iPhone Stuck In DFU Mode, How To Fix it

Is your iPhone stuck in DFU Mode? Here’s a step by step guide on possible solutions to fixing an iPhone stuck in DFU mode. Check it out!

In this article, MacSecurity will show you what to do if your iPhone is stuck in DFU mode and how to fix this error.

iPhones are some of the best built mobile devices on the market right now but even iPhones like all other phones and operating systems need firmware upgrades from time to time, this is to better the operating system and hence user experience and also to fix minor bugs in the software.

But all electronics however perfect they are do run into problems sometimes, these can be hardware or software related. When it comes to iPhones hardware problems are very rare, unless you drop or spill some liquid on your iPhone.

Firmware updates are released by Apple on occasion to keep their products up to date with the latest editions of their software. This is also done to fix any bugs if any had been found. Apple products and some of the safest and most secure out there, this is partly due to Apple’s integrated system that links all your Apple devices to a single ecosystem.

Even software and hardware from Apple, however good it may be it can run into tiny issues once in a while. iPhones getting stuck in Device Firmware Update Mode is one of the problems some users face. This can occur due to a few reasons, software updates and software rollbacks are the most common, if you are trying to jailbreak your iPhone it can happen as well.

Some users have also reported their iPhones getting stuck in Device Firmware Update mode when they simply just open the update tab.

iPhone Stuck In DFU Mode How To Fix

Some models of the iPhone like the 8, X, XR, XS, and 11 seem to face this problem more than other models. If your iPhone gets stuck in DFU mode you will not be able to see anything on the screen, it will just appear blank, despite this you will still be able to connect to your Mac.

If your iPhone does get stuck during an update that could have been automatic as well, do not worry, this happens to many iPhone users, and there are simple, easy fixes you can do in no time.

In this article, we will discuss all the different methods you can solve the issue of your iPhone getting stuck in Device Firmware Update mode. So continue reading below to fix this problem with a few simple steps.

What Is DFU Mode?

When it comes to Apple iPhones and their iOS there are three different types of restoration you can perform, a standard restoration with iTunes, through Recovery mode and the least heard of the DFU restore.

The DFU restore unlike the others is the hardest to perform due to the number of keys it involves, it is also the most thorough restore you can perform and therefore has the most chance of solving your device issues.

Device Firmware Update or DFU mode in short is a system recovery mechanism that Apple builds into some of its products like iPhones and iPads. When compared to other recovery modes this is the best one for when you encounter major problems with your iPhone. It will solve almost all software issues.

DFU mode is software itself and is part of the iOS in order to fix issues that can arise with your iPhone when upgrading or rolling back your device firmware.

Reasons To use DFU Mode

If you are going to try and fix a serious software glitch using DFU mode is better than Recovery mode but only for major issues.
To roll back or upgrade your device software.
Those users who also wish to Jailbreak their devices can use this mode.
To a certain extent, it can solve hardware problems too, not from physical damage of course but if that piece of hardware is not functioning due to issues with the iOS.

Potential Reasons iPhones Get Stuck In DFU Mode

Though Apple has put the DFU Mode there for fixing problems, sometimes it can turn out to be a problem itself and cause the iPhone to just hang in that mode.

Just trying to activate the DFU mode is so complex and tough to do that it is very difficult to get it right on the first try.

To go into DFU mode requires a series of various button combinations to allow access to it. If you make a mistake while trying to enter this combination you can lock your device in DFU mode.

There can sometimes be small bugs in the firmware update and when in DFU mode this can disrupt the recovery procedure and get your iPhone stuck in DFU mode.

If this happens, there is no need to bother too much because there are fixes that you can do yourself and do not need to take the device in for any repairs.

Methods To Fix iPhone Stuck In DFU Mode

If you ever experience your Apple device getting stuck in DFU Mode, the different methods you can use to solve this problem are listed below.

Method 1: Perform A Hard Reset

When your device is stuck in DFU mode, the first and the simplest to do among all the methods involves performing a hard reset on your device.

