iOS DFU Mode: Enter and Exit on iPhone 7/X/XS and iPad

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iOS DFU Mode: Enter and Exit on iPhone 7/X/XS and iPad

23 October 2023 Amanda J. Brook Senior Product Manager

Summary
Learn how to fix iPhone system failures with DFU mode. This article explains what DFU mode is, its functions, and step-by-step instructions to enter and exit DFU mode.

Table of contents CONTENTS

1. What is DFU mode

2. Under what circumstances do you need to enter DFU mode?

3. How to enter DFU mode on iPhone/iPad: ◆ A9 and older devices; ◆ A10 device; ◆ A11 and later devices

4. How to quickly exit DFU mode

5. Professional iOS system repair software: Renee iPassfix

For many senior fruit fans, the DFU mode must have been understood, but there are also many novice users who do not understand the DFU mode at all. DFU mode is one of the repair modes provided by Apple, which can solve the serious operating system failure of iPhone/iPad, and it is also a common operation for some advanced fruit fans to play with the machine. There are many teachings on the Internet about entering DFU mode that are not very detailed, and even confuse DFU mode with recovery. So the following will give a more in-depth introduction to what is DFU mode, under what circumstances you need to use it, and how to enter and exit DFU mode for different models of iPhones and iPads. For novice users, it is very difficult to use DFU mode to repair iOS system problems, and it is easy to make mistakes, so it is recommended for novice users to use Renee iPassFix software to solve.

I. What is DFU mode

DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) mode refers to the iOS device firmware update mode, which can be used in the forced downgrade mode of iPhone/iPad firmware. DFU mode is available for all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices and all versions of iOS, after entering this mode, the device can still be detected by iTunes. No matter what kind of device failure problem you encounter, even if the boot loader is damaged, you can use DFU mode to repair the device. DFU mode is burned into the hardware as part of SecureROM, it works without going through a bootloader, it cannot be updated, patched or disabled, and only accepts signed IPSW firmware packages. As long as Apple still signs the package, users can upgrade and downgrade the firmware at will, because there is no downgrade protection in DFU. When your iPhone/iPad device enters the DFU device, the screen of the device will be completely black, as shown in the figure below:

ios dfu mode

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II. Under what circumstances should enter DFU mode

You don’t need to use DFU mode to fix common problems with iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The DFU mode is when Apple considers that some serious failures that iOS devices may encounter in actual use (OTA upgrades or App errors cause serious system failures) cannot be repaired, so that the device can be from the bottom layer (without entering the iOS operating system) Refresh the entire iOS operating system, which is an advanced use. Overall, DFU mode is mostly used in case of bug fixes, updating or changing the firmware and iOS on the device.

dfu5

When one of the following situations occurs, you need to enter DFU mode for repair:

● iOS devices cannot access the system. For example, iPhone stuck in white Apple logo screen, or iPhone keeps restarting. In this case, you may want to try entering recovery mode first to fix it. But if it can’t be solved, then enter DFU mode.
● iPhone or iPad jailbroken or SIM card unlocked. In this case, you need to enter DFU mode and install the appropriate custom firmware to achieve this.
● Users can use DFU mode to upgrade or downgrade the operating system of iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
● Jailbreak or unjailbreak the device.
● Remove outdated beta versions of iOS.
● The data of the iOS device is corrupted to the point that it cannot operate normally.
● Upgrading to a newer version for some reason results in damage to the iOS device or the application does not work properly.

TipsWhen one of the above situations needs to enter the device into DFU mode, you need to be cautious when operating, and please think carefully before starting. Because when you use DFU mode to downgrade the operating system or jailbreak the device, it will violate Apple’s warranty and may damage the device. If you still want to continue to enter the DFU mode, you need to bear all risks.

Precautions for entering DFU mode:

● Before entering DFU mode, you need to pay attention that DFU mode will completely erase all personal data in the phone, including current settings, contacts, photos, music, videos, etc. All content in the iOS device will be deleted. Therefore, before entering the DFU mode to repair the phone, you need to make a data backup in advance and save important files to a safe place. For example, you can save iPhone/iPad file backups to your computer through iTunes. If there are no important files in your phone or iPad that do not need to be backed up, you can ignore this backup step.

● In addition, if you are confused about the repair operation of iOS devices, you’d better ask other professionals for help. Because this is a complex process that requires certain professional skills. If you already know the advantages and disadvantages, you can continue to view the introduction of the entry method of DFU mode below.

III. How to enter DFU mode on iPhone/iPad

Regarding the method of entering the DFU mode of iPhone/iPad, the method will be different between different models, you need to carefully read the entry method below. Entering DFU mode is complicated and requires precise timing. If you accidentally hold the button for more than a second, the device will reboot instead of entering DFU. It is important to note that before entering DFU mode, you need to open iTunes on your computer and ensure that it has been updated to the latest version. When you are in DFU mode, the iPhone screen will go completely black, but it can be detected by iTunes. Even if the screen is black, it doesn’t mean the device can’t connect with iTunes or a custom firmware client.

A9 and older devices (iPad, iPhone 6s and below, iPhone SE and iPod touch 6 and below)

On an iOS device that also has a mechanical Home button, you can enter the DFU mode in the following ways. For specific steps, please see the following introduction:

Here’s how to get in on A9 and older devices:

① Connect the device to the computer with a USB data cable, and turn off the iPhone/iPad.

② After turning off the power of the device, press and hold the “Power” button of the device for 3 seconds, then press the “Home button” of the device at the same time, and keep pressing the two buttons for 10 seconds. (If you see the Apple logo in the screen or it says Connect to iTunes, they have been held for too long and need to start over.)

