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If the iPhone does not activate. iPad activation failed: what to do? Errors when activating various iPhones

Four tips on what to do if you can't activate your iPhone and see an activation error

3.07.14 at 14:47

If you find yourself in a situation where you decide to reset your iPhone to factory settings, try to set it up as a new device and see the “activation failed” error, you try again, but it doesn’t help, you again see a sign with the text below, what to do in this situation ?

“Your iPhone could not be activated because the activation server is temporarily unavailable. Try connecting your iPhone to iTunes to activate, or try again in a few minutes.

If the problem persists, contact Apple Support: apple.com/en/support."

First of all, make sure you are connected to a working Wi-Fi, some, very few routers can be the culprit of this problem as they block the iPhone from accessing Apple's servers. Therefore, in some cases, connecting to a normally functioning router solves this problem.

At first glance, it appears that the activation failure message is completely greyed out and you don't see any control or retry buttons. However, if you press the physical round button on the iPhone, a menu will appear from which you can call emergency services, start over, or change your Wi-Fi connection settings. Click “start over” to try activation again; if it doesn’t work the second time, you should try a few more times. Some users note that after the 5th attempt, activation proceeds normally. This may be due to busy servers or other reasons and a little patience will help solve the problem.

If you have another SIM card and you are sure it works, try using that one. When replacing the SIM card, you don't need to turn off your iPhone, just replace it, press the Home button and try activation again.

Another important note: your SIM card balance must be positive, and the amount in your account is sufficient for one SMS abroad.

This is not advertised anywhere, but this is how the problem with activating iMessage and Facetime is solved. We have found that in order to confirm the activation of these services, the iPhone is apparently trying to send a technical hidden SMS to Apple servers. Technical SMS is sent from your phone to a special number, so the balance on your SIM card must be positive and sufficient for such an operation.

Confirmed! Activation does send an SMS, which is charged as “SMS to other countries.”

If none of the above helps, try turning off the iPhone, connect one end of the USB cable to the Mac, and do not insert the other into the iPhone yet, press and hold the Home button and at this very moment insert the USB cable into the iPhone. If everything went well, iTunes will display the message “iTunes has detected your iPhone in recovery mode. You must restore your iPhone before using it with iTunes." Then click the Restore iPhone button and follow the instructions.


After purchasing a new iPhone, iPod or iPad, or simply performing a hard reset, for example to fix problems with the device, the user needs to complete the so-called activation procedure, which allows you to set up the device for further use. Today we will look at how device activation can be performed through iTunes.

Activation via iTunes, that is, using a computer with this program installed on it, is performed by the user if the device is not able to connect to a Wi-Fi network or use cellular communications to access the Internet. Below we will take a closer look at the procedure for activating an Apple device using the popular iTunes media combiner.

How to activate iPhone via iTunes?

1. Insert the SIM card into your smartphone and then turn it on. If you are using an iPod or iPad, start the device immediately. If you have an iPhone, then you won’t be able to activate the gadget without a SIM card, so be sure to take this point into account.

2. Swipe to continue. You will need to set the language and country.

3. You will be prompted to connect to a Wi-Fi network or use a cellular network to activate the device. In this case, neither one nor the other suits us, so we immediately launch iTunes on the computer and connect the device to the computer using a USB cable (it is very important that the cable is original).

4. When iTunes detects the device, in the upper left area of ​​the window, click on its miniature icon to go to the control menu.

5. Next, two scenario options can develop on the screen. If the device is linked to your Apple ID account, then to activate it you will need to enter the email address and password from the identifier linked to the smartphone. If you are setting up a new iPhone, then this message cannot appear, which means you can immediately proceed to the next step.

6. iTunes will ask you what you need to do with your iPhone: set it up as new or restore it from a backup. If you already have a suitable backup on your computer or iCloud, select it and click the button "Continue" to have iTunes proceed to activate the device and restore information.

7. The iTunes screen will show the progress of the activation and restore process from the backup. Wait until this procedure is completed and under no circumstances disconnect the device from the computer.

8. As soon as activation and restoration from the backup are completed, the iPhone will reboot, and after restarting the device will be ready for the final setup, which includes setting up geolocation, enabling Touch ID, setting up a digital password, and so on.

In general, at this stage, activation of the iPhone via iTunes can be considered complete, which means calmly disconnect your device from the computer and start using it.

The most common problem with an iPhone may be the appearance of error 0xe8000013, which notifies you that the phone has experienced an activation failure.

Why does iOS 11 activation error appear?

iPhone iOS 11 activation failure can occur for several reasons. The most common is considered to be a failure of the Apple service. This happens when new available types of settings are added.

