Dear OktayCakir I have exactly the same problem with my Iphone 5. Please tell me one thing that after recovery when the phone boot up ... will it require any Id?

But it require Appl id .. when  I enter the password id does nothing? help

Absolute lifesaver! Thanks so much

Hi,

I have exactly same issue with my iphone 5s. I have tried many steps also posted by users but no one has solved my issue "Searching.." on network.

Until I used this step:
1. Connect your Phone to itunes on your computer
2. Backup the Data of your Phone to Computer itunes
3. Restore your phone and wait till finish.

Hope that might help on your problem too..

Regards,
Bon

OK, background to my issue first:

On New Years eve I dropped by phone down the side of the bed, picked it up, put it on the side.  Thought nothing more of it.  Next morning it kept saying "Searching".  I tried a Network Reset and that didn't work, so I tried a complete Iphone Restore.  Once it was installing the Firmware onto the phone it would state that an "Error 50" had occurred. I tried it numerous times and still said the same thing. I took it down to the Apple shop as some people on message boards said to try it on a different computer and they hit the same problem..."Error 50". They said that it was a hardware issue and that my phone is buggered basically. I took it back home anyway and tried again and again and still nothing. I took it into work and tried it on 2 computers and it still wouldn't restore. THEN, I tried it on the accounts ladies computer and it worked, which I thought was odd. But still the phone was saying "Searching", but at least it wasn't stuck on the "plug into iTunes" screen.

NOW, this is where it got wierd. I was talking to my colleague and he asked if I got it sorted and I threw the phone up in the air and it drop on the floor stating "Does that Answer your question? It doesn't work." I showed him that even if I put it onto Airport Mode, it wouldn't...hang on...It suddenly found signal. But it didn't last very long.  It lasted about 10 mins and it was straight back to "searching".

I've now worked out that with my phone, I REPEAT, MY PHONE, if i drop it on the floor not from a great height, but high enough not to smash the screen and then airport mode it on and off, I can get it to work from anywhere between a couple of minutes to a few hours.

The takeaway here is that it must be a problem with the circuitry within the phone so really the phone needs to be replaced.  But if you are in a pickle and need to use it desperately, it's up to you if you want top do what I've done and throw it on the floor.

Just make sure you've tried everything else first.

wow, thanks!!! This totally worked.

resetting network settings saved me the trouble of removing my sim and inserting it back.

i've just replaced the battery and when i snapped everything back in and turned on my iPhone 5, it kept saying "searching" so I thought the sim was damaged or shaken out of place. But nope just needed to be reset. thanks for the tip!  

I have had this problem two times.

Neither time had anything to do with the date and time. I brought it to my phone carrier and they changed the SIM proving it had nothing to do wit the SIM.

The first time, the solution was an iOS update which convienently came 2 days into my problem.

Today, the solution was deleting GOOGLE MAPS!!!!!!!!

1. Press and hold apps.

2. Press the x by Google Maps

3. Restart Phone.

My network reappeared. The problem first occurred with the update for google maps failed several times in a row, and then after finally not being able to delete it, I restarted, and the "Searching..." appeared.

Good luck to all of you who are endlessly searching for your solution in panic as I was!

THANK YOU! It helped me too!!!
you make me so happy right now ! I thought I have to pay for a phone replacement you know

Did you use iPhone restore before you restore the backup?

Phone: iPhone 5s, iOS 9.2.1

Same problem: "Searching..." appears on top with or without SIM

I did the following:

1. Restart iPhone (Holding Sleep + Home button) = nothing happened

2. Reset Network Settings (with SIM) = nothing happened

3. Reset Network Settings (without SIM) = nothing happened

4. Reset All Settings = nothing happened

5. On/Off Airplane Mode = nothing happened

6. Insert / re-insert SIM = nothing happened

7. Switch on/off iPhone = nothing happened

8. Set date/time to manual = nothing happened (time zone keeps on loading when set to automatic)

9. Drained the battery = nothing happened

SIM is ok as I've tested it to another phone and it works. No problems at all with the signal and carrier.

I have the same problem ...

I tried everything and the "searching ... " continued. So I reset the phone and connected to iTune for restoring it from previous backup. iTune said

We're sorry, we are unable to continue with your activation at this time.

Please try again later, or contact customer care.

I think my iPhone died on me which was nearly £800 and just over two years old

I do not have Apple cover and judging by this thread Apple is not going to do anything! So much for being so loyal to Apple. I owned everything Apple have ever produced except iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus!!!

Time to jump the ship and join Samsung (sadly but what can I do?)!!!

my apple 6s indicate no service/ network searching issue since yesterday.now it shows signal in the 2G mode and working calls and sms , cellular data too.but when i m switch to  3G/ 4G mode its indicate no service/ network searching.therefore not working cellular data also.pls someone help me to solve this.

(i have changed my sim but it doesn't work)

tnx

I Tried many other option. But this one work. Thanks

God Apple can be so unhelpful!!!!

my daughters iPhone stopped working properly after she did the update, it just said searching ( for network) it was as useful as a iPod.

I attached it to the Mac to update it that way and it said restore it. While restoring it it displayed a error 50 code   

The phone had the iTunes logo on it and would not change.

I contacted Apple over and over I when to 2 Apple stores and they said because it's more than a year old (just) I had to pay £200 for a replacement phone.

I told them that I was not paying £200 for a iPhone with 3 months warranty.

Also the phone is in perfect condition so why do I have to pay for a international problem brought on by there software!

I got offered £13 to recycle it lol.

I went home and tried a brand new iPhone lead and tried to system restore it without the SIM card in it        perfect working order xxxx

well i tried restoring it through and now my phone doesnt start up at all. When i power it on i get a hello screen and then it asks for language country, choose wi-fi and then says it will take few seconds to activate my phone. Till now I am waiting for my phone to start...any solution?

Was so ready to buy a new phone but I tried what you did and it worked for me!

DId take a while for my phone to connect to iTunes but it worked!!!! so happy! Thanks heaps!