Each Apple product has a different way to run a force restart, So depending on which device of yours is stuck, follow that product’s hard to reset method. The ways to reset some Apple products have been listed below.

iPads

For iPad models that do not have a home button,

Press and release the volume up button.
Then quickly press and release the volume down button.
After that, press and hold the top button until you see the device restart.

For iPad models with a home button,

Press and hold both the home button and the top button until you see the Apple logo, this will mean your iPad is rebooting.

iPhone 12, 11, XR, XS, And X Models

To perform a hard reset on these iPhone models,

First press the Volume Up button for a couple of seconds and release it.
Next, quickly press the Volume Down button for another couple of seconds and release.
When the Volume Down button is released, press the power button for around 10 seconds, you should now see the Apple logo should appear on the screen, and when you do, you can release the button.

This will put the iPhone into a hard restart and your iPhone will reboot.

How to fix iPhone 8 And The iPhone SE 2020 Stuck in DFU mode

These two models from Apple are similar in many ways and also share the same hard reset patterns. Even though these two iPhones both have home buttons these are not hardware controlled and hence cannot be used for the hard reset process.

To do a hard reset on these models,

First, press and hold the volume up button for a few seconds and release it.
Next, press and hold the volume down button for a couple of seconds.
When you have released the volume down button, press and hold the button on the side, this is also called the power button.
Once the Apple logo appears, release the side button, this will start the rebooting process for your iPhone 8 and SE.

How to fix iPhone stuck in DFU mode – iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus

The iPhone 7 has a home button, but even here the home button has no role in performing a force restart. To begin a hard restart,

Press and hold the side/power button and the volume button simultaneously until you see the Apple logo on the screen.

This will hard reset the iPhone.

iPhone stuck in DFU mode – iPhone 6 s And iPhone SE 2016

Both these iPhones have home buttons, these are used in the reboot process. To begin,

Press and hold the home button and the power button simultaneously.

The power button on the iPhone SE 2016 model is located on the top of the phone and on the iPhone 6 s it is on the side of the device.

Hold down both buttons until you see the Apple logo appear on the screen. The iPhone will now reboot.

Method 2: Restore With iTunes

If for some reason you were not able to perform a hard reset to fix your iPhone, you can always try to use iTunes to restore your phone. It is easy to do and takes only a few simple steps.

To use iTunes to restore your device you will need to have a computer with iTunes installed, it can be a Mac or Windows, preferably Mac. To begin the restoration process follow the steps below.

It is important to note that running this restore will erase all data and settings from your iPhone. iTunes will back up this data before beginning the restore, so you will be able to restore it at a later date.

First, launch iTunes on your computer and update it to the latest version if it is not.
Next, connect your iPhone to the computer using an original lightning cable.
You should now see an icon on the screen representing your iPhone, Since your iPhone is stuck in DFU mode, iTunes will identify this and prompt you to restore it before allowing you access to it.
Now, select the recover option and click OK and then confirm the action. iTunes will now begin the restore process and roll it back to factory settings. All your data will be erased at this point, so don’t forget to create your backup before you begin the restore.

Method 3: Restore With Third Party Software

This is another way to restore your iPhone, but unlike the above, it involves using a third party software such as iMyFone, Dr. Fone or UltFone. With the help of these softwares, you can fix and restore your iPhone, even when it is stuck in DFU Mode.

To use one of these software’s, just download the one you want from the respective website and install it on your computer.

Connect your iPhone and you will be able to use the software to restore, fix or update your phone. This software will not erase your data as iTunes does.

iPhone Stuck In DFU Mode, How To Fix - Conclusion

Apple has a complex OS with different recovery modes for its user’s benefit. DFU is the most effective against software issues but sometimes becomes the issue itself, if you face this problem we hope the above information helps you solve it, in the rare case it does not, it is recommended you take your device into the Apple store to avoid further damage.

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