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Iphone emergency mode. How to enter DFU mode (recovery mode) and why you need it

Any iPhone, iPad, or multimedia iPod touch can be entered into DFU mode... To be honest, I myself have never entered my iPhone into DFU mode, they say that beginners do not succeed right away, to enter the device into this mode, you need to adapt, which we will do today. We'll take the Apple iPhone as a model for experimentation. The peculiarity of entering the DFU mode is an absolutely black screen, and no identification marks on the iPhone screen, if the translation into DFU was accompanied at least by an inscription, as in the picture on the left, it would be a little clearer.

In addition to DFU, there is another mode called (recovery mode). What are these two modes for? They are mainly used to flash or restore the firmware of their iPhone. It also happens that the iPhone or iPad crashed, and the iOS firmware does not start, in such cases, the Recovery Mode and DFU modes are used. To begin with, they always try a milder mode - Recovery Mode, but if it does not help, then they already use the DFU mode.

DFU is sometimes confused with Recovery Mode. Whatever you get confused, I will try to explain the difference between them:

  • When you enter iPhone or iPad into Recovery Mode, appears on the device screen. When entered into DFU, the device screen displays a black display.
  • It is not necessary to use iTunes to enter Recovery Mode. I can't start DFU mode without iTunes, I tried it myself.
  • The Recovery Mode is launched using the iOS operating system, and the DFU mode bypasses the operating system, i.e. at the hardware level.

How to put iPhone into DFU mode

We will look at two combinations that can put our iPhone in DFU mode. You can use any more convenient one. Before we start, launch iTunes on your computer and connect your iPhone or other gadget to it using the supplied cable. Do not use USB adapters, plug the cable into the computer itself. After the iPhone is connected to a computer running iTunes, we try to put the phone into DFU mode in one of the following ways:

Method 1. How to log into DFU

Putting iPhone into DFU mode. Method number 1

The easiest way to enter iPhone into DFU is as follows - simultaneously hold down the Home button plus the Power button and count to 10. After holding down for 10 seconds, release the Power button and continue holding the Home button.

Method 2. Second attempt to enter into DFU

Step-by-step launch of DFU mode in iPhone. Method number 2

This method is called more correct, but it is more difficult for beginners. and we are waiting for the device to turn off to the end. Now we hold down the Power button and after counting up to 3 seconds in the place with it we hold down the Home button. Now holding Home + Power, count to 10 and release Power, but continue to hold the Home button.

ITunes while starting DFU mode

When completing the iPhone input into DFU mode, it is useless to watch the phone screen, since it will just be black, you need to look in the running iTunes program, which will detect the device with the DFU mode running and display the following message:

ITunes detected iPhone in recovery mode. You need to restore this iPhone before using it with iTunes.

If you saw such a notification, and the only button appeared in iTunes - Restore iPhone, now look at the phone screen, if the screen is black, then it is in DFU mode. If you did not press something correctly, an image with the iTunes logo and a USB cable may appear, which means this is the Recovery Mode.

How to get iPhone into DFU mode

If, in the process of reading the instructions, you entered your working iPhone into DFU mode, you can remove the phone from it using the usual one - holding the Home + Power buttons for 10 seconds. The phone will reboot and work normally. To exit manually launched Recovery Mode, we used the same Home + Power exit method for 10 seconds. When the cable is connected, after holding Home and Power for 10 seconds, the phone may not start, then press the Power button and it will turn on.

Once, after an unsuccessful attempt to update the firmware, I got out and our iPhone fell into a permanent recovery mode, from which it only helped. Perhaps, if the iPhone does not exit DFU by rebooting, then you can try programs like TinyUmbrella or iReb. So far, I have not encountered a similar situation, but if I come across, I will definitely tell you.

When you need to reflash your phone or update IOS to the current version, the DFU mode becomes simply necessary. Also, in any emergency situation, this mode is indispensable. If you decide to deal with the situation on your own, but do not know how to enter this state of the device, this article will answer all your questions.

How to put an iphone into dfu mode - the difference between DFU and Recovery Mode

Many iPhone users have come across the recovery mode (in the English-language interface "Recovery Mode"), but how it differs from the aforementioned DFU, they did not understand. The first one leaves your device in working order: you see a picture on the screen, the phone responds to a touch. The second option implies working with the phone without directly entering the shell. In other words, the device does not respond to any touches or button presses, and its screen remains black and extinguished.

Algorithm for entering iPhone into DFU mode

So, you need your phone, personal computer and usb cable through which you connect the device.

Connect the iPhone to your laptop or computer via a cable, be sure to turn it off.

