diff --git a/lib/backup/use-user-data-restore.js b/lib/backup/use-user-data-restore.js
--- a/lib/backup/use-user-data-restore.js
+++ b/lib/backup/use-user-data-restore.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
           `Main database version (${mainDatabaseVersion}) is lower than restored` +
             `database version (${restoredDatabaseVersion}), aborting`,
         );
-        return;
+        throw new Error('backup_is_newer');
       }
 
       // 3. Check store versions and migrate if needed
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
           `Main store version (${mainStoreVersion}) is lower than restored` +
             `store version (${restoredStoreVersion}), aborting`,
         );
-        return;
+        throw new Error('backup_is_newer');
       }
 
       // 4. Copy content to main database
diff --git a/lib/components/secondary-device-qr-auth-context-provider.react.js b/lib/components/secondary-device-qr-auth-context-provider.react.js
--- a/lib/components/secondary-device-qr-auth-context-provider.react.js
+++ b/lib/components/secondary-device-qr-auth-context-provider.react.js
@@ -204,9 +204,10 @@
           'Error when restoring User Data',
           getMessageForException(e) ?? 'unknown error',
         );
+        onLogInError(e);
       }
     },
-    [addLog, userDataRestore],
+    [addLog, onLogInError, userDataRestore],
   );
 
   const tunnelbrokerMessageListener = React.useCallback(
diff --git a/native/account/restore.js b/native/account/restore.js
--- a/native/account/restore.js
+++ b/native/account/restore.js
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 import { useClientBackup } from '../backup/use-client-backup.js';
 import { rawGetDeviceListsForUsers } from '../identity-service/identity-service-context-provider.react.js';
 import { commCoreModule } from '../native-modules.js';
+import { backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails } from '../utils/alert-messages.js';
+import Alert from '../utils/alert.js';
 
 function useRestoreProtocol(): (
   // username or wallet address
@@ -209,11 +211,18 @@
         }
         const backupData = await commCoreModule.getQRAuthBackupData();
         await userDataRestore(backupData, identityAuthResult);
-      } catch (e) {
+      } catch (error) {
+        const messageForException = getMessageForException(error);
         addLog(
           'Error when restoring User Data',
-          getMessageForException(e) ?? 'unknown error',
+          messageForException ?? 'unknown error',
         );
+        if (messageForException === 'backup_is_newer') {
+          Alert.alert(
+            backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails.title,
+            backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails.message,
+          );
+        }
       }
     },
     [addLog, userDataRestore],
diff --git a/native/utils/alert-messages.js b/native/utils/alert-messages.js
--- a/native/utils/alert-messages.js
+++ b/native/utils/alert-messages.js
@@ -47,6 +47,15 @@
     'Failed to contact Comm services. Please check your network connection.',
 };
 
+const backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails: AlertDetails = {
+  title: 'App out of date',
+  message:
+    `Your app version is pretty old, and restoring your data is not ` +
+    `possible. Please use the ${platformStore} to update, and then ` +
+    `we'll restore all your data. If you don't want to do it now, ` +
+    `you can still use your app.`,
+};
+
 const getFarcasterAccountAlreadyLinkedAlertDetails = (
   commUsername: ?string,
 ): AlertDetails => ({
@@ -63,5 +72,6 @@
   userNotFoundAlertDetails,
   unknownErrorAlertDetails,
   networkErrorAlertDetails,
+  backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails,
   getFarcasterAccountAlreadyLinkedAlertDetails,
 };
diff --git a/native/utils/qr-code-utils.js b/native/utils/qr-code-utils.js
--- a/native/utils/qr-code-utils.js
+++ b/native/utils/qr-code-utils.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import * as AES from './aes-crypto-module.js';
 import {
   appOutOfDateAlertDetails,
+  backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails,
   networkErrorAlertDetails,
   unknownErrorAlertDetails,
 } from './alert-messages.js';
@@ -75,6 +76,11 @@
       networkErrorAlertDetails.title,
       networkErrorAlertDetails.message,
     );
+  } else if (messageForException === 'backup_is_newer') {
+    Alert.alert(
+      backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails.title,
+      backupIsNewerThanAppAlertDetails.message,
+    );
   } else {
     Alert.alert(
       unknownErrorAlertDetails.title,
diff --git a/web/utils/qr-code-utils.js b/web/utils/qr-code-utils.js
--- a/web/utils/qr-code-utils.js
+++ b/web/utils/qr-code-utils.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import { getMessageForException } from 'lib/utils/errors.js';
 
 import { base64DecodeBuffer, base64EncodeBuffer } from './base64-utils.js';
+import { getBackupIsNewerThanAppError } from './version-utils.js';
 import Alert from '../modals/alert.react.js';
 import VersionUnsupportedModal from '../modals/version-unsupported-modal.react.js';
 
@@ -74,6 +75,9 @@
             connection.
           </Alert>,
         );
+      } else if (messageForException === 'backup_is_newer') {
+        const message = getBackupIsNewerThanAppError();
+        pushModal(<Alert title="App out of date">{message}</Alert>);
       } else {
         pushModal(<Alert title="Unknown error">Uhh... try again?</Alert>);
       }
diff --git a/web/utils/version-utils.js b/web/utils/version-utils.js
--- a/web/utils/version-utils.js
+++ b/web/utils/version-utils.js
@@ -15,6 +15,20 @@
   );
 }
 
+function getBackupIsNewerThanAppError(): string {
+  const actionRequestMessage = isDesktopPlatform(
+    getConfig().platformDetails.platform,
+  )
+    ? 'Please reload the app'
+    : 'Please refresh the page';
+  return (
+    `Your app version is pretty old, and restoring your data is not ` +
+    `possible. ${actionRequestMessage} to update, and then we'll restore ` +
+    `all your data. If you don't want to do it now, you can still ` +
+    `use your app.`
+  );
+}
+
 function getShortVersionUnsupportedError(): string {
   const actionRequestMessage = isDesktopPlatform(
     getConfig().platformDetails.platform,
@@ -24,4 +38,8 @@
   return `client version unsupported. ${actionRequestMessage}`;
 }
 
-export { getVersionUnsupportedError, getShortVersionUnsupportedError };
+export {
+  getVersionUnsupportedError,
+  getShortVersionUnsupportedError,
+  getBackupIsNewerThanAppError,
+};