Are you wondering how to flash the iPhone yourself - at home? Consider the main options. Ways to flash or restore iphone yourself

What is iPhone recovery and how it differs from updating should be known to every owner of an iOS device, whether it be a novice user or a geek. Moreover, all this is quite simple, to say the least - elementary.

For those who are not “in the know”, within the framework of today's instructions, we will get acquainted with what an iPhone flashing is, what options and methods for flashing exist, how restoring an iOS device differs from updating, and how to flash an iPhone.

Why do we say that every device owner should have the skills to flash an iPhone or iPad? It is not good for the owner of such an expensive and exclusive device to run to the service center whenever there are difficulties in the operation of the iOS device at the software level or Apple presented a new version of the iOS mobile operating system. Moreover, the process itself takes no more than 10 minutes and the user, in most cases, requires a minimum of effort.

We will consider the subject of today's instructions using the iPhone as an example, so it will be easier for us and for you, dear readers.

What is iPhone Firmware?

If we are talking about the firmware of an iOS device as a software component, the iPhone firmware is its software or operating system. At Apple, the software for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad is called iOS for short, which means iPhone Operation System in English.

If we talk about flashing an iOS device as a process, flashing an iPhone is the process of restoring or updating the device software. The most commonly used term is "flashing".

iPhone flashing options

Flashing an iOS device includes 2 processes at once:

• recovery;
• update.

At its core, the processes are identical, that in the first, that in the second case, as a result of flashing, a new iOS will be installed on the iPhone. Moreover, the concept of “new” in the case of restoring the iPhone does not refer to the version of the operating system, but to its state, in other words, “clean”.

iPhone Flashing Methods

You can reflash iPhone in 2 ways, one of them is universal, i.e. is used for both recovery and update, the second is only for updating:

1. iPhone firmware via iTunes;

In the first case, the software is downloaded to the computer and, using the iTunes media combine, it is downloaded directly to the iOS device. Relevant for iOS 4.3.5 inclusive. For iOS 5 and above, the second method is possible, which involves updating iOS directly from the device via the Internet over a wireless network (Wi-Fi).

What is the difference between restoring an iPhone and updating it?

As we have already said, restoring or updating an iPhone refers specifically to the software component of the device.

Restoring an iPhone is the process of restoring a device to its original settings. When restoring, all content (photos, videos, music) and personal data (phone book, calendar information) will be deleted from the iPhone, the device settings will be reset to factory settings.

In a nutshell, restoring an iPhone is resetting the device to the factory state and installing a “clean” iOS of the latest version.

An iPhone update refers to the process of moving from an older version of iOS to a newer version. As a result of the update, all content, personal data and settings will remain intact and iOS will be updated to the new version.

As you can see, the fundamental difference between restoring and updating an iPhone is that as a result of the update, content and personal data are not deleted from the Phone.

The result is:

iPhone Recovery = Delete Content + Factory Reset + iOS Update

As you know, the iPhone, like any other iOS device, can be in several modes provided by the manufacturer: normal mode, (Recovery Mode) and (DFU Mode).

It is possible to restore or update an iPhone in the following modes:

• in normal mode;
• in Recovery Mode;
• in DFU mode.

How to restore iPhone via iTunes?

In order to restore iPhone via iTunes we need:

• the latest version of iTunes (preferred). At the time of writing, iTunes 11.1.5.5 is current. ;

iTunes window stating that an update is not required

• pre-downloaded file with the version currently installed on the iPhone (optional).

iTunes warning when flashing iOS

So, suppose you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer and you have downloaded the firmware file for your iPhone model to your hard drive.

1 If the " " function is enabled on your iPhone, disable it in the device settings;

iTunes warning to disable find iPhone

2 Connect iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
If the iTunes settings are not set to automatically launch the program when you connect an iOS device, launch iTunes;

Selecting a device in iTunes

3 Go to the device synchronization settings page with iTunes by clicking on the button with the name of the device type in the upper right corner next to the “ iTunes Store";

Device information in iTunes

4 Hold down the " Shift» on the keyboard in the pressed position, click on the button « Restore» (for Mac, you need to press the button Alt+Restore). A window will appear for selecting the firmware file from the local disk;

5 Select the previously downloaded firmware file with the extension “. ipsw" and click on the " Open". Confirm the request to restore iPhone. iTunes initiates the restore process. No further action is required from you, iTunes will automatically delete all content and download the "fresh" firmware to the internal memory of the iPhone. This will reset the machine to and restore the machine to its factory state.

Confirming the Start of the Flashing Process in iTunes

iPhone is being flashed

It's important to know

You can completely trust iTunes to restore the iPhone, and you do not need to download the firmware file to your hard drive, however, after such a restore, if a more recent version of iOS is available in iTunes, it will be installed on the iPhone. In fact, the content will be deleted, the settings will be reset and the iPhone will be updated to the new iOS.

