DFU mode: what is it on iPhone. How to put iPhone into DFU mode. 3 methods for old and new iPhones

Good time! All you need to know about DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode is that it allows you to put your iPhone or iPad into a state where it is possible to completely restore the iOS system - after this operation your gadget will be “like new”.

No, scratches and abrasions will not go away; simply restoring the firmware via DFU will not get rid of it :( But the inside of the device will be “clean”!

Why is this even necessary? Various software failures, proper removal of jailbreaks, beta versions of software, demo iOS firmware - all this can be cured and corrected only by completely reinstalling the system. Which, in turn, cannot be completed without entering this mode.

As you can see, DFU is a useful thing. And now is the time to learn how to use it all. One two Three. Go!

What is DFU mode

Before starting the procedure, it would not be amiss to clarify what the DFU mode is in general.

This term is usually understood as the standard use of the device, which is aimed at restoring the firmware of a fashionable smartphone.
It should be noted that while using this mode, it is strictly not recommended to load the iPhone.
When the telephone is in this state, the screen can be completely white or, conversely, completely dark. No other signs may indicate that the iPhone is using DFU mode.

How to Call Emergency Help on iPhone

We have repeatedly written on our website how the Apple Watch and iPhone save people's lives. Yes, each of us may experience an accident or a life situation in which we may really need outside help. That’s why you should take the time to fill out your Medical Card in the Health app on your iPhone. Here, in addition to blood type, allergic reactions and drugs used on an ongoing basis, you must indicate the phone number of a loved one, to which the device will make a call in an emergency.

In the medical record we indicate a contact for communication in case of emergency and check the Auto Call setting

You can indicate several such telephone numbers indicating who this or that person is to you. For example, I have my wife’s number. At the same time, in the “Emergency Call - SOS” settings, you can set “Auto Call”, and when you hold down the button combination, the iPhone will start counting down and make a call to the specified number. In addition, the iPhone will send a text message to the specified number and transmit the geolocation. A very convenient and wonderful feature that once again shows us how Apple cares about its users.

In order to use the function on iPhone 7 and older, quickly press the side (or top) button five times. The familiar shutdown screen will appear in front of us, but there will be two more sliders on it: “Medical card” and “Emergency call”. To make a call, you need to move the corresponding slider to the right. On iPhone 8 and newer devices, press and hold the Side button and one of the volume buttons. When the screen with the desired sliders appears, you can continue to hold down the buttons, and then the countdown will begin and a sound will sound. If you continue to hold the buttons, iPhone will dial the number you're looking for when the countdown ends.

This is how you can send an emergency call in an emergency situation

What are the differences between DFU mode and recovery mode?

When working with iPhone, a technical tool can be used - DFU. Many users confuse it with Recovery Mode. In fact, it’s easy to distinguish them - when Recovery is turned on, the USB cable and the iTunes logo are displayed on the display. If DFU is activated, the device does not produce any identification signals - its screen is blank, as if it was completely turned off.

These two modes are designed to restore the device's functionality. But the principle of their operation is completely different. Recovery Mode can be compared to a rollback, like on Windows - it returns the system to its previous restore point. System files remain intact, while the necessary parameters and settings are restored.

DFU Mode is the bootloader mode. Its use is similar to a complete reinstallation - all elements of the system are created anew.

You can restore your iPhone on your own – manufacturers have provided special technical means for this. If you have difficulty using them, contact an Apple Service Center.

What is the difference between DFU mode and Recovery Mode?

DFU mode on iPhone (otherwise known as firmware updates ) is constantly confused with Recovery Mode . In fact, the difference is huge, and it is as follows:

Recovery Mode – a softer mode compared to DFU ; into Recovery Mode using the iOS operating system, and into DFU Mode by bypassing it. DFU mode is applied only when Recovery Mode refuses to help.
DFU mode cannot be accessed if the device is not connected to the iTunes . To enter Recovery Mode, it is not necessary to connect the gadget to the PC.

There are also external differences between the two specific modes. The gadget in DFU MODE a completely black screen, without the Apple logo; the gadget does not respond to pressing “Home” and “Power” separately. On the display of a smartphone in Recovery Mode , a USB cable and an iTunes .

