DFU mode: what is it on iPhone. Possible ways to enter iPhone into DFU mode Entering DFU mode

Has your Apple smartphone suddenly turned into a brick? Then the first thing you need to do is put the device into a special low-level recovery mode called DFU (Device Firmware Update).

In contact with

What is DFU mode?

DFU Mode– a special low-level device mode in which the operating system is not loaded. Using a USB connection, only technical information signals are sent to the device.

Previously, DFU mode was used mainly on the first versions of the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Currently, DFU mode is only used when restoring an iOS device that is protected by a password lock (not to be confused with Find My iPhone Activation Lock), as in recent years hackers have been releasing tools that require minimal user interaction.

The device is in DFU mode and does not display anything on the screen. display completely black.

Once the computer recognizes the device is in DFU mode, the message “ The computer detected the iPhone in recovery mode...".

Since 2007, as iOS devices have evolved, Apple has changed the process for putting iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch into DFU mode three times. At the moment there are three instructions, each of which corresponds to a specific device.

How to enter iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6 Plus into DFU Mode

1 . On a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 (or later macOS): launch Finder app launch iTunes ().

2 . Connect your device to your computer using a cable.

3 . Press the buttons simultaneously Home + Inclusions until the device screen goes dark (10-15 seconds).


4 . After one second, after the device screen goes dark, release the button Inclusions, but keep holding the button Home within 15 seconds.

Once the device is in DFU mode, iTunes or whatever program you are using will notify you with a message that the device is in recovery mode. In this case, you can begin the recovery procedure.

How to remove iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6 Plus from DFU Mode

To exit DFU mode, simply press and hold down the buttons simultaneously Inclusions And Home for 10-15 seconds until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

How to Enter iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus into DFU Mode

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the only Apple smartphones that have received a second modification to the process to enable DFU mode.

1. Connect iPhone 7 to your Mac or Windows computer using a cable;

2. On a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 (or later macOS): launch Finder app. On a Mac running macOS Mojave 10.14 or older macOS, or on a Windows PC launch iTunes ().

3. Turn off your iPhone;

4. Press and hold the power button located on the right iPhone for 2 seconds;

5. While holding the Power button, press and hold the Volume Down button located on the left;

6. Hold both buttons for 10 seconds.

7. Release the Power button while continuing to hold the Volume Down button for another five seconds;

8. If the display still remains off, which means the device has entered DFU mode. In this case, a notification will appear on the computer that a connected iPhone 7 has been detected, after which it can be restored.

Note: If the Apple logo appears on the screen, it means that you held the buttons for too long and you need to try again;

In DFU mode the screen should not display anything (just a black display).

9. Note: if any logos appear on the screen (Apple, iTunes with cable, etc.), then you have activated recovery mode, not DFU. If it works, great. If not, try enabling DFU mode again.

How to get iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus out of DFU Mode

To exit DFU on iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, hold down the Volume Down button and the Power button until the Apple logo appears on the phone screen.

How to Enter iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max into DFU Mode

1. On a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 (or later macOS): launch Finder app. On a Mac running macOS Mojave 10.14 or older macOS, or on a Windows PC launch iTunes ().

2. Connect the turned on iPhone to the computer on which iTunes is installed using a cable.

3. Press the button Increase sound

4. Press the button Decrease sound on the left side panel, then release it.

5. Press and hold the Power button until the iPhone screen turns black. This usually takes about 10 seconds.

6. Without releasing the Power button, press and hold the Decrease sound– within 5 seconds.

7. Release the Power button but continue to hold the button Decrease sound for about 10 seconds.

8. iTunes (or the Finder app on macOS Catalina and newer macOS) will notify you that the program has found your iPhone in Recovery Mode.

That's it - your iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have entered DFU (black screen) mode! Now you can start restoring or updating it.

If, after all the manipulations you have done, you do not see a notification on your computer, it means that an error was made somewhere. Re-read the instructions again - this time as carefully as possible - and try again.

How to Exit DFU Mode on iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max

If you entered DFU not to restore the firmware of your iPhone, but for something else (for example, just try how to enter the mode) and have already finished your business, you can exit it like this:

1. Press and quickly release the button Increase volume.

2. Press and quickly release the button Decrease volume.

3. Press and hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

Updating iOS devices is very simple - just press one button in the settings, enter the password and the device will be updated to the latest version. However, things do not always go smoothly, and glitches occur when updating the firmware. Problems can especially often arise among owners of jailbroken devices, those who installed Jailbreak. For all cases when the iPhone or iPad behaves incorrectly, you can restore the device through DFU mode.

DFU mode or Device Firmware Update is a clean installation of the iOS operating system on the iPhone. It is activated using a computer. Therefore, even if a system crash disrupts the screen and you cannot interact with the device normally, there will be no problems during recovery.

