iPhone No Service Requires Update Issue? Here's a Quick Fix!
Hi, I'm Ricardo. I'm a person that rarely upgrade my iPhone to the newest ones, except if the iOS has reach the limit OR something happened. My iPhone 7 a few weeks before I wrote this post, had a No Service problem. I thought it was dead (iDead 😂) and need to upgrade to iPhone 12 (Previously I got iPhone 3GS, I change to iPhone 7 when iPhone 3GS stuck in iOS 6.1.6 while iOS 9 and 10 has came out and apps starting to have minimum requirements for iOS 7 and 8 or even 9!). But thanks God, no I don't need to buy a new one yet, and here's a quick fix for it!
Identify Fix No Service Issue / Problem!
The problem I face here is a bit simple but tricky. First, the phone asks for cellular updates. But even after I took out the SIM card from my phone, it still facing "No Service" or "Searching" instead of "No SIM". The error I'm getting is "Cellular Update Failed". In the Settings, the Cellular part shows "Error", and said it needs an update, or even sometimes reboot your device automatically when you click the Cellular menu. Here's the example:
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| It gives me a sudden notification! |
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| After that, it will look like this, even your SIM card is ejected! (Sometimes "Searching" tho) |
Before we continue, please make sure your iPhone's cellular SIM card is okay and have a subscription or data access, and still working in other phones. And try change your iPhone's SIM card to another SIM card (borrow other's for a while, ask them nicely btw).
If those still make you sure that it's the iPhone problem, not the card, or your cellular network, and if you have the same iPhone 7 like me (non Plus, GSM version), check if your serial number has been listed here: Apple Support: iPhone 7 No Service Repair Program . The Apple's official article list several iPhone 7 serials that has a malfunction in the logic board that will gives you No Service, even if you take out your SIM card. Here's the serial that was noted in the article:
A1660 (China, HongKong, Macau, US (includes Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands), A1780 (China), A1779 (Japan)
Mine was A1778. Dude, it was so close with the Japanese version! That means my iPhone has a good logic board and only have software issue, not hardware. If your iPhone is listed there, then it means you need to go to Apple Official Service Center, and ask them for swapping your device. If not listed, you have the same error I'm getting, and you could continue reading!
The Solution and The Steps!
Let me make it clear first. There are no absolute ways to fix the cellular problem. But there's also 2 solution for this, patience and jailbreak. But both of them doesn't have instant fix and will need to confirm with Apple or your cellular provider. Now, Choose one!
Patience means you have to wait till Apple or your cellular release another update (Apple case: new iOS minor version, such as from iOS 14.4 to 14.4.1, or from 14.4.1 to 14.4.2 etc). My cellular is okay and still can detected from the website and has no upcoming updates even in another iPhone it works, so in my case it was the iOS problem!
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| Sometimes No Service makes you Unable to Activate after restoring or even updating the iOS version. |
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| Some cases also may boot-looping your device, and stuck at Apple logo. |
Jailbreak solution is only used in case where your iPhone is updated or restored, then you can't activate using iCloud (first picture above) because the iOS can't detect your IMEI from the logic board (No Service Issue), or maybe the worst case is your iPhone getting hard times and it will do a boot loop and stuck at Apple logo with NO REASON at all (second picture above). Jailbreaking will bypass the activation, and you can continue to use your phone without needing the cellular data. But your device won't be able to restore backup from iCloud, backup to iCloud, and use iMessage or integrate apps with iCloud (but App Store, and others that requires Apple ID but not integration with iCloud will work as is).
Have you chose one? If yes, Let's move on! (Skip the part that you don't choose)
Patience Solution!
Good, you're a patience type, just like what God wants every person to be. Hahaha nvm. The patience solution literally waits for solution provided by your Cellular Provider (in the case where every person that uses same provider in your area also getting this, or when you try to put your SIM card to other iPhone and still getting the same error) or even from Apple (iOS update). But, there are also some steps you need to follow:
1. Do Not PANIC!!
Yes I know, everyone will have a panic attack when their phones got into a problem. But this time, please DO NOT do anything that will making the situation even worse (such as restoring device, paying someone to fix it, or even pay a software that said could fix it). FYI I spent around $60-$80 in total for this fix, and none of them works 😂 (act this emoji is like me laughing hard but also crying cuz losing some money). So I repeat, and be advised, that any reckless action will lead you to another problem. Stay out of it.
2. Backup your Phone and Apps more often!
Honestly, we don't know where the software will suddenly tried to fix itself and wanting to reactivate your device, so you'll end up getting an activation error just like in the Jailbreak segment photos. If in case in the future you would like to do jailbreaking, or the solution won't ever came for about more than 2 months and you'll end up jailbreaking, do a local backup in iTunes or Mac's Finder. This will enable you to restore from backup after jailbreaking. And if you still have access to your apps, let's say the social medias (WhatsApp, LINE, Skype, etc) and some apps that could have a backup in iCloud, set them to backup daily and regularly backup them (Let's say in the afternoon and in the evening always do backup in all apps). That way, anything happened to your device, you'll have the latest backup.