Before using DFU

DFU mode is a powerful tool for returning your 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.

How to disable already running recovery mode on iPhone 6

If, after starting dfu mode, you change your mind about restoring the system so as not to lose all existing data, then you can easily remove your iPhone from it. To do this, it is enough to perform a regular reboot, i.e. Press the Power and Home keys and hold for ten seconds. After turning on the power, the phone will start loading into normal mode (provided that it was operational before). It makes sense, as a training, to carry out this process before problems arise. So that later you can be prepared and not make mistakes.

In conclusion, we will say that you should not neglect the use of this mode. It will help restore your phone in cases of system failures, or when the current update has gone wrong, and also if you have forgotten your password. If you have a backup, you will copy all your data again, and your iPhone 6 will work like a Swiss watch.

How to Enter DFU Mode on iPhone with a Physical Home Button

All older Apple smartphone models up to and including the iPhone 6s and iPhone SE have a physical Home button. On them, logging into DFU is carried out as follows:

We connect the smartphone to the computer using a cable.
Turn off the iPhone.
When the screen goes dark, press the power button for 3 seconds.
Press and hold the Home button while continuing to press the Power button.
After 10 seconds, release the power button and continue to hold the Home button for another 5 seconds.

A black screen on your smartphone will indicate that you have entered DFU. An apple on the screen signals that iOS is starting to download; you will have to repeat the procedure again.

How to turn off iPhone and iPad

Almost everyone knows that in the Settings menu of our gadgets there is an option to turn off the device. To do this, go to “Settings” - “General”, scroll to the end and select “Turn off”. A screen will appear with a “Turn Off” slider, which you just have to move to the right.

In the settings of iPhone and iPad there is a special item to turn off

But usually we do things differently. For iPhones with Touch ID (all models before the iPhone X), press and hold the Side button. On iPhone 5s and older you will have to hold the top button. On an iPad with Touch ID, you'll also have to hold the top button. But on modern iPhones (starting with iPhone X) and iPad Pro 2022 and 2020, where Face ID is installed, this option no longer works, since holding the side button of the iPhone and the top button of the iPad are used to call Siri. Therefore, to turn off these gadgets we need a combination of buttons. On an iPhone with Face ID, you need to hold down the side button and one of the volume up or down buttons until the familiar slider appears. On an iPad with Face ID, you will have to hold down the top button and one of the volume control buttons, respectively.

To turn off an iPhone with Face ID, hold down the side button and one of the volume control buttons

How to enter DFU mode on iPhone with touch Home button

In smartphones with moisture protection, Cupertino has abandoned the physical button on the front edge of the smartphone. It was replaced by a touch key. The procedure for switching to DFU mode is slightly different:

We connect the smartphone to the computer using a cable.
Turn off the iPhone.
When the screen goes dark, press the power button for 3 seconds.
Press and hold the volume down button while continuing to press the power button.
After 10 seconds, release the power button and continue to hold the volume down button for another 5 seconds.

A black screen on your smartphone will indicate that you have entered DFU. An apple on the screen signals that iOS is starting to download; you will have to repeat the procedure again.

As you can see, the process of entering this mode differs only in the use of the volume key instead of the Home button.

Login procedure

Considering possible serious errors and glitches in iOS, many owners of Apple smartphones may be wondering how to enter this DFU mode on the iPhone 7 and other versions of the popular Apple device.

In fact, how you can put your iPhone into DFU mode directly depends on the version of your Apple smart phone you are using. This is due to the different organization of controls.

For example, to enter your iPhone 5S into DFU mode, you need to do slightly different manipulations than when you want to enter DFU mode on a device like the iPhone 8.

Therefore, the sequence of actions is different. And here there are 3 possible options, depending on the features of the iPhone:

devices with a physical Home button;
models with touch key;
phones with Face ID function.

Separately, you need to find out how you can put your iPhone into this emergency DFU mode if the buttons do not work. The situation is rare, but it does happen. And therefore it is necessary to find a solution for it.

Physical buttons

This is true for older models. If you need to put your iPhone 6S or iPhone SE into DFU emergency mode, then you need to use the following instructions. This is the only way to switch the device to the appropriate mode.

