Cellular network off after 17.4.1 update

I have two iPhones — the 12 Pro and the 14. Around the same time, both devices stopped working with eSIM on firmware version 17.4.1, with a two-week difference between them. I tried all the usual troubleshooting steps:

• Restarting the phone
• Turning airplane mode on and off for 15 seconds
• Resetting network settings
• Performing a full reset with data erasure

In both cases, the reset with data erasure led to complete mobile service failure, affecting both physical SIM and eSIM.

For the iPhone 14, updating to version 17.5 through restore from 17.4.1 solved the problem. However, for the iPhone 12 Pro, updating to 17.5 only worsened the situation. I tried everything possible, contacted Apple Support, and followed all their recommended steps. I also visited the Apple Genius Bar and explained what had been done. Their only suggestions were:

• Replace the motherboard (costing €550)
• Trade in the phone and buy a new one

Ultimately, what worked for the iPhone 12 Pro was the following:

• I downloaded the previous firmware version 17.4.1 from ipsw.me and flashed the phone using that firmware.
• The only useful advice from the Apple Genius Bar was to flash the phone in recovery mode. To do this, you connect the phone to a computer with a cable, press the volume up and down buttons sequentially, and then hold the power button until the phone enters recovery mode (about 25 seconds). After this, hold the option key and select Restore, choosing the downloaded firmware.

After flashing to the previous firmware, the eSIM reappeared. I then updated to the latest firmware and was able to restore the phone from a backup.

My opinion of Apple has significantly deteriorated after this incident.

I have an iphone 14 plus. My phone would not connect to the verizon cellular network immediately after 17.4.1. Would not update carrier settings (would click the popup but nothing would happen.) Tried everything except factory reset, without avail.

Things were like this for 48 hours until I gave up and factory reset the phone, and it immediately restored connectivity. If you are desperate, try this. I did a reset while maintaining my e-sim card and it worked, so I didn't have to drive to the verizon store.

Good luck everyone, what a pain in the ***!

Hi,

Apologies, without an older back-up this doesn't help, but for others like me who were desperately looking for a possible fix. Updated my 13 Mini to IOS 17.4.1 overnight and lost all connection to my mobile network. Came to these forums to see that I am not alone. Was only able to access internet, social media, and send messages via Wi-Fi.

This, touch wood, is working for me:

• Save a back-up of your phone as it currently is, with IOS 17.4.1, even with its bugs.
• Restore your iPhone to a back-up that pre-dates that IOS update.
• Let that happen, re-set up your phone according to the prompts, get it running (this was how I confirmed that it is the update that is the problem, not the provider, as my mobile network was totally fine and operating again on the older IOS)
• Restore from a back-up again, but this time restore the back up that is with IOS 17.4.1

For me (here in Australia) this has allowed me back onto my network (4G at least - a return to 5G is a wait and see).

A caveat is that I'm restoring from back-ups on an iMac, not from the cloud. That may make no difference, but FYI.

Hope this helps a few people.

Gobsmacked that Apple must be aware of this but not acknowledging. Maybe they're frantically trying to fix!

Just fixed this issue at the apple store, but hopefully you can do it on your own.

I had to restore my phone from my most recent iCloud backup. It will keep your eSIM, so you won’t have to worry about that! I was having the same issue and no issues came up in the diagnostics they ran at the store. Deleting and re-adding my eSIM didn’t work. But restoring my phone did! Kind of an annoying and time consuming fix, but I’d recommend trying that.(I have an iPhone 14 Pro for context)

I just went through this whole ordeal of having my cellular service randomly stop working on my iPhone 14. It began with my “MMS” settings not being available on my phone, then iMessage stopped working, then escalated to no cellular data, and inability to make or receive calls. After hours of AT&T and Apple insisting there was no issue and trying every troubleshooting tip recommended, I ended up doing a full factory reset. This fixed the issue!!! From my experience with this bizarre apple glitch i would recommend trying the factory reset, as long as you have everything backed up. Save yourself the time of having both of these companies tell you there’s no issue when there clearly is.

The quickest and easiest way to fix this is go to your settings and search “reset” and click the first option, then click the “reset” button NOT “ERASE ALL CONTENT” and it should bring up about 5 options to reset. Click on “Reset network settings” and after approximately 5 minutes your iPhone will turn back on functioning perfectly. NOTE: if this does not work you need to back up your iPhone and fully reset it but that will 100% fix the issue

The recent iOS updates 17.4 and 17.5 gave me similar probs, called Apple support and after talking to a terrible customer service rep, bad headset, mumbling, not knowing what to do, I abandoned ship and called back and got a quick fix to - RESET THE IPHONE, which is tricky when it’s not working! My screen was totally locked up, no cell service, wouldn’t take log in, wouldn’t power down, etc

so here goes- pending on which iPhone you have you quickly press up volume then down volume , then press and hold right power button for about 10 seconds , until you get Apple logo, mine took me a couple times, until I took off my iPhone cover to get better access to buttons,

RESULT - rebooted phone, got cell service back, then I turned off all the settings on auto updates , PHONE BEEN WORKING FINE SINCE

( to reset other iPhones you might have to hold down menu button , if there is one, and power button for about 10-15 seconds)

Verizon iphone 13 Max Pro, same issue, lost service after update. I had a heck of time trying to get it back working, I tried everything, even erasing and restoring the phone and it still had the "SOS". My solution was to completely remove sim card and use the internal e-sim card. You'll need to call the carrier for them to switch it to the built in internal e-sim card. Hope this helps.

Had this same issue on my 14 plus for 5 days w/o service, finally got it resolved by:

• Delete eSim
• Reset Network Settings
• Backup iPhone
• Erase All Contents and Settings
• Re-Setup Phone from Backup
• Re-Set eSim from carrier

I tried the first couple of items first without erasing the phone with no luck, so had to resort to the factory reset.

i believe the latest iOS releases are blocking certain frequencies and network IDs being exchanged with your cellular service provider. That is why, iPhone keeps searching for cellular service.

I fixed this issue by getting the latest physical SIM from my cellular service provider and inserting it in my iPhone. If your iPhone supports eSIM, delete it and revert back to latest physical SIM.

hope this helps!

You could try resetting network settings. It seems to have fixed my phone. Didn't fixed my work iphone however

Select Settings

Select General

Select Transfer or reset iPhone

Select Reset, then Reset Network Settings

Enter your Password/Passcode and select Reset Settings

I was only able to fix this issue by calling ATT and having them send me an eSIM to replace the physical sim I had.

I also tried everything else under the sun first including wiping the phone and resetting the network settings, but none of that worked.

I backed up my phone and did a "reset network settings". The issue seems to have been resolved. Thank You!

Just had to deal with the same issues after the last update 17.4.1 I lost cellular service and my SIM card wasn’t working for the past two days dealing with an SOS message on the top right screen my phone wasn’t working at all no calls, text, or emails had to call Verizon they sent me to the Verizon shop where they swapped out the old sim with a new SIM card seem like that was the issue everything was working fine until the next day my phone started operating into the SOS mode with no cellular service called Verizon again and spoke with a customers service rep who suggested I do a eSIM instead of a an old sim. Was very frustrating not to receive and make phone calls or text messages for the past two days it seems to be working after they did the eSIM just make sure they take out the old SIM card before installing the eSIM. Thanks Apple 😡 for having to deal with this frustrating matter for the past two days.