  • wait a couple of seconds from the moment you turn off the device,
  • now simultaneously hold down the Home button, which is located in the center of the phone at the very bottom, and Power from the end,
  • count exactly ten seconds to yourself,
  • release your finger from the end of the phone, from the Power button,
  • continue to hold down the Home key,
  • after a couple of seconds, your computer will recognize the iPhone in DFU mode,


  • if nothing happens on the screen, just repeat the algorithm again. It is also possible that you simply held the buttons down for too long, or not enough. Press both buttons again and count to ten, if that doesn't work, just look at the second hand of the clock.


How to put iPhone into DFU mode without pressing buttons

If you know for sure that one of the Home or Power buttons is broken, or the algorithm described above does not work. Then try following the instructions in this article mentioned below:

  • download the utility "DFU", it is called that,
  • save to your computer on drive C,
  • connect iPhone via cable,
  • make sure the iTunes application is definitely disabled even in the background,
  • invoke the command line by pressing Win + R or on laptops Fn + Win + R,


  • enter the following phrase at the command line “C: / DFU / DFU iBSS.m68ap.RELEASE.dfu” without quotes and press Enter.


Your Apple phone is now entered into DFU mode with no buttons.

There is also a second utility called “redsn0w” that modifies the firmware directly. Download it and install it. Then go to the following parameters: “Extras - Even more - DFU IPSW” and wait for a few minutes until the program itself creates a new firmware file.

You can now launch iTunes and flash your phone by selecting the file you created. The function of the utility is that it adds an algorithm to the IOS firmware file that automatically puts the iPhone into DFU mode before installing the update. After that, the problem of the phone entering DFU mode will no longer bother you.

IPhone and iPad owners often face a problem in the process of flashing iPhone and updating to a new iOS system, this problem –IPhone stuck in DFU mode... Especially after jailbreak, iPhone slows down more easily in this mode, so how to get iPhone, iPad or iPod touch out of DFU mode and fix it? We provide several methods.

How to exit DFU mode using Tenorshare ReiBoot One Click

Tenorshare ReiBoot supports one-click exit from any freezes, for example, freezes on the apple logo after updating to a new iOS system, freezes in a black screen, freezes in a blue screen of death, or freezes during startup, jailbreak, etc. It also supports everything. device, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

First download and install Tenorshare ReiBoot on your computer. Then launch it. Connect iPhone / iPad / iPod touch to your computer using USB cables. And then Tenorshare ReiBoot recognizes your device, click "Enter Recovery Mode", then your device has already exited DFU mode.


After that, click "Exit recovery mode", wait a bit and the device will reboot safely. In this process, do not disconnect the device.


One click this program can solve the freeze, besides, if the iphone is frozen in recovery mode, in itunes mode, in update mode, in shutdown, in the mode headphones, Tenorshare ReiBoot always allows the device to get out of the hang.

Other Ways to Solve iPhone Stuck in DFU Mode

Now, if you put your iPhone in DFU mode, you can wake your phone out of it with a regular reboot - holding the Home + Power buttons for 10 seconds. The phone will reboot and work as usual. If after connecting the cable and holding Home + Power for 10 seconds the phone cannot start, then press the Power button and it will turn on.

How to recognize DFU mode?

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


What is DFU Mode? How is it different from recovery mode?

DFU-mode (Device Firmware Update) is a mode for updating the device's firmware. It refers to emergency mode and is recognized by iTunes when the device is connected to the computer as a recovery mode. In this case, the iPhone works without loading the system shell, so you cannot see the picture and the device on the iPhone screen does not respond to key presses and does not turn on the display.

Differs from recovery mode ( Recovery Mode) the fact that in this mode the device does not show visible signs of life (the control button does not work, there is no image on the display). In some cases, this mode helps to correct a minor software glitch and allows you to reboot in normal mode.

With Apple products, as with any other technology, problems often arise, especially after the release of new versions of iOS and attempts to update to them or when updating your iPhone from jailbrake to any modified tweaks.

Very often, a mobile phone simply freezes or does not show signs of life, representing a real "brick". But it is not all that bad! There is a special DFU mode, which can save the situation and completely restore the performance of your device. Actually, this mode and its features will be discussed in this article.

DFU mode stands for (Device Firmware Update). Translated into Russian as "device firmware update". It is used only in Apple products, in iPad and iPhone, and is a special emergency mode, therefore, it is recognized only by the iTunes software when the smartphone is connected to a PC.

Most likely, many have heard about the Recovery Mode, but the DFU differs from it in that no signs are shown when activated. That is, the operating system does not appear on the iPhone, there are no icons and icons, even vibration. The phone looks like it's dead! At the same time, pressing the Home and Power keys does not show any signs either.

It is mainly used to restore iPhones, firmware, return the phone to its usual state, if, for example, it has stopped showing any signs at all. Very often it fixes system crashes and then boots normally.

As a rule, this is the last stage and the hope for self-recovery of the device. Many services also use this method when reanimating iPhones of different generations.

