Error 4000 Updating iPhone Through iTunes on Windows

This afternoon I successfully tested a workaround to this defect. Use recovery mode, but ensure to select Update and not Restore.

Doing this I was able to update both an iPad Pro and an iPhone 13 Pro over the wire from iOS 15.3.1 to iOS 15.4, using iTunes 12.12.3.5 on Windows 10. I did not have to remove passcodes and no stored cards, etc. were lost.

1. Make sure you have iOS or iPad OS 15.4 downloaded. If you previously tried an update using iTunes, this should have already occurred.
2. Put your device into recovery mode using the instructions here or here.
3. When iTunes prompts to Update or Restore, click Update:
4. Be patient. This will be a bit scary because there will be a point where it just sits for a long time with the Apple logo and nothing else on the screen. Don't attempt to reset it or anything. At some point it advance to this:
5. Be patient some more. It should eventually prompt you to press the home button or swipe up, and you'll find everything is still there, but with iOS 15.4 installed.

Your mileage may vary, and normally recovery mode should be reserved as a last resort. For most people an over-the-air update is probably a better choice until they fix this bug, but I like installing the complete package instead of the deltas that are in the OTA packages, and I'm not afraid to experiment a bit.

In the meantime, I encourage everyone to report this defect using Apple's feedback and support tools.

Hello waywrd,

Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If we understand correctly, you are unable to update your iPhone with your computer, as you get an error. To help with this, please follow all of the steps in this Apple resource for this situation:

If you see an error when you update or restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod

Cheers!

See If you can't update or restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support. If you're trying to update using iTunes try over the air instead, or vice versa.

Note if you're getting a -4000 error when updating from iTunes you need to remove your device passcode, update, then enable again afterwards.

tt2

Hi waywrd,

For iTunes update errors like this one, you may want to disable any security software you have enabled such as antivirus or firewalls.

You can also try connecting your iPhones to a different USB port or changing the cable used.

Regards.

The problem with doing so is that you lose many things on your devices, like all the cards you have into your wallet and many other things.

You don't want to have to re-input them after every update !

yorglaa wrote:

The problem with doing so is that you lose many things on your devices, like all the cards you have into your wallet and many other things.

You don't want to have to re-input them after every update !

Quite. I always upgrade on device so not an issue.

tt2

Argh. Not this again. iTunes had this defect last year and it was finally fixed relatively recently. So this would appear to be a regression. Very disappointing.

A good workaround (aside from OTA updates or removing the passcode, which is not a good workaround), was to press and hold the Shift key while clicking the Update button; this prompts iTunes to ask you which image you would like to use. This actually worked for me many times, but it does not seem to be working now. :-(

This is a bug of this itunes upgrade, you need to turn off the passcode first and then use iTunes to update ios15.4

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2