After restoring your iPhone via DFU, the device will be updated to the latest available version of iOS, and all data from the device will be deleted. Therefore, it is very important that you have iCloud backup enabled on your device. Then you can easily restore your data.

Before using DFU

DFU mode is a powerful tool for returning iPhone to working condition in case of system errors. However, it is not always necessary. Before installing a system from scratch and losing all your data (if you don't have a backup), try the following methods.

Sometimes it is enough to force a reboot of the device. On iPhone versions 6S and lower, rebooting is carried out by simultaneously pressing and holding the Home button and the power button. On iPhone 7 – Home button and Volume down button. On iPhone 8, X, XS – press the volume up button once, press the volume down button once and then hold down the power button. Hold until an apple appears on the screen.

If restarting your device doesn't help, try recovery mode. This way you will not lose personal data (even if there is no backup) and you will be able to restore the device. Here everything is done exactly the same as when rebooting the device. However, the iPhone must be connected to the computer via Lightning.

Important point. Before connecting the device to the computer, iTunes must be closed. You need to launch it after connecting.

How to put iPhone into DFU mode

In order to put your iPhone into DFU mode, iTunes must be installed on your computer. In the case of a Mac, it is already pre-installed, but in the case of Windows, you need to download and install it yourself.

  1. Turn off your iPhone, connect it to your computer using a cable, and launch iTunes.
  2. After that, press and hold the power button and the “Home” button on the device for 10 seconds.
  3. Then release the power button, but Home should remain pressed.
  4. Wait another 15 seconds.

If everything is successful, a message should appear on the computer screen: iPhone detected in recovery mode. At the same time, the iPhone will not show any signs.

To enter DFU mode on the iPhone X, XS and XS Max or new iPads, you need to follow all the same steps, only replace the Home button with the volume down key.

There will be a card with your device on the computer screen. Here you just need to click the “Restore iPhone” button to start the process of installing the latest version of the system.

How to exit DFU mode

To wake your iPhone from DFU mode, you must hold the Home button and the power button for 10 seconds (on devices without a Home button, the volume down button). Then press the power button once (the Home button should no longer be pressed). The Apple logo will appear on the device screen, indicating that the device is starting to start.

Beginning iPhone and iPad users often encounter difficulties in the process of flashing the iPhone and updating iOS to the latest version. This is especially true for owners of jailbroken iPhones, whose flashing from iOS sometimes causes iTunes errors. In this manual we will introduce you, dear readers, to what DFU mode iPhone, what is it for, how to enter DFU mode and what to do if the iPhone is “stuck” in this mode and will not boot.

What is DFU mode on iPhone?

DFU mode (Device Firmware Update) is a device firmware update mode. Refers to emergency modes and is recognized by iTunes when connecting an iPhone or iPad to a computer using a USB cable as a recovery mode.

It differs from Recovery Mode in that in this mode the device does not show visible signs of life (the control buttons do not work, there is no image on the display).

In this mode, the iDevice operates without loading the operating system shell, so no picture is visible on the iPhone display and the device does not react in any way to pressing the “Power” and “Home” buttons separately.

Why do you need DFU mode in iPhone, for example?

DFU mode is used to restore or update iPhone firmware (aka iOS) in cases where standard iTunes tools cannot perform the necessary operation.

In some cases, DFU mode can fix a system crash in your iPhone, allowing the device to reboot normally.

How to put iPhone into DFU mode?

The DFU mode in both the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4, and in any other mobile device from Apple (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad) is launched exactly the same:

  1. Connect your iDevice to your computer (it can be a Windows PC or Mac).
  2. or press and hold the “ Home" And " Power"for 10 seconds.
  3. After 10 seconds release the "Power" button, wherein keep holding the Home button pressed.
  4. Hold down the Home button until the computer recognizes the iPhone in DFU mode.

DFU login process. Click to enlarge

Let us remind you that it will not be possible to recognize the DFU mode in an iPhone by external signs; in this mode, it does not respond to single button presses and the display does not work.

It’s good when the iPhone is working and all the controls work, but it also happens that one of the “Home”, “Power” buttons or both do not work at once, what should I do? In this case, our instructions “or Power, or both at once” will be useful to you.

Video “How to enter iPhone into DFU mode”

How to recognize DFU mode?

DFU in an iPhone or iPad can only be recognized when the device is connected to a computer and only using a USB cable. It is the computer that will notify the user about the device firmware update mode. iTunes recognizes "Device Firmware Update" mode as recovery mode.

Recovery mode or DFU warning when connected to iTunes

This is what the device looks like in recovery mode or DFU iTunes

How to get iPhone/iPad out of DFU mode?

If the computer recognizes the iPhone, for example, in firmware update mode (aka DFU), in order to get the device out of this mode, you need to perform a “cold restart” of the iPhone.

