Cannot Activate iPad IOS 9.3

Nothing helps. You can downgrade iOS 9.3 to 9.2.1. It works for me.

Step 1

Download .IPSW file for your iPad from here. (v.9.2.1 still Apple signed)

https://ipsw.me/9.2.1

Step 2

• Unplug the USB cable from the bottom of your iPad but leave it plugged into your computer.
• Shut off the iPad by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake button and sliding the Slide to Power Off slider that appears.
• Press and hold the Home button while plugging the USB cable into the bottom of the iPad.
• Keep holding the Home button until you see the screen that reads “Connect to iTunes.” Let go of the Home button.
• In iTunes you should see a message indicating that the iPad is in recovery mode. Click OK in this dialog box and, in iTunes hold down the Alt/Option key (Shift in Windows) while clicking on Restore
• File explorer window will pop up, where you’ll navigate to the file that you downloaded above. Select it and then click Open.
• Click Restore to continue and then follow the on-screen instructions to restore your iPhone and downgrade to iOS 9.2.1 The process could take around 10-20 minutes, so be patient while it does its thing.
• After it’s complete, you’ll have an iPad running on iOS 9.2.1, but you’ll now need to restore a backup to the device to get all of your apps and other data back. To do this, click on Restore Backup on the device’s summary page.

Step 3

Don't upgrade to 9.3 and wait while Apple fix this problem.

Sources

http://www.macworld.com/article/1165828/cure_for_an_incomplete_ios_update.html

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2016/01/20/how-to-downgrade-to-ios-9-2-from-ios-9-2 -1/

Did not work for me. It restores and reverts back to the same activation page in iTunes as well as the iPad While having the software version of 9.2.1!!

incidentally I noted some users commenting that it affects only the iPad 2.

it's not true since I'm operating the iPad 4 or what is known as the iPad Air 1 and am facing these problems.

this changes my opinion about the way Apple is racing to get products / software into the field without proper testing and is ruining their name.

I have found solution and it is working now on iPad2.

But it will erase your ipad data.

1) Swith off iPad

2) With out connecting cable to iPad, just connect it to your PC and open iTunes.

3) Press and hold HOME button and connect the cable to iPad now.

4) You Can find restore image on iPad and iTunes prompt for update or Restore.

5) Don't update Just click restore, now it will say restore upate. Just accept.

6) It will clean your iPad and install software.

7) Now in iTunes setup as new iPad.

Best of Luck

iPad 2 with WiFi and 3G-

Activation still broken after attempting everything listed above with the exception of downgrading to 9.2x.

Looking for any new ideas or if Apple will resolve the issue?

I'm getting this error. help me out.

Same problem for me with iPad 2 with WiFi & Cellular

I tried several of the solutions above but the only thing that worked was connect to iTunes, do a complete re-boot (Home button and On/Off switch held until screen black, then Home button only for 5 seconds) then crucially hold down ALT when selecting Restore in iTunes. I found the iOS 9.2.1 in my computer's Trash, where it had been put during the failed 9.3 'upgrade'

thanks! this helped me! 🙂

I'm hoping they do Resolve the problem. Maybe it's something we can't do.

i have a nice $949 iPad that is from 2014 and cannot work.

Not so funny. It can be appears again after power switching off.

So my iPad 2 (64GB, WI-FI, has AT&T sim but never activated) got stuck in the activation issue after installing 9.3 via iTunes. It would not activate and unplugging and replugging never brought up an activation screen on iTunes, in fact, could not get to any iTunes screen to restore.

So I followed the instructions at http://www.imore.com/how-to-iphone-ipad-dfu-mode

This worked!

Eventually in this precess, you get asked if you want to restore to factory defaults. That concerned me but I said yes. So it grinds away for awhile and then you get a screen on iTunes asking if you want to use as a new iPad or Restore from the latest backup. I chose the latter. When done everyghing works, the authorization worked and 9.3 is installed.

This is why I recommend always installing via iTunes. It automatically takes a backup to your computer before it does the upgrade. A lifesaver. I don't know what happens to those who can only upgrade over the air.

I confirm it

I really don't want to restore since I've not done a backup for awhile. Has anybody been successful activating without doing a restore? Any news from Apple about when this will be resolved??

Yes, I just removed iPad from Find My iPhone via iCloud.com.

So, I had to restore my iPad. If you back up, you can get back your music and stuff like that, but you'll never get back the content of the apps... I use iPad2 as musician, I design music patches (all totally lost), I had older apps from company that do not exist anymore (Camel Audio, I lost all the libraries I had purchased and cannot be restored), so... today I lost two years of hard work, I mean it's "money" for me, for a stupid update I should have never have done.

APPLE sent it to me without clearly warning me that I could totally mess my working device.

I assume Apple will never refund me anything... but I learned the lesson and will never trust Apple anymore.

Same issue, iPad2 64GB Wifi+3G, updated to iOS 9.13 last night successfully, but cannot re-activate the device to start using it. Just says:

"Could Not Activate iPad.

Your iPad could not be activated because the activation server is temporarily
unavailable. Try connecting your iPad to iTunes to activate it, or try again in a
few minutes."

Been trying to re-activate it for the past 24 hours now to no avail. It's completely bricked.

Connecting to latest version of iTunes via USB gives the message:

"iTunes was unable to verify your device."

I have tried restarting iPad many times, restarting iPad with iTunes fully updated and loaded, removing 3G SIM card during restart, but nothing I try works.

I use the iPad2 standalone (I don't have a Mac and rarely use iTunes on PC), so I really, really want to avoid a restore if possible. It's been a year or so since I made a manual backup.

The nearest Apple store is 35miles away but I have no transport.

Apple, can you please make a statement as to what is being done?