At the same time, too many users try to take advantage of additional features, which leads to some violations. An equally common occurrence is the inability to activate an unlicensed device.

Is it possible to fix an iPhone with error 0xE8000013 in the service?

If the failure occurred after flashing the firmware or with a phone that was working fine before, specialists can try to restore the settings or replace the faulty modem.

But at the same time, you should take into account the fact that not all services and specialists undertake to eliminate such a malfunction.

How to check iPhone for error 0xE8000013

It is very easy to check any iPhone for iOS 11 activation errors; to do this, you will have to use the Apple service; the manipulations are performed in the following sequence:

  1. We go to the company’s website and select the item: “Checking rights to service”;
  2. Enter the serial number or IMEI combination in the appropriate field.
  3. After the data has been entered, information about your phone should appear on the Apple website with the specified date of purchase, activation and service period.

Note: be sure to check the data received in the phone itself with the serial combination on the iPhone packaging; if the numbering does not match, they are trying to sell you an unlicensed product, that is, a fake


How to solve the problem with activating an iPhone with iOS 11: possible options

You can try to fix iOS 11 activation failure in several ways, although no one can give clear guarantees of any of the methods, because it all depends on the causes of the problem.

Restarting the device

In some cases, to fix the iPhone iOS 11 activation error, simply reboot the phone device. To reboot using the first method, you must simultaneously press the “Home” and “Power” buttons and hold for about ten seconds.

Then the device is turned on again; if the problem was related to the quality of the firmware, this method may help. Using the second method, you need to press the same buttons, but hold them for only three seconds. At the same time, they monitor the screen and at the moment when it goes out, they turn on the phone.

Network change

Since iOS 11 only went live in 2017, some carriers may reset the activation request.

Therefore, if iPhone iOS 11 activation fails, the solution may be to change the network. To do this, simply change the SIM card to a card from another operator and turn on the communication device.

Note: It happens that the cause of the activation problem is a faulty SIM card or its absence. Despite the fact that this reason seems almost absurd, sometimes this happens.

Activation via iTunes

Activating iOS 11 errors is now possible with the help of. To do this, the latest version of the player must be installed on your computer.

After this, you need to turn on the phone and connect it to the computer, iTunes should recognize the communication tool and activate it.


Restoring a device to fix a problem

When you can’t fix the activation error on iOS 11 using simpler methods, you can use another launch option using iTunes.

To do this, insert a SIM card, turn on the device, hold down the Home button and, without releasing it, connect the phone to the computer.

Holding down the Home button allows the program to recognize the telephone device in a special mode, and you just need to confirm the restoration.

Devices with activation problem on iOS 11

Bugs during activation on iOS 11 are possible on any device, the thing is that despite excellent advertising and many advantages, the software still has its flaws.

Many people make the mistake of rushing to change the firmware as soon as it appears; over time, any service will improve, but initially it is released in a rather “crude” version.

Activation fails on iPhone 5S iOS 11

This problem with 5S, for which the latest version of the software is used, is not uncommon, as are freezing of the device, interruptions in communication, rapid discharge and many other side effects of a powerful service.

iPhone 6/6 Plus activation error

It can be solved using standard methods; it can arise due to failures in the system itself, incompatibility with a SIM card and some other problems.

The search for a solution to the problem is carried out taking into account the error data.


iPhone 6S/6S Plus activation failed

Most often it is characterized by error 0xe8000013 iOS 11, which occurs in refurbished phones if the procedure was not carried out in an official service center using non-original parts.

iOS 11 activation fails on iPhone 7/7 Plus

With this device, activation problems may occur due to operator resets, when the product is not in service, that is, it is counterfeit, or when the system is too busy.

iOS 11 activation fails on iPhone 8/8 Plus

This happens when the device was not repaired or flashed by a specialized service; after unauthorized interventions, the installation is simply blocked by iOS 11 itself.

The only solution can be to contact a “left” specialist again, who in rare cases can find a way out.

iPhone X activation error (ten)

Apple rejects any possibility of failures for this model, citing the fact that activation is impossible only in the case of an out-of-date flashing or restoration with non-original spare parts.

But in reality, the inability to start can occur even with almost new devices.

iPad on iOS 11 activation failure and solution from Apple

Apple has not yet found a solution to the iPad iOS 11 activation failure, or to be more precise, the problem has not been officially recognized.

Therefore, contacting technical support does not yield any results. You can simply use the methods suggested by users to start it.

When will the activation error on iOS 11 be completely fixed?

Bugs with functioning and activation, Apple promises to fix before the spring of 2018, but new additions threaten new troubles, such as the impossibility of rolling back, although rolling back can become a saving straw for cases where the bug is difficult to eliminate.

