When trying to update your iPhone via iTunes, an unknown error 3194 may appear, indicating that the device cannot be restored. What is this error and how to get rid of this problem quickly and efficiently?
What is error 3194?
Sometimes a situation happens when, when updating ios, you receive a message that an unknown error has occurred. Your iPhone or iPad is throwing error 3194 (error 3194). Because of this, you cannot update the device or roll back the system. Before proceeding with the fix, let's figure out what the problem is with your device and how to fix it.
Error 3194 is a common problem that occurs when iTunes is unable to communicate with the update server. This means that your device needs help recovering or updating.
If you are about to roll back your system and downgrade to an earlier version of the firmware, there may be a possibility that the version of iOS you are trying to install is no longer signed by Apple, or the computer you are trying to perform the operation from does not have the latest version of iTunes installed.
Why iTunes Error 3194 Occurs When Updating iPhone or iPad
Your iTunes cannot contact the Apple software update server. This could be due to a blocked connection, antivirus protection on the system, or any new entry in the host.
- The version of iOS you install or update is no longer digitally signed by Apple.
- You have used the jailbreak utility to change your iPhone or iPad device. The jailbreak setting modifies the host file and blocks Apple servers. This creates problems when you later try to update iOS to the latest version or restore a backup due to iTunes error 3194.
How to fix error 3194 on iPhone and iPad
Update iTunes
If you see itunes error 3194, you should try the easiest way to fix it first: update iTunes to the latest version. While this is most likely not the cause of the problem, it is the quickest and easiest method and is definitely worth trying. Perhaps something in the old version of iTunes is blocking the connection you want.
This is a two step process that is very easy to follow. After launching iTunes, it is recommended to click the Help button in the main panel. Click Check for Updates to have iTunes download the most recent files to update and complete the process.
Check the hosts file
For Windows users:
- Go to path C: / Windows / System32 / drivers / etc / and find the hosts file
- Open the file in a text editor with administrator rights. Find the line 208.105.171 gs.apple.com. It should be located at the very bottom.
-
Add the hashtag # before the line to get something like this: # 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com
Image If there is no such line in the file, add at the very bottom the address 208.105.171 gs.apple.com
- Save changes to the file
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and update your phone via iTunes. ITunes error 3194 should be gone.
For Mac users:
In Finder, go to Applications - Utilities
- Open terminal
- Type in the command sudo nano / private / etc / hosts and press Return
- Enter your Mac login password and press Return again. The hosts file will appear
- Find the entry gs.apple.com
- If you do not find this line, then the problem with the error does not arise from the hosts file. Close the terminal and try other solutions. If there is an entry, follow these steps.
- Add a # with a space before the apple.com address
- Press Control-O to save changes to the file
- When the system asks for a filename, press Return
- Press Control-X to exit the editor
- Reboot your computer
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and try updating or restoring it via iTunes
After you complete the iOS update, reopen the hosts file and delete the line 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com. This is necessary so that such a mistake does not recur in the future.
Put iTunes in DFU Mode
To do this, turn off your phone and then hold the Power and Home buttons for 10 seconds. Release the power button, but hold Home until iTunes says the device is in recovery mode.
Now you can restore your iphone. Keep in mind that this step will erase data on your phone, so please save your files and settings to iCloud or iTunes beforehand.
Check your network connection, antivirus or firewall
Since error 3194 is often a network problem, you need to make sure that there is not something in your network or its configuration that is causing it. To do this, try the following steps:
- Make sure your internet connection is working. If you are offline, of course, you cannot access Apple's servers.
- Remove or disable security software like firewall (be sure to return it when you're done!). Firewalls and similar tools can block connections to specific servers. Or try adding the update address to the antivirus whitelist.
- Restart your computer or modem
- If you are using Wi-Fi, try connecting directly to your modem over Ethernet to make sure the problem is not Wi-Fi.
Roll back the system to factory settings
Another possible solution to error 31094 is to roll back the system. However, keep in mind that this step will erase all data on your phone, so it should only be done in exceptional cases. Back up your system and all files first.
- Go to General - Settings. Click the reset button at the bottom of the screen.
- Click Reset all settings if iPhone cannot be restored with error 3194.
- Enter a passcode if your device requires it, and then set up your iPhone as new to complete the process.
How to fix error 3194 using iCloud
If you receive error 3194 in iTunes, then you are not correctly connecting to the Apple Firmware Signature Verification Server. This usually happens because you've jailbroken your device in the past and changed the way iTunes connects to the verification server. This issue can be fixed by performing a remote reboot. This option also assumes a factory reset.
- Install iCloud on your computer. Go to your iCloud account with your Apple ID.
- Open Find My iPhone in iCloud. A map will open with your registered iOS devices.
Select your device from the top menu. Click All Devices and select the device you want to restore.
- Click Erase on the iOS Device Map. After confirmation, automatic factory reset will start. This can take quite a long time.
- Set up your iOS device and restore the backup. Start the setup process like it's a brand new phone. You will be prompted to choose a backup from iCloud or iTunes, or you can proceed with a fresh installation.
Use correct firmware version for manual update
ITunes error 3194 can occur due to the wrong firmware version. Always use the correct firmware files for your iPhone and iPad when performing a manual update. It's best to avoid manual updates and allow iOS to update through the standard software mechanism.
If none of these solutions work, try restoring or updating your iOS device using a different computer than the one you tried earlier. It might work, but even if it doesn't, it helps rule out the computer as the source of the problem.
