ANY ONE KNOW WHAT IS ERROR 3 IN ITUNES WHEN I TRY TO RESTORE IPHONE 5 TO IOS 7 IT STUCKS IN THE END AND AFTER 30 MIN THIS COME OUT "UNKNOWN ERROR 3" CAN SOME ONE HELP ME PLZ

HI Auto3,

I reviewed your log and it appears to be the same root cause of Error (3).

If you can crank your freezer to the coldest setting, give it a few hours to reach it, then try again, some have had success with a colder temperature.

Keep watching this thread for a future fix that is being worked on. Don't have a timeframe yet, but it is being worked on. No promises yet on a release yet though.

Hi brandibby,

Sorry to hear none of the techniques here, including the freezer, has worked for you.

You might want to try cranking your freezer to the coldest possible setting, give it a couple of hours to reach it, then put your iDevice in for 30 minutes, with it fully off, in a freezer bag with rice wrapped in a paper towel. Some have reported success at a much colder temp than most freezers are typically set.

If not, keep following this thread for updates.

Hey after severals tries i finally got through error 3. The problem now is that my iPhone gets into searching mode again. Do you think this is "searchin..." is a software problem? My iPhone worked fine until 7.0.6 and started to lose mobile connection since I installed it. My 1 year warranty is already over and the next Apple Store is far away 😟 Would it be worth it to visit the store for help as the online support says it'll cost money for a repair when i send it in. A little bit disappointed as everything worked fine until 7.0.6 :/

Hi Mkom,

Congraulations on getting past the Error (3) issue!

"searching" can be caused by a variety of issues. Searching other threads in this discussion forum will point you to many possible solutions. Before driving to the Apple store, you might try the following:

In general try these first:

Do a hard reboot by holding down both the Home button AND the Power button at the same time for 10 seconds, then release both. The iDevice will restart automatically.

If the above doesn't work

Press Settings/General/Reset/Reset Network Settings. This will require you to reenter your WiFi passwords so have them handy

If the above doesn't work

Power off the iDevice. Remove the iDevice SIM card. Wipe bith sides off with a dry screen cover cleaner towel, re-insert the SIM card. Turn the iDevice back on.

If the above doesn't work

Check the other forum threads.

Please let us know what solves the usdue. Goid luck!

Hi guys,

My 3rd gen iPad wifi+cell was stuck in restart error after upgrading it to iOS 7.x and tried to reset via ipad and itunes several times. And got stuck in to recovery mode after all the things i ve tried. Then downloaded the latest itunes and ios 7.1 to upgrade. That is when i get my lovely error 3. After trying the freeze method it worked just fine and i passed the error and upgraded successfully.

Also my restart problem was gone for 2 hours. But now my ipad restarting itseff repeatedly every 2 minutes again and i thought something is causing my ipad to be warmer than it shoud be and tried freeze method again. Just left it in the freezer for 7-8 min with only paper towels around it and now its working normal again. But i am sure i ll get the restart error again in couple of hours. So i guess something is malfunctioned in ipad after ios 7.x update and making it warmer.

Hi soulinvictus,

I had this type of issue, iPad 3 getting HOT, after upgrade from 7.0.4 to 7.0.6.

I did a "hard reboot" (10 second hold HOME and POWER buttons depressed simultaniously) and the problem went away. Others have reported similar results with the same solution. I suspect something in the network Settings is going awry. If this doesn't work, try a "reset network settings" under General/Settings/Reset.

There was a youtube video in one of the earlier pages if you can remember. It was showing an ipad closing like pulling a curtain from left to right. That's exactly what im dealing on my ipad. And i am really sure it happened after upgrading to ios 7. But like you said it might have been after several 7.x updates. 'cuz i had no errors or problems at earlier stages of ios 7 update.

I bought my ipad from Poland ( media markt). Now i am living in another country, so warranty is no longer valid for me. Thats why im trying every possible solutions without hasitating. I've called the apple customer care this morning and explained my problem. But i dont think every apple guys are capable and helpfull as they are in USA. They told me to go apple service but they also add my ipad is not in warranty perriod and will be additonal costs like 300$.

So i've tried hard/soft reseting. Upgrading to other ios versions. Even tried to j/b it. Now its working on ios7.1 and didnt restart after freezer solution. I guess i ve to cool it off when it starts to restart again. I hope they can fix this in next update...