How to restore iPhone from Recovery Mode and DFU Mode?

Procedure for Restoring iPhone from Recovery Mode ( recovery mode) or firmware update mode ( DFU-mode) is completely identical, with one exception, before restoring, you must enter the iPhone into Recovery Mode or DFU Mode, respectively.

2. Connect your device to your computer with a USB cable and launch iTunes. The program will detect the iPhone in recovery mode;

iTunes identified iPhone in recovery mode

3. By holding down the " Shift» on the keyboard, click on « Restore" (Mac users should press " Alt+Restore«);

iOS firmware file selection window

4. Open the previously downloaded firmware file with the extension " .ipsw". iTunes will take over the rest of the work, wait for the process to finish.

Starting the iPhone Flashing Process in iTunes

Is it possible to reset iPhone without updating iOS?

If we are talking about a “clean” iPhone restore via iTunes, as a result, the device will have the latest version of iOS installed, i.e. in fact, a firmware update will occur, and this is far from always necessary, especially for owners of jailbroken devices. Why? Because the jailbreak for the current iPhone firmware version appears, as a rule, with a big delay, and as a result, updating the iPhone will entail the loss of the jailbreak.

Restoring/Updating a “locked” (blocked for a specific mobile operator) iPhone with a jailbreak entails:

• blocking a "locked" iPhone - you will not be able to connect the device to the cellular network of another operator;
• jailbreak loss.

Fortunately, there is a way to remove all content from it without updating the iOS version and without losing the jailbreak. We have already talked about the SemiRestore utility, which allows you to clear the contents of an iOS device and reset its settings to factory settings without loss. Take advantage if you have a “locked” or “jailbroken” device on your hands.

iPhone update

We have already mentioned that there are 2 ways to update an iOS device to the latest version of iOS:

1. With connection to a computer via iTunes;
2. Directly from an iOS device via Wi-Fi.

The first method is practically the same as restoring the iPhone to the current firmware version. The second allows you to update your iPhone to the latest iOS without connecting to a computer via Wi-Fi.

Update iPhone from Computer via iTunes

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable and launch iTunes. Go to the "Devices" menu and select your device;

Selecting a device in iTunes

2. On the iTunes sync settings and device connection settings page, left-click on " Refresh". Confirm iPhone update to the latest version of iOS.

3. You can save time and not wait for iOS to download to the iTunes service folder by first downloading the latest iOS to your hard drive. With the combination " Shift+Refresh» Initiate the firmware update from the hard drive.

After the update, you will receive an iPhone with the latest iOS "on board", all user content and settings will be saved.

Update iPhone over Wi-Fi

With the advent of iOS 5.0, developers have integrated the ability to update the firmware directly into the mobile operating system. Starting with iOS 5.0 and higher, the "Software Update" menu item is available in the settings of iOS devices. The update is available only when connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi. The bandwidth of the Internet connection of cellular networks does not allow you to update iOS over a 2G or 3G connection.

1. On iPhone go to Settings – Main – Software Update;

Switch to software update in iPhone settings

2. Tap on " Download and install» and in the next window, accept the terms of use. Wait until the end of the process.

This is what an iPhone update via WiFi looks like

Let us remind you once again that updating iOS does not entail the loss of user data and content and resetting settings, but it is dangerous for jailbroken and locked devices.

Video how to update to iOS 11 over WiFi on iPhone 6s

Video tutorial for restoring and updating iPhone

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in flashing an iPhone, which includes both updating and restoring. Learning the basic skills of managing iOS devices is both useful and allows you to save on trips to service centers.

If you have any difficulties or errors appear when flashing in iTunes, write to us in the comments, we will try to help you!

Hello everyone! The topic of restoring iOS firmware has long been discussed on the Internet far and wide. And to be honest, at first I did not want to write about what is already on the network. Why produce the same type of instructions? But then, nevertheless, it was decided (such are the agony of choice for the author of this blog! :)) that there is a need for this.

So why another instruction? Everything is very simple - I receive a lot of questions, both by mail and in the comments about various failures in the iPhone software and, in most cases, they can be cured only with the help of software recovery. So the process is important and there is no way to bypass it, and it will be easier for me to answer your questions - just by indicating a link to this article. Eh, it seems to be justified :) Let's go!

A few important notes:

1. When you restore an iPhone, absolutely everything is deleted from it. It turns out such a phone, as if you just bought it in a store.
2. You can only restore using a computer and iTunes. You cannot do this over the air, via iCloud, or otherwise.
3. The procedure is performed both with a fully functional device, and if the iOS system does not boot (in this case, you will need to enter DFU mode).

