iPhone DFU Mode – iPhone is disabled

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This video will show you how to put an iOS device into DFU Mode & fix the error iPhone is disabled.

Hi All,
I always get allot of questions on what to do if an iDevice Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod has been locked and the device gives and error the “iPhone is disabled“. Basically, you cannot remember the password and get access to the device.
This happened to me recently, when I switched from an Apple iPhone 4S to the new Samsung Galaxy S5. Because I had not used my old iPhone in a long time. I could not remember what passcode I had set on the device.

iPhone is disabled

The Official Apple process suggests an Erase and restore method. This erases all data on the idevice, so be aware that you will lose contacts, pictures and any other personal data on the device. Apple say that once you erase the device you can restore the data from iCloud, if you were lucky enough to have an iCloud account or if you have made an iTunes back up then you can do an iTunes restore of the data.

For me I figured if I didn’t need to access any of the data on the phone for such a long time, Then I probably wouldn’t need it after all. So in the video above I just do a clean install of iOS.

iPhone DFU Mode – which stands for Device Firmware Upgrade, allows the device to be flashed with a new version of iOS. Just bare in mind that Apple only allows you to upgrade your iOS version. You cannot go sideways or down in versions, as a general rule.
In the video example above, I had to use iPhone DFU Mode to upgrade the device from iOS 7 to iOS 8. Once I do this upgrade it is very hard if not impossible to roll back this change.

A complete list on the iPhone DFU Mode firmware can be found on the following 123myIT.com pages below.
iPhone
iPod
iPad

Good luck
Matt

24 thoughts on “iPhone DFU Mode – iPhone is disabled”

  3. Hi Team,

    Is it possible to back up my file using DFU mode on diff itunes without icloud? i forgot my password and got disabled. also i forgot my icloud password we just created it out of nowhere. my data is more important. so is it possible?

    Thanks

    Reply ↓

  4. Hello, My Iphone 6 change its status to searching service; after this came, I tried restarting my Iphone for a few times before taking the sim card out, but it would only keep on searching service. I thought a solution would be to restore the phone, but now my phone would go on itunes like:
    Extracting software successfully
    Verifying software successfully
    Restoring Iphone software successfully
    Verifying Iphone software successfully
    Restoring Iphone firmware failed, and it pops error 52, I don’t know what to do; I’ve been searching for potential solutions, but the only ones I find are to use on windows, and I use OS from apple.
    Please help

    Reply ↓

  7. hello bro,
    Downloaded the correct firmware, but now it gives me iTunes error 1

    Iphone 6
    A1586

    P.S. The shift button didn’t work but the option button.

    Thanks

    Reply ↓

      • After further search I found out that it is the baseband modem causing (-1) error. Some people say you need to Reball baseband. Not something I want to do..there was a time when I loved tinkering with stuff but not anymore. Plus I don’t have the tools. Upon further research some say it can be reattached/reballed by heating the outside with a hair dyer. Which is what I am trying…I’ll let you know if it works…cheers

        Reply ↓

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