To do this, simultaneously press and hold down the “Power” and “Home” buttons for about 10 seconds. Then briefly press the iPhone's power button (aka Power). A company logo should appear on the device’s screen, which is evidence that the device boots in normal mode.

Finally

DFU mode in an iPhone or any other device running iOS is extremely useful; it allows you to restore the device to its working state in the event of any system failure, restore the firmware or update iOS to the latest version, bypassing the normal mode. If your device refuses to boot in normal mode or when restoring/updating the firmware from normal mode using iTunes, a system error occurs, just enter it into DFU mode and perform a firmware recovery or update in this mode.

DFU mode is an option where you can turn on your iPhone in a configuration that allows it to interact with iTunes, but won't load its operating system or bootloader (this is what really differentiates it from recovery mode). We can say that entering it means updating the device's firmware.

What is DFU mode usually used for?

The main reason why people need to switch to DFU mode on their mobiles is because they need to change the firmware on the device. This can happen for various reasons: the need to return the iPhone and its operating system to its previous state, or to use those required for jailbreaking or SIM unlocking. For example, if you installed a new version of iPhone OS, and then decided that the previous one is preferable for you, you need to reset the new installation using DFU mode.

How to enter DFU mode on iPhone?

Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch iTunes. Turn off your smartphone (hold the power button on the top of your mobile). Press and hold the Power or Sleep button at the same time as the Home button for exactly 10 seconds, and then release the former. Continue holding Home until iTunes displays a message indicating that your iPhone in recovery mode has been detected.

When you enter DFU mode, the iPhone screen will be completely black.

Even though the screen goes dark, it doesn't mean the device can't sync with iTunes or another service (for jailbreaking, etc.).

Remember that if you see the iTunes logo, recovery prompt, or any message on your iPhone screen, you are not in DFU mode. Instead, you started the standard recovery mode. Again, DFU mode is determined only by its complete presence on the device. If anything else occurs, repeat the above steps until you enter the specified mode successfully.

Exiting DFU mode on mobile

The easiest way to exit DFU mode is to hold Home and Sleep/Power on while connected to iTunes. After that, simply press the power button and this should restart your device as usual.

Why are users interested in how to put their gadget into DFU mode?

The most common reason for using DFU mode is to jailbreak the device. Today, it is not uncommon for users to buy a new iPhone and find a way to free the device from the restrictions of use outside one network or abroad. This is often because people are looking for the cheapest way to purchase an iPhone and are not interested in signing a long-term contract with any specific carrier. Naturally, most device users do not want to overpay for roaming or immediately pay the full cost of the iPhone to the seller. In other words, there may be many reasons, but they all boil down to one thing - the desire to save money and get maximum returns at minimal costs.

It should be noted that the above instructions work not only in relation to the iPhone. Similarly, any Apple device can be entered into this mode, since the factory settings are identical.

DFU Mode or DFU Mode is an abbreviation for Device Firmware Update, which translated into the great and mighty means - the device firmware update mode. Many novice iPhone and iPad users confuse DFU mode with Recovery Mode. The difference between them is that in the recovery mod there is a picture on the phone screen with an image of a cable and the iTunes logo. In DFU mode, the device generally looks dead - the screen does not light up and does not respond to buttons.
From the name it is clear that DFU mode on iPhone and iPad is used to flash the device or restore the firmware in the event of a failure.

In general, by default, iTunes is responsible for updating the firmware of Apple devices. But in the case when it cannot update or flash the device, or it does not start or load at all, you have to resort to DFU mode.

How to put iPhone and iPad into DFU mode

There are two ways to enter DFU mode. They can be used for any mobile device from Apple - iPhone 4,5,6 or iPad and iPad mini. Let's look at both options.

Method 1.

Simultaneously press the iPhone's Power button and the Home button:

Keep them pressed for 10 seconds. After this time, release only the power button. We continue to hold the “Home” button until the mobile device goes into DFU Mode.

Method 2.

We connect our iPhone or iPad using a cable to a computer or laptop, preferably not through a USB hub but directly to the motherboard port. We launch the iTunes program, and then completely turn off the device. Make sure it's actually turned off.
Now you need to press the “Home” button and at the same time the “Power” button. We count down 10 seconds, after which we release the power button and continue to hold down the “Home” button. After about another 10-15 seconds, iTunes should signal that a new device has been detected. Now you can release the Home button.
The device screen will be black - don’t be alarmed, this is normal.
Now you can reflash the device.

How to exit DFU mode

In order to take your iPhone or iPad out of DFU mode, you need to press two buttons again - Home And Power and hold until the device turns off. After that it will turn on again and boot normally.

Video instruction - How to enter DFU mode:

Publications on the topic