By the way, recovery is the only way to properly remove jailbreak from iPhone.

Detailed instructions for iPhone recovery

So, a complete and detailed step-by-step instruction. We launch iTunes on the computer and connect the iPhone, if everything went well, then the phone model, its firmware and other data will be displayed in the main window of the program. There are two possible errors at this stage:

1. The computer does not detect the iPhone - about this.
2. If the device does not show signs of life, we try.

As a result, with any successful connection, we get one of two windows

And here we are only interested in one button - "Restore". If you just click on it, then iTunes will begin to prepare the iPhone, download the latest current firmware from Apple servers and begin installing it on the device.

Attention! Find My iPhone must be disabled!

The biggest "hitch" lies precisely in downloading the firmware. Sometimes this process takes quite a lot of time, especially with a slow Internet connection. Plus, if the connection is not stable and there may be disconnections, then iTunes will start downloading it again every time, which you will agree is not very pleasant and long.

But there is a way to speed up the recovery process. To do this, you need to download the software file in .ipsw format yourself (from any third-party resource, such as w3bsit3-dns.com) and save it on your computer. Please note - for each iPhone model, there will be its own file, different from the others!

Now, hold down the "Shift" key on the keyboard and only then click on the "Restore" button. A window will open asking you to specify the firmware file. We select the pre-downloaded one and wait - iTunes will do everything on its own.

Why can't I restore my iPhone and what should I do?

Actually, there can be many reasons. Moreover, they are connected both with a computer or device, and simply with inattention.

Here are the most basic ones:

1. Lack of access to the Internet on a PC or its periodic interruptions and shutdowns.
2. Antiviruses, firewalls and other programs that interfere with the normal functioning of iTunes. Maybe your security settings are configured in such a way that iTunes simply does not access Apple servers.
3. Slow internet. Not even like that. Very slow Internet. This is rare now, but I remember my attempts to revive the iPhone back in 2009 using a network connection from a USB modem. I will not paint everything, I will say the result - the restoration failed.
4. In the case when you download the firmware yourself, see if it is exactly right for your phone model.
5. Check for iTunes. If yes, install the latest version of the program.
6. It is highly desirable, but what is there, be sure to use the original USB cable, non-certified ones can contribute to the appearance of various errors. Non-original ones are only possible, and even then not always, but they are not suitable for flashing (recovery).
7. It is quite possible that the problems are already inside, that is, "iron". There can be a lot of malfunctions - from the cable to the motherboard. Remember, not or too much.

As you can see, there are really many options. Please, pay attention to any little thing, because it is precisely because of it that problems with restoring the iPhone may arise. Still something doesn't work? Be sure to write in the comments - we'll try to figure it out together!

iOS for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad of all versions in one place: what's new in the latest version of iOS, direct download links for original firmware for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad from Apple servers.

iOS(until June 24, 2010 - iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system developed and released by the American company Apple. Was released in 2007; originally for iPhone and iPod touch, later for devices such as iPad and Apple TV. Unlike Windows Phone and Google Android, it is released only for devices manufactured by Apple. (Wikipedia)

Information about the latest iOS version

• Version: 9.0
• release date: September 16, 2015
• Compatible devices:
  • iPhone 4S, 5, 5s/5c, 6/6 Plus;
  • iPad 2, 3, 4, Air;
  • iPad Mini, Mini Retina
  • iPod Touch 5G.

Download iOS for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad of all versions

All iPhone firmware

Note: There are 3 modifications of the iPhone 4: GSM model, CDMA version (without a SIM card slot), modified GSM version (iPhone 4 Rev A), which was launched in the fall of 2012. 2 models of iPhone 5: "USA only" and "global", differ only in the number of supported 4G (LTE) communication bands. The iPhone model index (letter A and four digits) is engraved on the back of the device.

All iPad Firmware

Note: All versions of iOS for the first generation iPad are universal, they work with both models with 3G and models without a modem. There are four types of firmware for iPad 2: Wi-Fi, GSM, CDMA and Wi-Fi with 16 GB internal (it went on sale in the spring of 2012 simultaneously with the third generation iPad). The third revision of the iPad was not numbered by Apple and was named "The new iPad". 3 types of iOS are available for it: for models with Wi-Fi, for models with a GSM modem, for Verizon models with CDMA support. iPad mini and the fourth generation GSM version of the iPad can be identified by the model number engraved on the back of the device (letter A + four digits).

All iPad Mini firmware

All iPod touch firmware

Apple smartphones and tablets are famous for the well-coordinated work of software and hardware. Due to this, the uninterrupted functioning of the devices is achieved, and the American corporation eliminates all emerging problems with the firmware as soon as possible through updates. In this case, the user may need to reflash the iPhone or iPad. You can do this yourself, without the involvement of specialists from the service center.