Mode activation

At the moment there are 2 different ways to put iPhone into DFU mode, and they depend on the generation of smartphones. Everything that was released before 2016, and this is up to iPhone 6 inclusive, works according to the standard version. The new generation - iPhone 7 and above, will already be put into recovery mode in a slightly different way. We'll cover both, of course.

Apple phones up to and including iPhone 6

On all models up to and including the sixth iPhone, the procedure for entering recovery mode does not differ between versions.

You need to follow these steps:

  1. Open iTunes on your computer, since the recovery procedure is carried out precisely through this software. You can download it from the official Apple website for free.
  2. Connect your smartphone to your computer using a dedicated USB cable.
  3. Turn off your smartphone if it is not turned off. Now press two buttons simultaneously - Home and Power (power). Keep them pressed for about 10 seconds.
  4. Now release the Power button, but don't release Home. You need to wait for iTunes to recognize your new device on your PC. Usually you have to wait about 10-30 seconds.
  5. As soon as the system recognizes the new device and displays a recovery message, release the keys and proceed to the recovery procedure.

IPhone 7 and later

If you are the owner of an iPhone 7, 7 Plus or newer models (iPhone 8 and later), then in order to enter your gadget into DFU mode, you need to do slightly different steps. And the thing is that physically the Home key is no longer there. Developers from Apple abandoned the mechanical button in the 7 series and replaced it with a touch button with a special tactile response mechanism.

And so, we perform the following actions:

  1. Run iTunes on the computer (be sure to update to the latest version, otherwise failures and errors may occur when working with devices of new generations).
  2. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable. Turn off your smartphone. If it is already off, go to item # 3 in this list.
  3. Press and hold the Power button for about 3 seconds.
  4. While holding Power, press the key "Volume Down" and keep both keys pressed for about 10 seconds.
  5. Then release the Power button, but continue to hold "Volume key" about 5 seconds.
  6. If everything is done correctly, iTunes will automatically detect the new device and show a notification on the screen to enter recovery mode.

How do I know if my smartphone has not switched to DFU mode?

If you did not succeed the first time, and you try again and again, but the smartphone still does not go into recovery mode, then most likely you are simply missing out on some important details.

The reasons described below will help determine whether the smartphone has switched to DFC mode or not.

And so, the iPhone will not go into DFU mode if you observe the following symptoms:

  • The Apple logo is illuminated on the screen.
  • The screen on the iPhone is not black, but flickers or backlit a little.
  • iTunes cannot detect a new device on the computer.

And now the ways to eliminate them:

  • If the Apple logo is lit on the screen, most likely the iPhone is trying to turn on in Recovery Mode. This indicates that the user is not correctly following the keystroke sequence and timeout. Try again, carefully, step by step, following all the steps.
  • As in the first case, the smartphone is trying to connect in Recovery Mode or simply turned on as a disk drive. Try the entire procedure again.
  • Be sure to connect to the Internet so that Windows will automatically search for drivers if they are not installed from your device. Another important tip - change the USB port and try to insert the device not into the front USB, but from the back of the computer. Often, on low-power PCs, there are simply not enough resources for the correct operation of the USB port.

Taking the phone out of the mode

If you have already connected the gadget to the computer in a special "recovery mode", but suddenly decided to remove it, in no case try to simply pull out the USB cable and disconnect the iPhone, otherwise you may get a "brick" at the exit. Not a fact, but there are cases.

To painlessly exit the DFU state, you need to do a so-called "cold restart" of the device.

To do this, simultaneously press the "Home" and "Power" keys (for versions up to iPhone 6 inclusive) or the "Power" and Volume down keys(for iPhone 7 and later), hold them for about 10 seconds and release. The smartphone will automatically start to boot and start the operating system as usual. Then, after turning on, disconnect the USB cable and you can work with the iPhone.

Attention! Sometimes, when the USB cable is turned on, after the operations performed, the phone does not start, if the user suddenly decided to exit the recovery mode. In this case, after holding the keys, release them, and again quickly press "Power", and then the phone will turn on 100%. But this is provided that he is your worker. If the iPhone hasn't worked before, then don't expect magic!

What if you need to enter DFU and the buttons do not work?

