iPhone 5 iTunes Restore Error 3 When Restoring iOS 7.0.6
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Ehhmad • March 2, 2014 at 8:59am
I am experiencing cellular connectivity issues on my factory unlocked iPhone 5. When attempting to restore the device to iOS 7.0.6 using the latest version of iTunes, the process gets stuck at approximately 99 percent and results in Error 3. I have already tried troubleshooting the hosts file, rebooting, and using a different computer with a fresh Windows installation, but the problem persists. Is this a known issue with the firmware or a hardware failure?
Answers
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iClarified • January 14, 2026 at 3:57am
iTunes Error 3 is almost always a sign of a hardware failure related to the baseband processor or the communications chipset on the logic board. Because the restore fails at the very end of the process, it indicates that the software has finished writing the main system files but failed to communicate with the cellular radio hardware. You can try a final restore in DFU mode to rule out software completely. 1. Connect the iPhone to your computer. 2. Hold the Power and Home buttons for 10 seconds. 3. Release Power while continuing to hold Home until iTunes recognizes the device in recovery mode. If the error remains, the device likely has a permanent hardware defect that cannot be fixed through software restores.