When trying to update the firmware of an Apple device to the latest version or while activating an iPhone or iPad, you may encounter various types of errors that will prevent you from completing the process. How to solve them?

Causes of iPhone and iPad activation errors

There may be several reasons why the process of updating and activating a device may be interrupted:

How can I solve the problem?

First you should try the simplest methods, which very often turn out to be the most effective.

Restarting the device

Restart your iPhone or iPad by pressing the Home and Lock buttons simultaneously for 8-10 seconds. All background processes and applications will restart, and there is a high chance that after this they will start working correctly.

Network change

Check if the Wi-Fi network is stable. If your Internet speed slows down, reboot your router or connect to another Wi-Fi network.

Activation via iTunes

If you are unable to activate or update your device via a Wi-Fi network, follow these steps:

  1. You need to update iTunes to the latest version. Expand the Help menu.
  2. Go to the "Update" section.
  3. The program will automatically find available updates and prompt you to install them, confirm the action.
  4. Connect the device to the computer using a USB adapter.
  5. After completing the authorization process, click on the icon of your device.
  6. Go to the Review section.
  7. Click the "Update" button, which is located under the block with a description of your device.
  8. Go through the update process by following the instructions that appear on your computer screen. The following message appears indicating that the device has been updated successfully. Go through the activation process by following the instructions on your computer screen.

Restoring a device to fix a problem

Only if none of the above methods helped fix the problem, you should use this option.

  1. Open the iTunes application on your Windows or Mac OS computer.
  2. Connect the device to your computer using a USB cable.
  3. Turn off the device by holding the “Lock” button for a few seconds and confirming the action.
  4. Simultaneously press the “Lock” and “Home” buttons on the device for exactly 10 seconds. Remove your finger from the “Lock” button and hold the “Home” button for about 10–15 seconds until a notification about the connected device appears on the computer. During the entire process of putting the device into recovery mode, the screen should not light up.
  5. iTunes will see that the device is in recovery mode and will offer to restore it, agree. Go through the recovery process by following the instructions that appear on the screen.

Video: what to do if you couldn’t activate your iPhone or iPad

If one of the above errors occurs while updating or activating your device, change the Wi-Fi network, restart the device, activate and update it through iTunes, or go through the recovery process. If none of the proposed methods help, and you are sure that Apple’s servers are working when the error occurs, then take your device to the service center to get help from a qualified specialist. But it is better to first consult with Apple support - https://support.apple.com/ru-ru, describing in detail the problem that arose and the methods that did not help resolve it.

Activating an iPhone is a simple process and made intuitive by Apple developers, however, problems can arise here too. One of the most common errors is related to the message “Your iPhone could not be activated because the activation server is temporarily unavailable” - we will tell you how to get rid of it in this instruction.

Right now, a huge number of users from all over the world are trying to update to iOS 9.3. Even strong Apple servers cannot resist such a serious influx of people wanting to install new firmware, which is why many people experience errors during the update. To avoid any problems occurring, it is strongly recommended that you delay the update for at least a few hours. Once Apple's update servers start working normally, you can install the latest version of iOS on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without incident.

While activating your iPhone, you may encounter various errors, the list of which is listed below:

  • "Your iPhone could not be activated because the activation server is temporarily unavailable"
  • "iPhone is not recognized and cannot be activated for service"
  • “The SIM card is not supported in this iPhone”
  • "iTunes can't verify your device"

If one of these messages is displayed on your iPhone screen, try using our tips - one of them will definitely help you deal with the problematic situation.

Insert SIM card

New iPhone owners are often in such a hurry to get to know their device that they completely forget about the need to install. In this case, there is no need to reboot the smartphone - the activation process will continue immediately after installing the SIM card.

If a SIM card is inserted, you need to make sure it is working. Try using a different SIM card and try activation again.

Use a different Wi-Fi connection

A Wi-Fi connection that blocks your smartphone from connecting to Apple servers may be one of the reasons why you cannot activate your iPhone. Please use a different wireless connection and try again.

Try activating your iPhone through iTunes

Connect your iPhone to your computer, open the latest version of iTunes and try to activate your smartphone. This method is best used if you do not have the opportunity to connect to another Wi-Fi network.

Reboot your iPhone

Problems with iPhone activation can be solved after a simple reboot of the smartphone. Reboot your device and try to activate it again.

Restore iPhone via iTunes

In most cases, the first four tips will solve the problem with activating the iPhone, however, if all else fails, it’s time to bring in the “heavy artillery.” Restoring an iPhone is done as follows: by pressing and holding the Home button, connect the smartphone to the computer. The device will be recognized by iTunes in recovery mode, after which you will need to click the "Restore" button.