The concept of flashing a device means restoring it. This process should not be confused with an update, since it has one fundamental difference: when performing a restore, all data from the iPhone or iPad is permanently erased. After flashing, the device returns to the factory settings, and it will be possible to restore data only if there is a backup copy.

Why you need to flash your iPhone or iPad

Nothing is immune from software failures, including Apple devices. Despite the fact that one corporation is responsible for the development of hardware and firmware, problems can arise with the operation of the iPhone or iPad. A software failure can lead to the failure of an iOS device, and it will be possible to return it to a working state only by flashing it.

Also, recovery may be necessary if the user has forgotten the iPhone or iPad unlock code. By resetting the device to its original state, the password will be removed from it.

Another reason for flashing the iPhone may be the planned sale of the device. In order for the buyer to receive a smartphone new at the factory settings and without the data of the former owner, you can restore it.

Important Rules for Restoring Apple Devices

The iPhone and iPad recovery process can only be performed using a computer using iTunes.

Apple does not allow you to install a version of iOS other than the installed version on your device. This rule has an exception, which received the name "Time Window" among users. This concept defines a period of two weeks (in some situations it changes) after updating the firmware, during which the user can “roll back” the iOS version to the previous one.

Important: This rule does not apply to beta versions of iOS firmware. If a test version of the software is installed, at any time the owner of the device has the right to restore it to the latest official firmware version via iTunes.

Preparing to flash your iPhone

Before proceeding directly to the device recovery process, you need to download the correct firmware version for its subsequent installation. iOS software is distributed in the .ipsw format. Depending on the model of smartphone or tablet, it differs, and it is necessary to download the firmware for a specific device from the Internet in order for the installation to proceed smoothly.

To determine which firmware version is needed for an iPhone or iPad, you need to look at the back of the device. It always has an indication of a specific model, for example, Model A1332.

Please note: Each device from Apple (iPhone 5, 6, 6s and others) is made in several variations, that is, they differ in models. It is important to choose the firmware specifically for a particular model, since they differ from each other quite significantly, primarily in supported networks.

Also, before flashing the iPhone or iPad, you must disable it on the device. If this option is not disabled, the system will not allow you to restore your smartphone or tablet.

Firmware is installed on Apple devices only using iTunes. It can be downloaded from the official website of the American corporation.

Important: Before installing the firmware on your iPhone or iPad, update the version of iTunes to the latest version so that there are no failures in the recovery process.

How to flash an iPhone or iPad

Apple has provided two recovery modes for its devices - standard and using DFU mode. The second option is useful if the first one does not work or errors occur when restoring a smartphone / tablet through it.

Flashing an iPhone or iPad in Normal Mode

Restoring the device through normal mode performs as follows:

After that, the process of restoring the device will begin, which will be performed in a fully automatic mode.

Articles and Lifehacks

The answer to the question of how to flash an iPhone 4 can be found in this article. Firmware is not the safest operation for a phone.

Although it will be almost impossible to damage the equipment itself with its help, it is quite possible to lose access to it due to the loss of drivers or configuration files.

Service center specialists charge quite a bit for this operation, but if you don’t want to pay anyone in principle, then this article is for you.

What do we need for firmware

Before flashing, you need to prepare and stock up on everything you need. Personal computer, iPhone 4, cable, latest firmware *.ipsw and iTunes. We take the firmware from the official site.

It is also highly advisable to make a backup of your latest data in case of failure.

Firmware instructions

Firmware can be flashed in two modes: "Recovery Mode" or "DFU mode".

The first is intended for regular updating of firmware versions, the second is more tricky for updating the iPhone bypassing the standard operating system tools, that is, it directly changes the firmware.

This method is used for various non-standard actions: unlocking the phone, downgrading the firmware version, fixing update errors, and so on.

The entrance to the "Recovery Mode" is carried out as follows: we simultaneously hold down the "Home" button and the "Power" button. The iPhone will turn off, and thin white lines will appear on the screen, do not release the buttons and after 20 - 25 seconds a cable will appear on the screen.

1. This is "Recovery Mode". To enter "DFU Mode" connect your phone to a personal computer, turn off the iPhone.
2. Hold down the "Home" and "Power" buttons, hold them for 10 seconds, then release "Power", but hold "Home" for about 15 seconds, then the connected USB device should appear on the computer screen, while the phone's display itself will remain black - this fine.
3. Then launch iTunes. Either select a new firmware in it manually, or use auto-update, at the program's suggestion, by clicking "Check Now".
4. When iTunes shows your iPhone in "recovery" mode, you can start flashing. Hold down Shift on your keyboard and click on the “Restore” item, select the firmware and wait for the update.