If the buttons on your device do not work for you, then you can use a separate utility that does not require physical keystrokes. Let's say that we decided to restore the phone to a stable version and return it to working condition. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:

  1. Download the latest working firmware for your device;
  2. Download the redsn0w program to your computer. Download links are provided below: for Windows (), for Mac OS ();
  3. Install the redsh0w program on the computer, connect the device to the computer using a USB cable and open the program;
  4. In the dialog box that opens, find the "Extras" tab and click on it;
  5. Then click on the "Even More" tab;
  6. After that, click the "DFU IPSW" tab and specify the path to the downloaded firmware and open it;
  7. The program will automatically convert a new firmware file, which will already have a built-in DFU. As soon as the operation is completed, a DFU firmware with the same name will be created in the same folder as the original file, only the ENTER_DFU prefix will be added;
  8. Now open iTunes. If the phone is not detected, simply remove the USB cable and insert it again, without pressing any buttons. But keep in mind that the iPhone must be turned on;
  9. The program detects a new device. Go to iTunes, select the iPhone icon in the list and click on it;
  10. Next, holding down the "Shift" key, click on the tab "Restore iPhone"... If you carry out the whole process with Mac OS, then instead of "Shift" press "Alt";
  11. The system will ask you to select the firmware file. Indicate the path to our modified file with DFU-firmware and confirm the operation;
  12. iTunes will notify you that all data will be deleted from memory. Agree with this notification and confirm the operation. The recovery process will begin;
  13. Your smartphone restarts, the cable with the iTunes icon will blink on it and the recovery process will begin, and then the screen will simply turn off;
  14. After several reboots, the system will notify you that the iPhone has not been restored. That's it, the procedure is complete. We didn't need to have the iPhone restored. Thus, the program put our phone in DFU mode without physically pressing keys;
  15. Now go to iTunes again, select recovery and already indicate the original firmware, wait for the phone to recover, and enjoy its correct and stable operation.

As you can see, this mode is even very useful and in many cases it is it that allows you to reanimate the iPhone and restore it to a working state. Mostly used after failed firmwares. But in order to use such procedures less often, try to download only stable versions of iOS that are already officially released for your iPhone model. Just keep in mind that all data from your phone is erased during recovery.

It's important to know! Many sites advise making backups of the system in order to reanimate the phone in case of any problems and "feed" a copy to it, thus restoring all user settings and programs. But you should take into account the fact that if at the time of creating a copy there were problems in the system, for example, after updating to the iOS version, then after the backup the problems will remain. Therefore, make copies before updating, and only then test, update and use your phone in every possible way.

DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) is a special mode designed initially to upgrade the firmware of your device. It is also used for password recovery or jailbreak (removing the restrictions of the official firmware).

Listening to tips for iPhone, it is impossible not to note two modes with similar functions - DFU and Recovery Mode. DFU mode can be called more effective and "coarse".

Difference between DFU mode and Recovery

Its main difference from Recovery mode is that it bypasses the operating system, that is, when entering DFU, the iPhone does not even start loading iOS and directly reflash.

This mode is suitable for solving such problems as the inability to correctly complete the firmware update via iTunes in Recovery Mode, the inability to unlock the phone, and so on. However, you can recommend using it always in the first place, so as not to accidentally create unnecessary problems for yourself and avoid unnecessary costs and efforts.

In DFU mode, only technical information signals are sent via the USB connection. From under DFU it is possible to reflash Flash parts and restore absolutely all settings. In addition to all this, when entering DFU, unlike Recovery, the screen remains completely black, that is, nothing is displayed on the display. You can only find out if the iPhone is in this mode using iTunes, which will notify you that it has recognized the device in stabilization (recovery) mode.

Many inexperienced iPhone users confuse these two modes. In reality, they are completely different. Now you will learn how to turn on and off Recovery mode and how to put iPhone into DFU mode.

Recovery mode: how to enter

  • connect the cable to the computer, not to the device
  • hold down the "Home" button and, while continuing to hold it, connect to the cable to the iPhone
  • wait for the cord icon to appear on the display

How do I exit Recovery Mode?

Hold down the "Home" button + the "Power" button for at least 10 seconds. You can also get by with a software solution by using the TinyUmbrella utility to work with Recovery Mode, which has a version for both Windows and Mac.

DFU mode

The easiest way to enter or exit DFU is by using a custom built utility. It will indicate which buttons to press and how long to hold them. The iReb utility is also suitable for Windows.

To get started, you need to select your device on the main screen, and then follow the instructions of the program itself. To exit the mode, you just need to go to the next tab of the program. Then click "Set Auto-Boot True".

Enter DFU mode using buttons

  • close iTunes
  • connect your phone to your computer
  • turn off your phone
  • simultaneously hold down the "Home" and "Power" buttons for 10-15 seconds
  • while continuing to hold "Home", release "Power"
  • wait for the computer to notify you about the discovery of a new device
  • launch iTunes

That's it, your phone is in DFU mode. The screen will display nothing, while remaining completely black or completely white.

Exit DFU mode

  • connect the USB cable to the computer
  • hold down the "Home" and "Power" buttons for at least 10 seconds, then simultaneously release them
  • press "Power" to turn on the iPhone

There is also a way to do without connecting to a computer - just hold down "Home" and "Power" for 10 seconds until the logo appears on the display. After that, the iPhone will boot up normally.

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