This method will work for any iPhone that has a physical Home button.

If you don’t know how to enable emergency recovery mode of the operating system, that is, DFU, on your iPhone 6, then start from the following instructions:

using the cable provided, connect the device to the computer;
turn off the iPhone and wait until the display goes completely dark;
when the screen stops lighting, press the power key for 3 seconds;
immediately after this, hold down and do not release;
in parallel with this, the power button must also remain pressed;
after 10 seconds, release only the power button;
The second key pressed is held for another 5 seconds.

The black screen of a smart apple phone indicates that the iPhone was eventually able to be switched to DFU mode. If logging into DFU was successful, then there will be an excellent opportunity to restore the functionality of the mobile operating system.

In situations where the apple company logo appears on the display, something has gone wrong. That is, the process of standard iOS loading has begun. You need to repeat the procedure, strictly following the recommendations.

Touch button

But you can enter your iPhone 7 into DFU mode using a slightly different scheme. This is true for all relatively new models that appeared after the 6S.

The difference is that the older models had a physical button, while after the introduction of the moisture protection function this button had to be removed. Instead, a touch button appeared. It is because of this that there are differences in how to put the iPhone 7 into the sometimes life-saving DFU mode.

This applies to all devices that were released after the 6S and before the iPhone X. After that, the most advanced versions have already switched to Face ID. But more about them a little later.

If you have an iPhone with a touch Home button, then to go into emergency mode you need to:

connect your smart apple phone to your computer using the original cable;
turn off the smartphone until the screen turns off completely;
after the display goes out, press the power button for 3 seconds;
simultaneously press the button to decrease the volume without releasing the first key;
after 10 seconds, the power button must be released;
The volume control should remain pressed for another 5 seconds.

If the smartphone still displays a black screen, then the transition procedure was correct and successful.

If the Apple logo is displayed on the display, then something was done wrong and you need to try again.

The only difference is that different buttons are used. The general principle remains unchanged.

Face ID

There is one more situation. It applies to iPhone series phones, which have completely lost the button on the front panel, and instead it has a face identification function. That is, Face ID.

The corresponding functionality has become available on iPhone X and all subsequent new models. Here are your instructions on how to put your iPhone X into DFU emergency recovery mode.

The step-by-step procedure is as follows:

the smartphone is connected to the computer using the appropriate cable;
the buttons responsible for adjusting the volume are pressed one by one;
First you need to press the key to increase the volume;
then the button is immediately pressed, which reduces the sound intensity;
then you need to press and hold the power button;
when the screen goes dark, press the key to decrease the volume;
At the same time, hold down the power key for another 5 seconds.

Look at the display. If a logo with an image of a world-famous fruit appeared, an error was made during the transition, and the smartphone simply began loading the operating system. Please try again, strictly following the instructions.

The same thing will have to be done if you need to put the iPhone XR version and the latest modifications of the Apple smart phone into DFU emergency mode.

No buttons

There is one more question that may be of interest to some users of Apple smartphones. It relates to whether it will be possible to put the device into emergency mode if the physical buttons turn out to be faulty.

To begin with, it is important to understand that this situation is not the best from the point of view of further use of the smartphone. It is recommended to contact a service center and try to restore the functionality of the keys.

But it happens that the buttons do not work, and you still need to switch to emergency DFU mode. This can be done.

ATTENTION. To switch to this mode, when physical buttons are not available, you need to transform the original mobile firmware into custom one.

A fairly simple but very useful utility called RedSnow will help here. It is available for different versions of operating systems, including Windows and MacOS.

The sequence of procedures will be something like this:

download and save the appropriate firmware on your computer for subsequent integration into your phone;
download the utility itself;
launch the application;
in the window that appears, click on “Extras”;
then click on the “Even More” item;
in the next window, click on the DFU IPSW menu;
a window will appear with the name “DFU-mode...”, where you just click on the OK button;
through the file browser that opens, select the firmware that you previously downloaded and saved to your computer;
The firmware must be presented in the form of a file in ipsw format.