I have an iphone 5 (a1428) which is unlocked. I as soon as I updated to ios 7.0.2 I got stuck in recovery mode with the itunes logo screen and everytime I tried to update I recieved the error 3 message at the very end of the process. I decided to take my phone to apple to see if the DF's that call them selves geniuses could do something.

The DF (Genius) plugged my phone into a computer and told me sorry this phone is now a paper weight and a replacement will be 269 plus tax!

I told him to forget about it. I came home and tried ever y method online.

EXCEPT THE ONE LISTED ON THIS SITE!!

I froze my phone for about an hour and a half and let it update and restore to 7.1 and it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS GUYS!!!

Glad to know I'm not the only one having this issue!!

Started out with my iPhone 4s dropping to 1x data instead of 3G or loosing carrier data all together. Then it would stick on Searching with no voice or data what so ever. This would happen about once or twice a month for the last 4 months.

I was able to pull my phone back from the brink of brick-dom with either a re-activation (*228 opt 1 on Verizon) or a network settings reset. In a couple of cases I did have to do a factory reset and reload of apps. Painful!

But not this time. Now, when I try to do a factory reset, it fails on the very last steps of firmware update, throwing the UNKNOWN ERROR (3). Phone is stuck in recovery.

My wife's S4 was purchaced at the same time, so if it's a hardware flaw, her phone likely has this issue too. She never upgraded off of 6.x and has never had the error 3 failure. So maybe it's 7.x that exposes this flaw?

My phone is less than a year old so I'm hoping Mother Apple will help me out with it.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Hello kennethyoung

I'm Vietnam

Ipad4 I get from customers, restore error 3

This ipad is under warranty, to May 9, 2014

Stores where I live no warranty by AT & T ipad,my Ipad was hanging cable

What can I do for this ipad to AT & T or not.

Iphone 4s - stuck in recovery - error occurred (3) when I try to restore from ITUNES - I spent 4 days trying everything and anything to get it to restore. Last ditch effort I tried FREESER - put it in the freezer for 30 minutes, it didn't work in DFU mode but did in recovery mode. Awesome

I have the same issue on an iPhone 4s - its still an issue and I had to face it twice! These are the steps that I have done:

1. Attempted to upgrade to iOS 7.1 over wifi. It said 5-6hrs remaining! This was the first sign of the troubles to come. I have done the iOS 7.1 upgrade three times (on a 5s, another 4s, and an iPad 2 wifi) all finished in less than 20mins. This upgrade over wifi did not push through and the Connect to iTunes picture appeared on the phone.

2. Connected to iTunes and started the restore to factory settings. Then I encountered the Error (3). I got around this Error (3) after doing the following:

a. Changed the USB port - still error

b. Changed the cable - still error

c. Changed the computer - at first still error

d. Waited overnight - Worked!

However, my phone was always "Searching...." for signal. And the way to fix it was to do another restore. And now I'm always getting Error (3). I've tried all of the steps above, even on another computer. And even on a Macbook. Still the same.

This is very frustrating Apple. This is a very expensive premium device - an all we get now is very expensive Paperweight. PLEASE FIX THIS!

I think it , I am another person with error ( 3) **** time I decided to update my device has only a year and 3 months, but I call they say I have to pay for the repair . The phone I bought it second hand and I lost the ticket after so long without problems not thought it out to use .. I'm desperate , is a iphone 5 , I need to use it every second, and can not , technique freezer has not helped me although I expose my experience:

After 40 minutes, I decided to connect it being inside the fridge, I despaired waiting about 20 minutes and cogia enough charge to start restoration , so I did it in DFU mode , for here I saw a ray of hope for a person who commented that in DFU mode has not worked and so itunes restoration if , immediately I'll try without dfu mode and tell them , thanks to all who contribute data and experiences , especially the teacher of teachers, the semiconductor kennethyoung 😉dedicated to the cause , Thanks

I'm not a 100% but I believe it is a hardware error - most cases an overheat of a device - I was sceptical also - but I placed my IPHONE 4s in two plastic bags and put it in the FREEZER for 30 minutes, tried to RESTORE in DFU mode - FAILED....then tried RESTORE in RECOVERY MODE and SUCCESS.

Greetings from Denmark

for a week ago I updated a IPhone 5 and I got stuck on error 3 ;-(

I have tryed everything, and nothing works.

I have called Apple dk and they havnt heard anything about error 3 and they want me to call the phone provider where it is purchased but the say that they cant do anything becource it´s out of warranty.

I will try the freeser to night to is if that works

Dennis