3. Always check for any software updates
Assumes you still could access your phone's menu (not locked by activation), regularly check for updates in the settings, or find out when the next update for iOS coming out (usually blogs about iPhones have the articles for it). But if you no longer have access to the settings, or your settings behave strangely after the error, regularly connect your iPhone to PC or Mac and in iTunes (PC) or Finder (Mac), regularly click "Check for Updates" in the iPhone menu/section. And when an update arrives, immediately update the device, either from settings or from iTunes/finder.
Jailbreak Solution!
We know you've passed hard times. And sometimes it makes you impatience, especially if no fix for your iPhone after 2-3 months or more. Or maybe even the iPhone behaves strange that it needs you to activate your device (and failed because of cellular error) or you've restored or reset the phone. The jailbreaking method will help you pass the activation and you could use your phone as is. But please take note as there are some differences after you jailbreak your phone, those are:
- Banking or secure apps (like authenticators) won't work anymore
- Apps can't run in background or can't send you push notifications in background. You need to stay open the app and not locking the phone to get real time updates.
- iCloud backup won't work. Make sure you've backup your phone using PC (iTunes/finder).
- Any apps that required iCloud integration won't work (such as social media restore from backup using iCloud, Pages Keynote Numbers app, or even browse files app from iCloud)
- Any updates will require you to re-jailbreak the device, or worse, clean restore.
1. Make sure Backup is OK!
Recheck the latest backup you did to iTunes/Mac. iCloud backup will useless in this method as it can't restore backup from iCloud (your phone can't sign in to iCloud in the Settings anymore). Also make sure some backups that don't apply to iTunes and Mac (such as apps, documents non iCloud, contacts, and chats) is already safe and backed-up anywhere else too. Also please transfer Authenticators details and banking apps data (+log out in the current phone) to other phone first. Jailbreaking is not safe for banking and secure apps. And it won't run at all 😆
2. Restore iOS (or not?)
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| First Case - Only needs activation |
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| Second Case - Can't enter OS at all, bootloop, or other case where the phone lose access to your home screen and datas |
Simple answer. If your phone still can boot and still could be backed up to PC, but needs to activate and unable to activate (see First Case pic above), then you DON'T NEED to RESTORE.
But if you encounters strange things, errors, bad times, bad luck, and the iPhone loses your data and access to the home screen or welcome (Hello) menu, such as boot loop (see Second Case pic above) or other things, then YOU NEED to RESTORE iOS.
Restoring is simple. Connect your phone to PC, first put your phone to Recovery or DFU mode using it's own methods. iPhone 7 and 7s have a different method than the previous and successor models. If you can't or failed to put your phone to Recovery mode (your hands are so not skilled to do these things, just like me), you can try ask for help from free softwares such as TenorShare ReiBoot . No, I'm not endorsing it, even I will suggest you to download just the free version of it. Then you can use the apps to make your iPhone go to recovery mode. After that, iTunes or Finder will show notification that your iPhone is in Recovery mode, and you could click RESTORE (not update).
If you want to use a custom IPSW (rom) file for the restore, or if the download took so damn long or even often got timeout or your network also not stable. Then, you could enter custom IPSW file by holding ALT on Mac or CTRL on Windows while clicking the Restore button. A file explorer popup will now shown to browse the location of the IPSW file that's downloaded elsewhere. The IPSW files can be search in here.
3. Do A Jailbreak
After restoring or even not restoring but stuck at activation, will require you to jailbreak to bypass it. I ALREADY WARNED YOU BEFORE the disadvantages of jailbreaking, proceed with caution and at your own risk!
Newest iOS phones could jailbroken using checkra1n or something else. I recommend you using checkra1n, it's the safest method so far, and I still could manage to jailbreak in the iOS 14.4.1 (even tho the app said last time tested for iOS 13.x). Check the detailed tutorial in other sites, but the summary of the jailbreaking method is like this:
- Open Checkra1n -> Go to Options button -> Check the install on untested devices blah blah box option.
- Click next and usually you need to go to DFU Mode first. Relax, checkra1n will guide you.
- Jailbreak
- Done
So simple right? If you need to find detailed instruction how to jailbreak the device, please find it somewhere else.
4. Restore from PC Backup
After you go through the setup, next next next, you have the choice to set up as a new iPhone or restore from PC. You could choose restore from Mac or PC. But if after restoring will result stuck at activation AGAIN, just rejailbreak again. Very simple eh?
If you don't use RESTORE method, you don't need this step, as the apps will still have your current data and information.
5. Bypass Activation and Done!
After restoring and rejailbreaking, it won't have any activation method anymore. Just use your phone!
IF the rejailbreak returns "Error blah blah bootstrap", means it can't used to activate your backup, and you need to repeat from step 2 but skip step 4.
Conclussion
No Service issue is a madness for someone. Especially if the cellular provider or the iOS team a bit late to deliver an update. Those 2 methods I wrote are only efficient for temporary use. I still recommend servicing your iPhone to trusted service centers, or upgrading to a new ones. But if you're the type just like me, where upgrading is not the priority especially for our budgeting, then hope this solution will help you until the real official solution came. My official solution came almost 3 weeks after first time error, that is iOS 14.4.1 update, fixes my cellular network issue permanently. But if after updating iOS you still encounter problems, then again, it's all your decision.
Thank you for reading. I hope your iPhone is okay. Have a great day! xoxo
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