DFU stands for Device Firmware Update, and it’s the deepest type of restore you can do on an iPhone. An Apple lead genius taught me how to put iPhones into DFU mode, and as an Apple tech, I’ve done it hundreds of times.
Surprisingly, I’ve never seen another article explain how to enter DFU mode the way I was trained. A lot of the information out there is just plain wrong. In this article, I’ll explain what DFU mode is, how firmware works on your iPhone, and show you step-by-step how to DFU restore your iPhone.
If you’d rather watch than read (actually, both can be helpful), skip down to our new YouTube video about DFU mode and how to DFU restore an iPhone.
What You Need To Know Before We Begin
- The Home Button is the circular button below your iPhone’s display.
- The Sleep / Wake Button is Apple’s name for the power button.
- You’ll need a timer to count to 8 seconds (or you can do it in your head).
- If you can, back up your iPhone to iCloud, iTunes, or Finder before put your iPhone in DFU mode.
- NEW: Macs running macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer use Finder to DFU restore iPhones.
How To Put An iPhone In DFU Mode
- Plug your iPhone into your computer and open iTunes if you have a Mac running macOS Mojave 10.14 or a PC. Open Finder if you have a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
- Press and hold the Sleep / Wake Button and Home Button (iPhone 6s and below) or the volume down button (iPhone 7) together for 8 seconds.
- After 8 seconds, release the Sleep / Wake Button but continue to hold the Home Button (iPhone 6s and below) or the volume down button (iPhone 7) until your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
- Let go of the Home Button or volume down button. Your iPhone’s display will be completely black if you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. If it’s not, try again from the beginning.
- Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.
How To Put An iPhone 8, 8 Plus, Or X In DFU Mode
A lot of other websites give false, misleading, or overcomplicated steps when telling you how to DFU restore your iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X. They’ll tell you to turn off your iPhone first, which is completely unnecessary. Your iPhone does not have to be off before you put it in DFU Mode.
If you like our videos, watch our new YouTube video about how to DFU restore your iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus. If you prefer to read the steps, the process is actually a lot easier than they make it out to be! The process starts off just like a hard reset.
- To DFU restore your iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus, quickly press and release the volume up button, then quickly press and release the volume down button, and then press and hold the side button until the screen goes black.
- As soon as the screen turns black, press and hold the volume down button while continuing to hold the side button.
- After 5 seconds, release the side button but continue to hold the volume down button until your iPhone shows up in iTunes or Finder.
- As soon as it appears in iTunes or Finder, release the volume button. Ta-da! Your iPhone is in DFU mode.
Note: If the Apple logo is appearing on the screen, you held down the volume down button for too long. Start the process over from the beginning and try again.
How To Put An iPhone XS, XS Max, Or XR In DFU Mode
The steps for putting an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR in DFU mode are exactly the same as the steps for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X. Check out our YouTube video about putting an iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR in DFU mode if you’re more of a visual learner! We use my iPhone XS to walk you through every step of the process.
How To Put An iPhone 11, 11 Pro, Or 11 Pro Max In DFU Mode
You can put an iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max in DFU mode by following the same steps as you would for an iPhone 8 or newer. Check out our YouTube video if you need help working through the process.
If You’d Rather Watch Than Read…
Check out our new YouTube tutorial on how to put an iPhone into DFU mode and how to perform a DFU restore if you’d like to see it in action.
A Word Of Warning
When you DFU restore your iPhone, your computer erases and reloads every bit of code that controls the software and hardware on your iPhone. There’s the potential for something to go wrong.
If your iPhone is damaged in any way, and especially if it’s water-damaged, a DFU restore may break your iPhone. I’ve worked with customers who tried to restore their iPhones to fix a minor problem, but water had damaged another component that prevented the restore from completing. A useable iPhone with minor problems can become completely unusable if a DFU restore fails because of water-damage.
What’s Firmware? What Does It Do?
Firmware is the programming that controls the hardware of your device. Software changes all the time (you install apps and download new email), hardware never changes (hopefully, you don’t open your iPhone and rearrange its components), and firmware almost never changes — unless it has to.
What Other Electronic Devices Have Firmware?
All of them! Think about it: Your washing machine, dryer, TV remote, and microwave all use firmware to control buttons, timers, and other basic functions. You can’t change what the Popcorn setting does on your microwave, so it’s not software — it’s firmware.
DFU Restores: All Day, Every Day.
Apple employees restore a lot of iPhones. Given the option, I’d always choose a DFU restore over a regular or recovery mode restore. This isn’t official Apple policy and some techs would say it’s overkill, but if an iPhone has a problem that can be resolved with a restore, a DFU restore stands the best chance of fixing it.
