iPhone restore error 53 - not listed anywhere, what is the problem? has anyone seen it before???

EVERYONE LISTEN!!

So I know that error 53 for most equals DEATH, but get this, I sat on my iMac for HOURS trying to find ANY possible way to resolve this issue, and NOTHING, nobody had an answer for it, I'm like, dirt-poor and there was absolutely NO way I'd be purchasing a new iDevice anytime soon. So I kept the hope alive and I found a solution, this happened to me by chance, but with the error 53 message, naturally I was stuck in the "boot loop" with no way out. I truly was loosing every ounce of hope as every hour went by, but I tried an old technique that I used to do all the time back with my 3G, DFU mode guys! I swear on everything it worked! Whilst connected to my iMac I placed my phone in DFU mode, my screen was pitch black and totally unresponsive, but still recognized by my computer. (This took me about 3 tries btw) iTunes naturally noticed it being in that state and advised me to attempt a restore, 10 minutes later my iPhone 6 is back up and running. It was a back door way around the forsaken Error 53 message. My phone is alive and the Apple Gods smile upon me on this day!! I'm so happy I could just cry! I REALLY hope that this works for others! Please give it a shot.

BTW guys, my Touch ID sensor is kaput, and was not even functional prior to me even attempting an update via iTunes, so I know for a fact that I received the error message 53 due to the touch ID sensor not functioning properly, but this still worked for me.

I'll never buy an apple device in my entire life after this bad experience

What, you mean because the device is actually secure? Seriously?

Nobody cares whether you do or not.

If you purchase a Samsung next time be sure not to replace the fingerprint reader yourself or you will be writing, "I'll never buy a Samsung device in my entire life after this bad experience."

Apple SHOULD disable Touch ID functionality, including ApplePay system in case if something is wrong with touch ID module, but bricking the phone with error 53 is one of the nastiest things they came up with. Especially after the one year warranty period.

sollarman wrote:

Apple SHOULD disable Touch ID functionality, including ApplePay system in case if something is wrong with touch ID module, but bricking the phone with error 53 is one of the nastiest things they came up with. Especially after the one year warranty period.

As long as you didn't get your device messed with by an authorized person, Apple can repair it for you.

Meg St._Clair wrote:

As long as you didn't get your device messed with by an authorized person, Apple can repair it for you.

Sure Apple can repair it for you, but they will charge you $300 for a replacement phone if you are out of warranty.

My I6+ has been used for only 1 year + 1 month.

I never used the touch-id feature and never had any unauthorized repairing.

I can accept that my touch-id is broken after warranty, but it's unacceptable that it's turned into a brick without warming when users try to do a update suggested by Apple.

I'll never buy any Apple product in the future!!!

deggie wrote:

If you had not broken your phone by dropping it and voiding your warranty you would have been able to fix it under your warranty. If you could have it repaired in Singapore you might be able to do so for 1/2 the price of a new phone. Apparently this program is not available in Malaysia.

I understand your point about people who had 3rd party repairing should pay for the result.

But I believe we will see more and more people hit this issue due to the bad quality of the touch ID just like me.

I have never broken my phone, and I have never had my phone repaired.

I have never used the Touch ID feature, so I don't know if it's broken or not since the day 1.

Few days ago, I'm still a happy user with my iPhone 6+ which I bought 13 months ago.

And now, after a failed iOS update, I got a brick and have to pay $300USD+ for a replacement?

This doesn't make any sense!!

My point is Apple can block users from the iOS update if the touch ID is broken, but it's not right to turn users' working phone into bricks.

And this is basically an easy fix in the software that they can do the validation in iTune before actually overwriting the firmware!!

It isn't blocking you from the update, it is telling you that the home button hardware or hardware on the logic board has failed. You can call Apple Customer Service and plead your case and see if there is something they can do for you short of the out-of-warranty replacement. But since you said you don't want to deal with Apple anymore you should do some research and find a phone that has an unlimited warranty and buy it. And the fact that your home button failed doesn't mean it is of low quality.

So I've spent 5 days trying to figure out how to get my wife's phone back from the black hole it fell in to. After replacing the heat shield inside it today (which some say worked for them) and coming up with the same thing I had all but given up on it. Then read eli192's post. I'm more than happy to say that WORKED!! Thank you for the information!!

Just so everyone knows DFU mode may be the answer. If you don't know how to do it check out google.

hi I am having the problem with error 53 no way of completing to update my iph 6+. problem only started when I was trying to update to ios 9.2.1, I have the latest iTunes installed. any advise thanks.

kimhearts wrote:

hi I am having the problem with error 53 no way of completing to update my iph 6+. problem only started when I was trying to update to ios 9.2.1, I have the latest iTunes installed. any advise thanks.

If no third party has ever tried to repair your phone, take it to Apple. If the problem is determined to be covered by warranty, Apple will fix it. If your phone is out of warranty, you will need to pay for the repair.

And did you bother reading any of this thread at all?

If it hasn't been serviced or tampered with by an unauthorized 3rd party, make an appointment at the genius bar.

If it has been... screen and/or home button replacements, etc, then throw it in the bin and buy a new phone. It's permanently borked.

OK thanks since i have it jus 5 months and there is warranty i would send it back to apple to fix the problem.. I didnt let anyone tamper wit it.

I know what the issue is - error 53 usually happens when the phone cannot recognise the original touch ID - ask yourselves, have you recently changed the screen? if so, does your touch ID still work?

If the phone does not recognise your touch id, the phone will not update. Even worse, if you try and factory reset or restore from backup, error 53 will occur and your phone is essentially a paperweight!

Touch ID is paired with the mainboard. if you damage touch ID, you cannot simply replace it with another as the ID's will not match each other.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news guys