How to Replace Your iPhone Signal Strength Bars With Numbers
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Doesn't work. Field test mode still shows bars.

Now tapping on the signal bar doesn't do anything. Did they update it, so you can't change it anymore?

Thanks iclarified, at least you showed us how to reverse it if you don't want the numbers anymore

How to change back to the original signal?

I literally 30 secs. Just had this same problem!! Literally, but only thing you do is repeat the steps but instead of holding the lock button (If your iPhone is updated) you will click where it says "Back to Phone" in the very upper top left of the phone and when it goes back to the dial pad, click the signal strength numbers and it should return back to normal.

To get this to work for me I entered field test mode, then double tapped the home button to switch back to the dial app. I entered the code again which brought me back to the field test app. I then held the power sleep button until the slider appeared. Then held the home button to return to the normal app desktop. The -xxx dB stayed.

Works fine on iOS 8 :)

Never mind. It was Siri. Apparently the Siri screen was interfering with the Field Test app closure. Turned Siri off briefly, and it worked perfectly. I can now use either the numeric meter or the dots, and can toggle between them. Thanks!!

iPhone 5s with iOS 7.1.1 not jailbroken (Verizon) Field Test runs fine. However, I can't get it to make the numeric change lasting. Tried the power button, then the home button, and also tried the power button AND home button (forcing a reboot). When the phone reverts to the home screen, the numeric value displays for the briefest instant, then reverts to the dots (and doesn't toggle). Dunno' if the fact that the home button brings up Siri has anything to do with this or not..... Any ideas? I'd like to use the numeric value rather than the dots.

iPhone 5s with iOS 7.1.1 not jailbroken (Verizon) Field Test runs fine. However, I can't get it to make the numeric change lasting. Tried the power button, then the home button, and also tried the power button AND home button (forcing a reboot). When the phone reverts to the home screen, the numeric value displays for the briefest instant, then reverts to the dots (and doesn't toggle). Dunno' if the fact that the home button brings up Siri has anything to do with this or not..... Any ideas? I'd like to use the numeric value rather than the dots.

Worked Great on iOS 7.1 on my UnJailBroken iPhone 4S! Make sure to hit send after *3001#12345#* .... Then Go to power down screen and finish by holding Home until Field Test disappears. And the magic of it is if you tap the signal indicator, it toggles between dots and numbers !

Thanks for the info. But does it work after closing the field test ? I mean on the homescreen ? Thanks again

If you are having trouble getting it working on iOS 7.1 b5, enter the field test mode and hold down the power and home buttons together until the phone restarts.

It works fine in iOS 7. What the article doesn't make clear is that you have to hit Send to launch field test mode. if you enter the numbers but don't hit Send, you can still change for numbers to bars and back, but your selection won't persist unless you hit Send and see the field test menu. Then change to bars(dots) or numbers, hold power till the slider pops up, then Home to exit.

I couldnt make it work with IOS 7.4 oPhone 5s :(

If anyone of you having trouble changing the bars to numbers try opening field test and hold the home button and sleep button at the same time and keep holding until the Apple logo appears then unlock your iPhone and BOOM!!! It shows numbers and the best thing is that when you tap on the numbers, it turns back to bars, do it again, and it turnns back to numbers

It works on the iOS 7.0.2

This is broken in iOS 7.0. They are forcing us to have the dots.

what if it doesnt seem to work at all and stays on searching?

All of you who said you can't get the bars back are just stupid. After going back into the field test just simplify hit the home button. It's truly a great tweak and I also am a fan of being able to toggle between the bars and numbers.

Even works on a non jailbroken Iphone 4s, nice! i did not know that :)

Just go to settings and Erase all settings, worked for me and I had the problem some of you did not being able to JUST have bars back. I had to toggle them back in each app or screen, but even after trying Mike's advice it didnt work. Setting reset was what did it for me! Now I just have to go back a repersonalize some things which isnt too big of a deal

simple instructions thanks I wasn't happy with the numbers now back to bars ono.

Still works on iOS 6.0b1! Also, to change back and forth I just has to tap on the numbers/bars.

You can REVERT THE NUMBERS BACK TO BARS by tapping on the top left corner of your screen, when you are on your HOMESCREEN (not in field test mode!). From that moment forward, you can toggle between bars and numbers straight from your iPhone's homescreen.

Woah, looks like I'll leave my signal strength bars alone

My question is does it stay like that Becuz I got it to do it but soon as I went back to my normal screen it went back regular. I would prefer the numbers than signal bars any day

In order for you to disable it. make sure you have sbsettings instaled. Open that up, Tap on more on the bottom left corner, Then click "System Options" and switch off "Numeric GSM".. That worked for me so far!.