Next, the process of creating custom firmware will start on the screen. How long it will take depends largely on the characteristics of the computer. In any case, you can monitor the progress of the procedure using the status bar.

When the process reaches its completion, a file success notification will appear. The path where you will find the created firmware file will also be displayed here.

ATTENTION. The name of the custom firmware, which many are afraid to confuse with the original one, will always contain “ENTER_DFU” in the name.

But that is not all. Now you will need:

connect your smart phone to your computer and launch the iTunes application;
go to the smartphone control menu by clicking on the corresponding icon with the image of an iPhone;
if this is a computer running the Windows operating system, then you will need to hold down the Shift button;
for computers based on MacOS, the key to press on the keyboard will be Option;
by holding down the button on the keyboard, depending on the operating system, select the “Restore iPhone” item with the mouse;
An explorer will open through which you should go along the path where the previously created custom firmware file is located and select it;
in the next step, the iTunes application will display a notification that if recovery is started, all data will be deleted;
All you have to do is confirm your consent and click on the “Restore” button.

That's it, now the firmware will start downloading to the phone using DFU mode. No buttons on the device itself were useful for this task. Although objectively the method is the most difficult among all previously presented.

How to put iPhone X and newer into DFU mode

The device's firmware update mode is a little more difficult to enter, but it can be used to put the device into recovery mode even when nothing else is working.

Press and hold the side (on/off) button of your iPhone for 3 seconds.
While holding the Side button, press and hold the Volume Down button on the left side of your iPhone.
Continue holding both buttons for 10 seconds. If you see the Apple logo, you've held the buttons too long and need to try again.
After 10 seconds, release only the Side button (on/off) but continue to hold the Volume Down button for another 5 seconds. If you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen, you've been holding it down too long, try again. Try it several times, it should work in the end.
If the screen remains black, then you are in DFU mode.

How to enter iPhone into DFU MODE?

There are two ways to enter an Apple gadget into DFU mode - both are applicable to any Apple device. The first one is:

Step 1 . Connect your iPhone to your PC and launch iTunes .

Step 2 . Press and hold the Home and Power buttons at the same time for 10 seconds.

Image: 4pda.biz

Step 3. Release “Power” and leave “Home” pressed until iTunes displays a message indicating that the iPhone has been detected in emergency mode.

Image: nastroyka.zp.ua

The gadget itself will not let the user know that it has switched to DFU MODE .

The second method of switching to firmware update mode is considered more correct, however, it is often not suitable for beginners. The initial step is also to connect your smartphone to iTunes - then you need to proceed like this:

Step 1. Turn off the device - wait until its screen goes completely dark.

Step 2. Hold down the “Power” key, count down 3 seconds, then additionally press “Home”. This is where the main difficulty lies: you need to perform these operations in such a way that the iPhone does not turn on in normal mode.

Step 3 . Count 10 seconds after pressing "Home" and release "Power". Don’t let go “home”.

Step 4: in iTunes - click OK in the window.

Next, you can begin restoring your iPhone - this procedure is described here.

Is it possible to put an iPhone into DFU mode if the physical buttons don't work?

To get into DFU without using physical buttons, you will have to transform your existing original firmware into custom firmware using a simple utility called redsnOw .

Before you start using the utility, you need to download the appropriate firmware to your PC hard drive. Then you should do this:

Step 1. Launch redsnOw and follow the path “Extras” - “Even More” - “DFU IPSW”.

Step 2. In the “DFU-mode IPSW workaround” window, click “OK”.

Step 3 . Using File Browser, find the firmware that you downloaded earlier ( ipsw ).

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.

Warning about recovery mode or DFU when connected to iTunes.

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

What is it and in what situations may it be needed

DFU (full name Device Firmware Update) is one of the emergency modes on an Apple device. This function is necessary if the user encounters difficulties in updating the iOS operating system (which happens quite often and can happen to any user). This mode is needed when installing Jailbreak or crashing from Cydia (a local application store similar to the App Store in regular iPhones).

But these are not all the capabilities of the “DFU” mode: in addition, by returning the gadget to its normal state and completely restoring it, you can correct system errors that could lead to crashes, lags and incorrect operation. Also, if the device cannot be restored using conventional methods, then the only way out is to use the special function of restoring the original firmware.

