
iTunes cannot restore iPhone not enough space on iPhone
Trying to restore from backup, the process starts in iTunes, the iPhone
restarts, but then I get an error message: iTunes could not restore the iPhone
because not enough free space is available on the iPhone. Does anyone know how to
fix this?
- Question from Reddit
Generally, there are three situations when we choose to restore iTunes backup to iPhone: get
back lost iPhone data; fix iOS problems; transfer data to new iPhone. However, various iTunes restore
problems happening now and then, which prevents us from successfully completing the
restoration.
This time you get a message says that iTunes could not restore iPhone because not enough free
space on iPhone like the user mentioned above. You have received this message even if there
is enough space to restore the backup file. Well, no matter what the situation, keep reading
to see how to fix this error.
Solutions to iTunes Cannot Restore iPhone Not Enough Space on iPhone Error
Below are all the solutions that can help fix “iTunes cannot restore iPhone not enough space on iPhone” issue. Or if you feel tired of fixing this error, you can go to the next part to get one iTunes alternative to help you backup and restore iPhone easily.
Solution 1. Check iPhone Storage Space
Since it says that “iTunes could not restore the iPhone because not enough free space is
available on the iPhone”, the first thing you should do is to check your iPhone storage
space. Go to Settings > General > Storage
& iCloud Usage to see how much storage space is available on your device.
- If you find the available space is indeed not enough, you may need to free up storage
space. You can delete old photos, videos, songs, messages, not commonly used apps, etc.
- If the backup is not larger than the available space on your iPhone but gets the error
messages, it seems that the problem is caused by other reasons. In this case, please try the
following methods to fix it.
Solution 2. Restart Your Computer and iPhone
Sometimes a simple restart can solve the problem. Disconnect your iPhone from computer and
restart your computer and iPhone. Then run iTunes again to have a try.
Solution 3. Update iTunes & iOS to the Latest Version
It’s recommended to keep iTunes and iOS up-to-date. The old version of software can cause
many problems. So you may try to update iTunes and iOS to the latest version to help solve
the “iTunes cannot restore iPhone not enough space on iPhone” problem.
▲ Update iTunes
- Click Help on the menu bar on Windows or click iTunes on
Mac > Select Check for Updates > If there’s a new version, follow the
prompts to make it.
- You can also choose to uninstall iTunes from computer and then download the latest version
from the Apple website.

▲ Update iOS
- Make it on device: Go to Settings >General > Software Update > Tap Download and
Install.
- Make it via iTunes: Run iTunes > Plug in your iPhone > Click theDevice tab > Click Check for Update onSummary page > Click Download and Update button on the
prompt window.
Solution 4. Check Security Settings
The iTunes cannot restore iPhone not enough space on iPhone error may be caused by the
security software that installed on your computer or iPhone. The security software may
prevent you from restoring your iPhone from the iTunes backup. You can go to have a check
the settings of the apps and disable some options or uninstall the security software if
necessary.
Bonus Tip: An Easy iPhone Backup & Restore Tool
Although the above methods can help you solve iTunes cannot restore iPhone not enough space
on iPhone problem, you may meet other errors next time when using iTunes. It’s kind of
annoying to solve such a problem. In order to not troubled by these problems, you may try
another tool to backup your iPhone.
AOMEI MBackupper,
one free PC-based iPhone backup manager is recommended here. It provides an easy iPhone data
backup & restore solution. Compared to iTunes, it's more flexible and safer.
- iTunes will not let you choose what you would like to backup/restore but AOMEI MBackupper supports.
- iTunes will not allow you to
view the backup files but AOMEI MBackupper supports.
- iTunes will erase the existing data on
your device during restore but AOMEI MBackupper will not.

The user-friendly interface also makes it possible for everyone to handle. Get the tool to
explore it by yourself. For the detailed guide, you can click
here to learn more.

Fully compatible with most all types of iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and latest iOS 14 (also compatible with older iOS versions) and Win 10/8.1/8/7. Always keep your data safe.
Conclusion
That’s all for how to fix the iTunes cannot restore iPhone not enough space on iPhone issue.
Does this passage solve your problem? If so, you could share it to help more people. Or if
you have any other idea, just leave a comment to discuss with us.