③ Then release the “Power” button, but keep pressing the “Home” button for about 5 seconds. If the screen remains black with nothing on it, your iPad or iPhone should now be in DFU mode, and a pop-up window will pop up in iTunes. If there is no black screen and iTunes reminder at the same time, it proves that the login failed, please start again until the login is successful.

Replacement method:

① Press and hold the “Power” button for 3 seconds.

② Continue to hold down the “Power” button, and at the same time press and hold the “Home” button (15 seconds).

③ While continuing to hold down the “Home” button, release the “Power” button (10 seconds).

④ Finally your device should enter DFU mode.

A10 devices (iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPad 2018, iPod touch 7)

Models after iPhone 7 (including iPhone 7) use a non-physical Home button. Whether the Home button is pressed or not is judged by the program of the iOS operating system. When the iPhone encounters a serious failure and iOS cannot run normally, the system will naturally not be able to recognize it. Do you hold down the Home button, so the above method of entering DFU mode on iPhone is not applicable to iPhone7.

For the specific operation steps of iPhone7 and above devices, please see the following introduction:

The specific access method of A10 device is as follows:

① Connect the device to the computer with a USB data cable, and turn off the iPhone/iPad.

② Press and hold the “Power” button for 3 seconds, then press the “Volume -” button, and keep pressing the two buttons at the same time for 10 seconds.

③ Release the “Power” button, but keep pressing the “Volume -” button for 5 seconds. When the device is in DFU mode, nothing will be displayed on the screen. And iTunes on the computer will pop up a prompt to connect to an iPhone. If there is no black screen and iTunes reminder at the same time, it proves that the login failed, please start again until the login is successful.

A11 and later devices (iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro 2018, iPad Air 2019, iPad Mini 2019)

Phone 8 and higher version devices, please follow the video introduction below to operate:

The specific entry methods for A11 and later devices are as follows:

① Connect the device to the computer with a USB cable.

② Press the “Volume +” key, and then press the “Volume -” key.

③ Then press and hold the “Power” button, press the “Volume -” button at the same time when the device is black screen, press and hold the two buttons for 5 seconds.

④ After 5 seconds, release the “Power” button and continue to press the “Volume -” button.

⑤ Until iTunes pops up a prompt to detect an unknown device, and the device screen is completely black without displaying anything, then the device has successfully entered DFU mode. If there is no black screen and iTunes reminder at the same time, it proves that the login failed, please start again until the login is successful.

Tips What is recovery mode?

The recovery mode is also called the original mode or iBoot (the second stage bootloader) mode, which is the mode that enables the iOS device to interact with iTunes on the computer. After successfully entering the recovery mode, the iPhone screen will display the iTunes icon and the data cable logo. An iPhone can be restored using this mode, but only with the latest firmware for the iOS version. When the data on your iPhone is corrupted or the settings are corrupted, with iPhone recovery mode, you can also easily restore your iPhone to its previous state. iPhone recovery mode erases everything on your iPhone and restores your iPhone to the way it was when it was shipped from the factory. Recovery mode does not allow you to downgrade your device to an earlier iOS version. However, you can simply restore your iPhone, iPad Touch or iPad to the current firmware, or you can install updates using recovery mode. After entering the recovery mode, it will be as shown in the following figure:

dfu6

When your phone has the following conditions, please try to enter the recovery mode to recover:

● iTunes does not recognize your device.

● If your screen stays on the Apple logo for several minutes, it will not turn on at the same time.

● If you forget the unlock password, you can reset the device by entering recovery mode when the device is locked.

● Because you exceeded the maximum number of attempts to enter the device passcode, the device is locked and a “Connect to iTunes” message is displayed.

● The iOS device is having trouble installing an update.

● I want to restore the iOS device to factory settings after jailbreaking it.

What is the main difference between DFU mode and recovery mode?

The main difference between recovery mode and DFU mode is iBoot. Recovery Mode uses iBoot when restoring or upgrading iPhone, while DFU bypasses iBoot, so you can downgrade your current firmware because there is no iBoot agent during DFU mode. For most users, you can solve common system problems through Recovery Mode. The DFU mode is an advanced function, and it can solve more and more comprehensive system problems.

The method of entering DFU mode has been introduced above, so how to exit DFU mode? For detailed operation method, please read the following content introduction.

IV. How to quickly exit DFU mode

To get your iPhone/iPad device out of DFU mode, just force restart the device.

for iPad, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, and iPod touch , please press and hold the “Home” button and “Power” button for 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

for iPhone7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPad2018 and iPod touch7 , please press and hold the power button and volume down button at the same time for 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

for iPhone8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhoneX, iPhone XS and above devices , please quickly press the “Volume +” button, then quickly press the “Volume -” button, and then press and hold the side button until it restarts.

V. Professional iOS system repair software: Renee iPassfix

In addition to repairing a faulty iPhone through DFU mode, you can also use Renee iPassfix to fix it quickly. When you encounter various iOS system problems, you can try to use Renee iPassfix to help you solve them. This software can fix more than 50 kinds of iOS system problems, including iPhone/iPad stuck in recovery mode, DFU mode, reset boot, error 4013, black screen, white screen, screen freeze, etc. You don’t need to worry about data loss when you restore your iPhone. It can be turned on smoothly under the premise of ensuring the integrity of the data. The operation is simple and you can solve it with one click without professional skills.

There are many recovery tools on the Internet, but you need to choose and download carefully. For the sake of safety, it is recommended that you download Renee iPassfix, and you can click here for detailed software introduction. The software is compatible with any iOS device and the latest iOS system.