When might this mode be needed?

The device does not start (except when water gets in);
Standard launch methods do not work;
Another Recovery Mode did not solve the problem;
The device does not charge (except for a battery failure);
The computer does not detect the device in iTunes.

During the recovery process, the smartphone does not load the operating system; not only the Apple logo, but also any other image is not visible on the display. The gadget in this state does not respond at all to pressing the lock key, changing the volume and “Home” (on the iPhone 8 and other models below). Even if you press “Home” and “Power” at the same time, nothing happens.

What exactly happens during the reinstallation of the so-called “Device Firmware Update”?

Firmware for bootloader components;
Start of content changes and start of the loader;
Module firmware;
Dividing files of the entire system into folders (in other words, direct and full access to the contents of the iPhone as on Android devices);
Full and final firmware of the created system partitions.

To summarize, we can say that this mode will save you in many critical situations and will allow you to restore life to the device. The main thing is that the iPhone does not come into contact with water and is not drowned. Then this is a completely different problem and you cannot do without a trip to a certified service center.

How to exit DFU mode

All roads lead to Rome. You can always get more than one solution to a problem.

Get iPhone Out of DFU Mode by Force Restarting iPhone

This is one of the easiest solutions to restore an iPhone stuck in DFU mode without a computer. So, you can solve many iOS system problems by performing a force restart, which is different from resetting your iPhone.

To fix iPhone stuck in DFU mode error on different iOS devices, you need to follow these simple steps.

Step 1. Hold and press the Home and Sleep/Wake buttons at the same time

Hard reset iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button.

Hard reset iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold the Home button and the Power button.

Step 2. Continue holding the buttons for about 10 seconds

Step 3. Don't let go of them until you see the Apple logo

You need to press different buttons to hard reset iPhone X/8/8 Plus and fix iPhone stuck in DFU mode. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Later, press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Long press the Power button to see the Apple logo.

This solution also works when your iPhone iPad is stuck in headphone mode.

How to Exit DFU Mode Using FoneLab iOS System Recovery

The safest and most reliable way to recover from DFU mode on iPhone is to use FoneLab iOS System Recovery which is capable of fixing all kinds of iOS problems and getting your iOS device back to normal without worrying about any data getting deleted.

Problems including iPod stuck in recovery mode, iPhone black screen/white screen/red screen/blue screen on iPhone, iPad and iPod, can't slide to unlock, restart cycle, etc. CAN BE FIXED . Look below simple manual to see how it works.

Exiting emergency mode

Once you find yourself in DFU mode, whether by accident or on purpose, your next natural desire is to get out of it.

To remove an iPhone of a particular generation from a mode called DFU, you need to start from the features of the device itself. This is directly related to the presence or absence of a physical Home button, as well as the use of Face ID.

With physical button. If it's an older iPhone that has a central physical button, to wake it from DFU mode you'll need to hold down that Home key along with the Power button for 10 seconds. After this, the device should go to the standard boot of the mobile operating system.
With touch button. The procedure looks a little different on the iPhone, where the physical button has been replaced with a touch button. In this situation, you need to simultaneously press the volume down key and the power button. They should be held for the same 10 seconds.
With Face ID. The most difficult thing to exit from a mode called DFU is if the user has an iPhone X and newer versions that use Face ID. Here you need to alternately press the volume up and down buttons, and then also hold down the power key. That is, first the volume is up, then the volume button is down, and then the Power button is pressed. When the Apple logo in the form of a corresponding fruit appears on the screen, you can release the pressed power button.

The procedure is not the most difficult. You just need to try it a couple of times, and then you can easily enter emergency mode the first time.

It is important to understand that not everyone succeeds on the first try. And that's okay. There is definitely no need to worry and be ashamed. It’s better to pull yourself together and repeat the procedure from the very beginning.

DFU mode should be used only in extreme cases. But if such a situation arises, you need to be prepared for it.

Have you ever used DFU mode? What was the reason? Were you able to successfully restore your phone? What difficulties did you encounter?

Tell us about your personal experience, share your observations and thoughts on this matter with our readers. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them.

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