Thanks for reading and I hope this article clarifies some of the misinformation on the internet about how to enter DFU mode and why you’d want to use it. I encourage you to embrace your inner geekiness. You should be proud! Now you can tell your friends (and kids), “Yeah, I know how to DFU restore my iPhone.”
Thanks for reading and all the best,
David P.
Dfu restore on my iPhone 10. It’s turned off now and won’t turn on. What now? And now there is nothing on the computer about my phone
How do I do this on a iPad Pro 2018? Thanks
Dunno my passcode and my PC isn’t aware that a device is plugged in. iTunes doesn’t know it’s there either. Phone says to unlock to use accessories. So if I can’t access the phone and nothing is recognizing a device is connected what do I do?
My phone says it is connected to the WIFI but it is not connecting. I have tried all the steps you have listed here except for the DFU mode. Is there anything else I can do besides that? My phone has not been water damaged. Oops….guess what my daughter just fixed it by removing the VPN app called Touch VPN. That was it! Please share with others in case they are having the same problem!
Thanks. A different VPN for me but deleting it fixed data connection for me. Thanks Again
Maria thank you!! I have been having this same issue for a long time and I had touch vpn on my phone, the second I deleted it my wifi started working.
How to do this on a Iphone 6?
I am able to put my iphone 6s into DFU mode, but clicking the “Restore” button has no effect. I also tried downloading the latest ios14.2 and option-clicking Restore after manually selecting the firmware file, but I get the same result. Hard reset then brings the phone out of DFU but I really want to do the full DFU restore. Any ideas?
I should clarify that I am using a new Apple lightning cable, have updated both the phone and my mac to latest OS (iOS14.2, current Catalina), and have disabled FindMy. Still nothing happens when I click “Restore”. Just turns blue for a second then goes back to white unclicked state.
I have a XR and updated it back in March to 13. something and it caused my phone to no longer have cellular service and would shut of on back on again. Sometimes allowing me to have full service to the phone, but will only last a day or two then shut off and back on with a message saying that I can’t make calls and have no cellular data service. What would cause this and can it be fixed without sending it to Apple or losing everything I have on it?
Just tried DFU for Cellular Update Failed on my wife’s iPhone 7 and it worked! 🙂 Thank you thank you thank you!
after receiving the failure to download cellular update, and not being able to get service anywhere, I tried doing the DFU restart on my iPhone 7, and it says it cannot be activated because it needs an update. cannot access the backup info on the MacBook Pro I backed it up onto. ive been running into issues on the phone and computer, now I seem to be locked out and don’t even get into the phone to use at all…. please help
I tried this on my iPhone 7 after receiving the cannot download cellular data. It will not allow me to activate the phone or even access the backup data to do it manually. using on the MacBook Pro I downloaded the backup onto. its saying it needs an update to activate the phone…..
just tried doing this on my iPhone 7 and its reading cannot be activated by both the phone and the MacBook Pro I backed it up on. I was originally receiving the cannot download cellular update and thought this would help.
Every time I try to restore my iphone 7 on my PC it comes up with an error at the end of the process
same here, I tried after receiving the cannot download cellular data. tried the DFU reset and now I cannot activate my phone at all or reach the backup data on the MacBook I backed up onto
Hi David, I’m trying to do the DFU but I have an iPhone 8 Plus and when I hold down the down volume and side button to get the screen to go black, I get the ems alert , it doesn’t go black
Hi, My iPhone XS Max’s screen is non responsive. Have tried hard reset and DFU restore. Screen sometimes allows me to access a few menus, but then becomes unresponsive again. Please help is you can
If you did a DFU restore and the problem hasn’t been fixed, it’s unlikely that this is a software problem. There is probably something wrong with the device’s hardware and you’ll need to explore your repair options to get it fixed.
i was using my phone earlier today and it was working fine but when I tried to use it right now it’s just black. Not turning on nothing, I have tried turning it off charging it but nothings working 🙁
Help me please
I’m having the same issue with my iPhone 7, I tried the DFU restore but it’s still showing a black screen. Do I need to change the screen?
Having exactly the same thing happening to mine. Have you found a fix?
Thank you for your assistance. I however have a BIG problem. My Home Button doesn’t work, I’ve been using the home button on my screen. So I am unable to press down the home button to complete the above task.
Is there anything else I can do?
my iphone7 stuck on restart loop it keep restart over and over. Updated the phone to iOS 14.1 using iTunes, it updated successfully but it keep restart it again please I need your help
my iPhone8 is stuck on restart loop, showing the logo and going off and then showing logo. Updated the phone to iOS 14.1 using iTunes, it updated successfully but it’s stuck on the loop. What to do?
my new i phone 7 plus continous
restarting please solution