Awesome! That worked for me

This is how i fixed the issue with the numbers NOT going away after following directions to 'undo' the tweak. The tutorial is iffy, careful. The steps below should be done in the event you did both steps above and see the numbers instead of bars popping back and fourth. Do the keypad code and hit send and open Field Test app. Tap the -00 numbers to get blue bars back,(leave field test open!) hold sleep/wake until 'slide to power off' appears, then hold home till you see field test close. Do not power down. Then... Open field test AGAIN (using keypad method again) you'll see numbers instead of bars again, with field test open, tap -00 numbers to reveal bars, again... Yes. Then... Hold sleep/wake till power off dialogue appears again, then hold home till field test closes. Fixed. (reposted from above)

Unfortunately it wont work. As soon as you open an app or something it changes to number but when you exit the app it revert back to bars. Would you please tell a way to totally get rid of this "numbers". Thanks

Reset your iPhone's settings, worked for me.

It does work (JBen iPhone 4, 4.3.3 here). And I actually notice that it is possible to toggle between numbers and bars with a finger tap/touch.

the numbers don't go away anymore for me too. plz tell me how i can swtich back ?

Okay Mike explained it much easier. Thanks Mike!

Or just jailbreak maybe??

No need to have hassle typing this no to get filedtest mode..... go to spotlight (left to your home screen) & type fieldtest over there to get this mode... hope this work... let me know if any 1 hving problem....

Doesnt work

Doesn't work...are you jailbroken and using any apps to hide icons?

I tried changing it to the numbers and back to the bars and the bars wont stay up. Idk what to do.

This ks how i fixed it, tutorial is iffy Do the keypad code and hot send and open Field Test app. Tap the -00 numbers to get blue bars back,(leave field test open!) hold sleep/wake until slide to power off appears, then hold home till you see field test close. Do not power down. Then... Open field test AGAIN you'll see numbers instead of bars again, with field test open, tap numbers ti reveal bars, again... Yes. Then... Hold sleep/wake till power off dialogue appears again, then hold home till field test closes. Fixed.

I tried using this method to get feedback on signal strength, as I ALWAYS show only one bar as a result of being Jailbroken iPhone4 on 4.3.3 with Baseband 01.59.00. Unfortunately, as might be expected, the same baseband communication issue that shows only one bar causes the method described in the above post to ALWAYS show -113. It is possible to use ultrasn0w to get the graphical bars back, but I've had issues with ultrasn0w 1.2.2 and MMS and visual voicemail on ATT, so I've had to just deal with no graphical representation of signal strength. Oh well. I'd rather have an unlockable baseband than get a picture of my signal strength. I don't NEED ultrasn0w installed, as I'm on ATT. Maybe in a future release, the ultraSn0w issues will be resolved for MMS and VVmail. NB: I haven't tried the us 1.2.3 released recently, which might have resolved the above issues.

Problem is still there even in ultrasn0w 1.2.3 on official carriers (AT&T). I wish someone could make a tweak without having to have to use ultrasn0w to show signal strength. DAMN YOU APPLE!

Actually the numbers don't go away anymore for me, everytime I open an app they re-appear even after toggling them off. How can I fix this? :(

Or just press on the numbers to switch to bars

Actually the numbers don't go away anymore for me, everytime I open an app they re-appear even after toggling them off. How can I fix this?

Wat firmware are u on I'm on 4.3.1

4.2.1 here. This is really annoying!

Huh works for me on 4.3 I guess ur options are Leave it and go on with it or restore

Hm, maybe the app is running in the background and I can kill it with MobileTerminal?

U can try

doesnt work for me though

Yeah... Tried... Kinda desperate now!

Dial the field test code again. When the field test screen comes up press the home button to close the screen. The reception bars should remain permanent now.

Oh now I understand darkreds problem ya that should work

Doesn't work. Stuck numbers also.

This ks how i fixed it, tutorial is iffy Do the keypad code and hot send and open Field Test app. Tap the -00 numbers to get blue bars back,(leave field test open!) hold sleep/wake until slide to power off appears, then hold home till you see field test close. Do not power down. Then... Open field test AGAIN you'll see numbers instead of bars again, with field test open, tap numbers ti reveal bars, again... Yes. Then... Hold sleep/wake till power off dialogue appears again, then hold home till field test closes. Fixed. (reposted from above)

I did it like 10 times. Doesnt work

if your iphone is jailbroken you can disable it with sbsettings,go in sbsettings' system option and toggle 'numerical gsm' to off