After update to iOs 15.7.8, iPhone 7 refuses to activate

The iPhone 7 says "Activation not possible" (Translation from the German prompt "Aktivieren nicht möglich") and then refers to the Apple support homepage in general, a call to the Hotline could not help to solve the issue.

It started after the update to 15.7.8 with not finding the mobile network at all.

I already went through all the usual steps, starting with erasing the network connections up to completely wiping the phone and trying to reinstall an older backup.

Trying to install the backup after wiping the phone completely always ends with the above quoted prompt "Activation not possible" .

It seems like the update to 15.7.8 completely does not work with the iPhone 7 :-((

It is quite annoying, that I am also not able to reinstall the older iOS version that worked perfectly fine until the day before yesterday, when I decided to install the update.

PLEASE HELP!!!!


iPhone 7

Posted on Aug 7, 2023 4:10 AM

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5 replies

Aug 7, 2023 4:21 AM in response to mkhanfar65

mkhanfar65 wrote: "yes"

Well, that's almost certainly the reason. The long process of applying an iOS update to an old iPhone with a weak, original battery can be the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back." So have the weak, aging battery replaced and all will (probably) be well:


iPhone Battery Service


About genuine iPhone batteries


Repair Provider Verification


(Articles found by searching Apple's Knowledge Base.)


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Aug 8, 2023 3:21 AM in response to Alancito

Yeah, that sounds nice, unfortunately it seems not to be the reason. To make clearer what happened:

First I loaded and installed the update to iOS 15.7.8, afterwards the iPhone 7 did work fine, except for the connection to the mobile network, which was not working. After the usual procedures did not help, I contacted Apple Support Hotline. They discussed the problem with me and then advised me to

Second erase the network settings and restart and fill in the network settings again. I did so and after that did also not solve the problem I wanted to reinstall the previous version from a backup.

So Third I started the routine for installing a backup that starts with completely wiping the phone, which I did.


That led to the situation I have now, that whenever I try to reactivate the phone, I immediately get the prompt "Unable to activate" with the subline "An update is required to activate your iPhone." and then an unspecified reference to the support pages.


So, in my humble opinion this seems to be a problem of the iOS and not of the hardware/battery. I also had the phone battery loaded to 100% and applied to a charger all the time.

Aug 8, 2023 3:47 AM in response to NoBrainer2

NoBrainer2 wrote: "...the iPhone 7 did work fine, except for the connection to the mobile network which was not working."

The mobile network was not workiing probably because the weak, original battery couldn't supply sufficient power to the iPhone 7's antenna to connect with cell tower signals.

"I also had the phone battery loaded to 100% and applied to a charger all the time."

That is unlikely to help an original iPhone 7 battery which is almost certainly severely depleted and so unable to provide sufficient power to all the iPhone's various functions. The risk in not promptly replacing that weak battery is tnat the iPhone can become completely bricked.


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After update to iOs 15.7.8, iPhone 7 refuses to activate

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