How To: Get into DFU Mode on your iPhone & iPad

Glossary

• DFU Restore - How it's Work?
• DFU Mode on iPhone XR / XS / XS Max
• DFU Mode on iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max iPad Pro
• DFU Mode on iPhone 8 / 8 Plus / X
• DFU Mode on iPhone 7 / 7 Plus
• DFU Mode on iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, 5S, 5C, 5, SE, iPod touch & iPad
• DFU Mode iPad (with Home Button) in DFU mode
• Exit from DFU Mode on iPhone & iPad

DFU Restore - How it's Work?

DFU stands for Device Firmware Update which reloads software and firmware of your device.

Whether you want to jailbreak, un-jailbreak, update your device from expired beta, or need a solution when nothing else works, Apple has a solution for you - put your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode.

DFU is an abbreviation for Device Firmware Update. This is a special mode allowing you to connect your iPhone to iTunes on Mac or PC without calling the iBoot process. Since this method bypasses iBoot, DFU mode can be used to update iOS, roll back and even reboot devices with a jailbreak attached.

While in DFU mode, your iPad screen will remain completely black. If you see Apple logo, you did not enter DFU mode, so you will need to start over again. If you see Apple logo or iTunes logo, you probably entered into Recovery Mode instead, which can sometimes work for restoring. The key thing to remember about DFU mode is that screen remains black, but iTunes alerts you that your device connected to PC is ready to restore.

How to put iPhone XR / XS / XS Max in DFU mode?

In this guide, we're going to show you how to put your iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR into DFU mode and perform DFU restore.

We'll show you how to put your iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR into DFU mode and bring you through every step of DFU restore process.

1. Connect your device to a computer using USB cable.
2. Quick-press on Volume Up button.
3. Quick-press on Volume Down button.
4. Hold down the Side button until the screen turns black, then hold down both Side button and Volume Down button.
5. After 5 seconds, release the Side button while continuing to hold down Volume Down button.

If Apple logo appears, the Side button was held down for too long.

Nothing will be displayed on the screen when your device is in DFU mode. If you open iTunes, it will alert you that your device was detected in recovery mode. If your device displays a screen telling you to connect your device to iTunes, repeat steps above.

Video Guide: DFU Mode on iPhone XR / XS / XS Max

Here’s a step-by-step video guide created by Payette Forward showing how to put iPhone XR / XS / XS Max in DFU mode.

How to put an 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max and iPad Pro in DFU mode?

In this guide, we're going to show you how to put your iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and iPad Pro into DFU mode and do a DFU restore.

This guide will show you how to put your iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and iPad Pro into DFU mode and bring you through every step of DFU restore process.

1. Connect your iPhone11 to your Mac (or PC with iTunes installed) via Lightning to USB cable.
2. Quickly press and release Volume Up button.
3. Quickly press and release Volume Down button.
4. Press and hold the Side button for 5 seconds until iPhone’s display turns black.
5. While continuing to hold the Side button, press and hold Volume Down button for 5 seconds, and then release the Side button while you continue holding Volume Down button for another 10 seconds. If these steps are performed correctly, display should remain black with no text or logos on it.
6. Open iTunes on your Mac or PC, and you should see a message saying that “iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode. You must restore this iPhone before it can be used with iTunes.” You’ll then be offered an option to restore iOS on your iPhone.

If Apple logo appears, the Side button was held down for too long. Repeat the process again.

Video Guide: DFU Mode on iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max & iPad Pro

Here’s a step-by-step video guide created by 9to5mac showing how to put iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max and iPad Pro into DFU mode

How to put an iPhone 8 / 8 Plus / X in DFU mode?

In this guide, we're going to show you how to put your iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X into DFU mode and perform DFU restore.

This guide will show you how to put your iPhone 8, 8Plus or X into DFU mode and bring you through every step of DFU restore process.

1. Connect your device to a computer using USB cable.
2. Quick-press on Volume Up button.
3. Quick-press on Volume Down button.
4. Hold down the Side button until the screen turns black, then hold down both the Side button and Volume Down button.
5. After 5 seconds, release the Side button while continuing to hold down Volume Down button. If Apple logo appears, the Side button was held down for too long.
6. Nothing will be displayed on the screen when your device is in DFU mode. If you open iTunes, it will alert you that your device was detected in recovery mode.

If your device displays a screen telling you to connect your device to iTunes, repeat these steps.

Video Guide: DFU Mode on iPhone 8 / 8 Plus / X

Here’s a step-by-step video guide created by 9to5mac showing how to put iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X into DFU mode

How to put an iPhone 7 / 7 Plus into DFU mode?

In this guide, we're going to show you how to put your iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus into DFU mode and perform DFU restore.

This guide will show you how to put your iPhone 7 and 7 Plus into DFU mode and bring you through every step of DFU restore process.

1. Connect your device to a computer using USB cable.
2. Hold down both the Side button and Volume Down button.
3. After 8 seconds, release the Side button while continuing to hold down Volume Down button. If Apple logo appears, the Side button was held down for too long.
4. Nothing will be displayed on the screen when your device is in DFU mode. If you open iTunes, it will alert you that your device was detected in recovery mode.

If your device displays a screen telling you to connect your device to iTunes, repeat these steps.

Video Guide: DFU Mode on iPhone 7 / 7 Plus

Here’s a step-by-step video guide created by Payette Forward showing how to put iPhone 7, 7 Plus into DFU mode.

How to put iPhone 6 / 6 Plus / 6S / 6S Plus / 5S / 5C / 5 / SE / iPod touch & iPad into DFU mode?

In this guide, we're going to show you how to put your iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 5S, 5C, 5, SE, iPod touch & iPad into DFU mode and perform DFU restore.

This guide will show you how to put your iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 5S, 5C, 5, SE, iPod touch & iPad into DFU mode and bring you through every step of DFU restore process.

1. Connect your device to a computer using USB cable.
2. Hold down both Home button and Lock button.
3. After 8 seconds, release the Lock button while continuing to hold down the Home button. If Apple logo appears, the Lock button was held down for too long.
4. Nothing will be displayed on the screen when your device is in DFU mode. If you open iTunes, it will alert you that your device was detected in recovery mode.

If your device displays a screen telling you to connect your device to iTunes, repeat these steps..

Video Guide: DFU Mode on 6 / 6 Plus / 6S / 6S Plus / 5S / 5C / 5 / SE / iPod touch in DFU mode

Here’s a step-by-step video guide created by iFixit showing how to put iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, 5S, 5C, 5, SE, iPod touch & iPad (with Home Button) into DFU mode

How to turn off DFU mode on iPhone & iPad?

In this guide, we're going to show you how to turn off DFU mode on your iPhone & iPad and run device in normal mode.

Normally, if you can put your device in DFU mode, it’s not difficult to exit from it. But, sometimes, you may find your iDevice stuck in DFU mode and unable to exit from it easily. The guide below will offer you the way to get your device back to Normal Disk Mode safely:

1. Open iTunes on your computer.
2. Connect your iOS device to computer with USB cable. Wait for iTunes to recognize your iOS device.
3. Press Home and Power/ Sleep buttons at the same time for 10s > Release the Home and Power/ Sleep buttons together.
4. Tap the Power button immediately and wait until your iOS device restarts. After that, your iOS device will exit from DFU mode and get back in normal state.