Iphone 6 How To Enter Dfu Mode

iPhone is Stuck in DFU Mode? How to Exit

There are many reasons why your iPhone can get stuck in DFU mode. If you are unsure why it is stuck and you want to get it out of DFU mode, this guide is all that you are going to need. It describes several methods for you to fix it when DFU mode is not working on your iPhone.

iPhone System Issues

There are many features on your iPhone that do not get the limelight but that does not mean they are any less useful. They are extremely helpful in many scenarios and one of these is DFU mode. Your iPhone has something called DFU mode and it is supposed to be used in certain scenarios to do something with your device.

However, sometimes the "DFU mode not working" issue occurs. If you have found your iPhone stuck in DFU mode or your phone will not go into DFU mode, the following information should help you out. It explains what this mode is, how you can properly use it to restore your iPhone, and then offers the methods to fix it when the mode does not work on your device.

What is DFU Mode
Method 1. One-Click Repair iPhone Stuck in DFU Mode
Method 2. Exit DFU Mode with iTunes
Method 3. Try to Hard Reset iPhone

What is DFU Mode

If you have accidentally entered DFU mode which is highly unlikely or you wish to learn what this mode is before you use it, this section is all for you.

DFU mode means Device Firmware Update mode and this mode allows you to thoroughly restore or install another firmware on your iOS device. You will rarely need to use this mode and you are advised not to use it if you are not sure what you are doing.

Recovery Mode vs DFU Mode

1. What Does DFU Mode Fix

DFU mode can help fix many issues as it allows you to install full firmware on your phone. You can grab the firmware from somewhere or use iTunes to install fresh firmware on your device. This is more of a deeper restoration that cleans up your phone of any mess.

It helps fix major device issues like crashes, glitches, and so on.

2. How to Restore iPhone in DFU Mode

If you have intentionally put your iPhone in DFU mode, you can actually use the mode to restore your device. Unlike the recovery mode where your iPhone only gets restored, DFU provides a deeper restoration possibility if you have the tools to make use of it. For restoring your device, you can certainly use it like you do in recovery mode.

You will want to use DFU mode to restore your iPhone when either normal restore or recovery restore fails. There are various reasons why those methods fail but that is simply out of the scope of this guide. If your iPhone is stuck in DFU mode, restoring your iPhone should bring it out of mode when the process has finished.

If you have yet to put your iPhone into DFU mode, you might want to learn how to do that if you have never done that before. The following are the quick steps to reboot into DFU mode and use iTunes or Finder on your computer to restore your device.

The main disadvantage of this method is that your device will be thoroughly wiped meaning you will not be able to recover any data at all.

Rebooting an iPhone into DFU Mode

On an iPhone X or a newer model, press Volume Up and release it, press Volume Down and release it, and press and hold down the Side button.

On an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, hold down the Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously. Let go of the Power button after eight seconds. Let go of the Volume Down button when your computer finds your phone.

On an iPhone 6 or earlier, hold down the Side or Top and Home buttons at the same time. Release the Top or Side keys while still holding the Home button. Release the Home key when your phone appears on your computer.

Restore Your iPhone with Finder or iTunes

Step 1. Your iPhone should be detected by Finder or iTunes on your computer.

Step 2. You will get a prompt asking to restore your device. Click on Restore to do that.

Restore an iPhone in DFU Mode

Once your iPhone is restored, it will be out of DFU mode.

Method 1. One-Click Repair iPhone Stuck in DFU Mode

There are certain occasions when iTunes cannot help you bring your iPhone out of DFU mode. At this time, you may need a third-party tool, called AnyFix – iOS System Recovery. It allows you to fix any issues on your iOS-based devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices.

There are many reasons to choose this app over any other method to fix the issue. First, it fixes all the issues on your devices as it actually resolves problems with your firmware. Second, it does not require you to have any prior technical knowledge. As long as you can use some basic apps, you should be fine with using this app to repair your iPhone that is stuck in DFU mode. See its main feature below.

AnyFix – iOS Devices System Recovery

Detect system errors on iOS devices and fix them with one click.
Fix 130+ iOS/iPadOS/tvOS problems in a lightning-fast speed.
No technical skills are needed, easy to use.
No viruses are carried and no data loss.

The following is how you use this app.

Step 1. Download and install the app on your computer. Once the app is installed, connect your iPhone to your computer and click on System Repair in the app.

Tap on System Repair

Step 2. You will need to click on Start Now before your iPhone starts to repair.

Choose iPhone Problems and Start Now

Step 3. Choose Ultimate Repair mode when your iPhone in DFU mode.

Choose Ultimate Repair Mode to Start

Step 4. Then get a matching firmware and click Fix Now. After a few minutes, your iPhone will finally be repaired.

Click Fix Now to Continue

Method 2. Exit DFU Mode with iTunes

One of the ways to get your iPhone out of DFU mode is by using the iTunes app on your computer. There is a workaround that lets you reboot your iPhone into normal mode with iTunes and the following shows how to do that.

This method may not always work but you can give it a go.

While your iPhone is still in DFU mode, connect it to your computer and launch iTunes.
Press and hold down Home and Power keys for about ten seconds. Then, release both keys.
Press the Power button and your iPhone will reboot.

Quit DFU mode on an iPhone

Method 3. Try to Hard Reset iPhone

Hard resetting or force rebooting can actually fix the DFU mode stuck issue on your iPhone. The purpose of doing so is to reboot the system of your device no matter what state it is in. You can actually use this method whenever you find that your device will not turn using a normal method. Force rebooting almost always works and you can use it when your iPhone is stuck in DFU mode.

There are various key combinations that you need to press to hard reset your iPhone. Different models of the iPhone have different key combos and you need to find and use the combo that applies to your particular model of the phone. Using the key combo of another iPhone will not work on your device.

Force Restart Methods of Different Models iPhone

The following shows how to hard reset various iPhone models. Keep in mind that it is not recommended to hard reset your devices until that is your last option. Remember to back up your device in advance at any time.

For iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 8/8 Plus

These phones require you to press both volume keys to force reboot the device.

Press Volume Up and release it.
Press Volume Down and release it.
Hold down the Side key.
Your iPhone will force reboot at which point you can release the Side key.

For iPhone 7/7 Plus

This model of the iPhone only requires pressing a single volume key to be hard reset.

Press Volume Down and Sleep keys together.
You will see your iPhone reboots. Then, let go of the keys.

For iPhone 6s/6s Plus, or iPhone SE (1st generation)

If you have one of the older models of the iPhone, you can hard reset them as follows.

Press the Home and Wake keys.
Release both keys when the phone reboots.

The Bottom Line

If your iPhone entered DFU mode and is stuck there, you might want to know how you can exit DFU mode on your iOS device. There are several methods to do that as shown in the above guide. If the issue occurs every time you use the mode, you will need to fix the system with AnyFix – iOS system recovery. Also, if you got any further questions or ideas about DFU mode, share them in the comment area.

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Member of iMobie team as well as an Apple fan, love to help more users solve various types of iOS & Android related issues.