Mode and DFU Mode on iPhone

The Main difference between the Recovery mode and DFU mode is iBoot. Recovery mode uses iBoot during
restoring or upgrading your iPhone while DFU mode bypasses the iBoot so you can downgrade the current
firmware because there is no iBoot agent during the DFU mode. About iBoot, iBoot is the bootloader on iPhone
OS devices. iBoot acts on restore while iPhone is in Recovery Mode, iBoot makes sure that you are flashing a
firmware version greater than or equal to a current one. If you are not, iBoot will not allow the restore to
proceed. Because of this, firmware downgrading must be done in DFU mode.This means if you need to restore
your iPhone to current version simply put the iPhone in recovery mode and iTunes takes care of the rest but if
you need to downgrade your current firmware to lower one you need to put your iPhone in DFU mode. For
example you can’t downgrade Firmware 3.0 to Firmware 2.2.1 without entering in to DFU Mode.

Recovery Mode : Recovery Mode is a state of iBoot that is used during standard upgrades and restores. As iBoot
is active, it does not allow you to downgrade your device’s software. Also, unless it is ‘pwned,’ it will not allow
custom firmware to be flashed.

DFU Mode : DFU Mode is a special mode where the device can still interface with iTunes, yet it does not load
the iBoot. The screen will appear totally black in DFU mode, so you can’t guess whether the device is in DFU or
powered down from simply looking at the screen. Because iBoot and the OS are not loaded this exploit makes us
able to downgrade your iPhone firmware or upgrade with a custom firmware created by Pwnage tool.

How to put your iPhone in recovery mode :

1. Turn the device completely off and disconnect it from cable/dock.

2. Hold down the home button.
3. While holding down the home button connect to a computer with a cable (easiest) or dock.
4. Keep holding down the home button until you see a connect-to-itunes screen You are now in recovery mode.

To escape Recovery Mode and power the phone off simply hold down power and home buttons for ten seconds.

How to put your iPhone in DFU mode :

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer.

2. Turn iPhone off.
3. Hold power and home together for 10 seconds (exactly).
4. Release power but keep holding home until the computers beeps (observed on a PC) as a USB device is
recognized.
5. A few seconds later iTunes should detect your iPhone.
6. If the Restore Logo is present on the screen, you are in Recovery Mode, not DFU.

To escape DFU Mode and power the phone off simply hold down power and home buttons for ten seconds.

ou are confusing two different recovery processes, I think.

Restore Mode
1) Unplug iPhone from the computer (by taking the sync cable out of the computer
but keeping the cable connected to your phone) and turn it off. If stuck at reboot
screen hold home & power together until it is shut down.
2) Hold down the home button and plug your iPhone into your computer.
3) iTunes will see an iPhone in recovery mode and allow you to restore.
DFU Mode
1) Turn off your iPhone but remain attached to your computer.
2) Press and hold home and power buttons together for 10 seconds.
3) On 10, release power but continue holding home for 10 seconds more.
4) iTunes will see the iPhone in recovery mode and let you restore.

The Difference
In restore mode you will see the iTunes icon and usb plug icon on your iPhone
screen. In DFU, your screen will be blank.
DFU mode allows you to restore you device without loading the OS. You must use
DFU if you want to downgrade firmware. I prefer it because it is a more "complete"
restore of the firmware.

[FW 2.x](2G&3G) DFU and recovery mode (getting in and out of)
Simple recovery/restore mode and DFU are two of the essential modes we need every now and
then to archive firmware upgrades and downgrades. Sometimes we have to kick the iPhone out
of these modes.

Up to firmware 1.1.4 we had a great helper in iLiberty, for firmware 2.x on 2G and 3G iPhones
there are easy manual steps. I have just put them together as a reference.

Get the iPhone into simple restore/recovery mode. When in this mode on the iPhone the
iTunes logo and the USB cable is shown (Apple default), or "Steve" (Standard Pwnage) or your
custom recovery logo.
1. Disconnect iPhone from your PC/Mac if not done already.
2. Hold Power/Sleep until the red slider shows up, slide to shut the iPhone down. If this aint
work hold Power/Sleep and Home until the iPhone shuts down. Put it aside.
3. Start iTunes on your PC/Mac and make sure to have the latest version.
4. On the iPhone press Home button and keep holding it while connecting the iPhone to your
PC/Mac.
5. iTunes will detect an iPhone in recovery mode, the iPhone shown the recovery logo.

Get the iPhone into DFU mode. When in this mode the iPhone screen is black.
1. Connect the iPhone and your Mac/PC
2. Shut down iTunes
3. Hold Power/Sleep until the red slider shows up, slide to shut the iPhone down. If this aint
work hold Power/Sleep and Home until the iPhone shuts down.
3. Hold Start/Sleep and Home for 10 seconds (I count like 100, 200, 300, ..)
4. Let go of Start/Sleep but keep holding Home until...
5. ... iTunes starts up and finds an iPhone in restore/recovery mode. The iPhone screen is black.
Kick the iPhone out of simple restore/recovery mode and make it reboot.
1. Connect iPhone and your PC/Mac, quit iTunes.
2. Hold Start/Sleep and Home for 10 seconds (I always count 100, 200, 300,...)
3. Let go of Home button but keep holding Start/Sleep until the Apple logo on the iPhone screen
shows up.
4. Let go of Start/Sleep, the iPhone will boot

Kick the iPhone out of DFU mode and make it reboot. I always disconnect iPhone and
Mac/PC but can be done even when connected.
1. Hold Start/Sleep and Home until the Apple logo shows up on the iPhone screen. This may
take up to 30-60 seconds.
2. Let go of both buttons, the iPhone will reboot.