What is error 53
Error 53 is an old yet very popular issue faced by iOS owners. The problem occurs when trying to update or restore a device through iTunes. These are the messages commonly received by error 53 victims:
or
Although Apple officially said they fixed the issue with the IOS 9.3 update, some users are still unlucky to receive the 53 error in later IOS versions as well. Users reported the error started its presence after replacing security components like Touch ID sensor, Home button, or even a Screen with the help of unofficial repairing centers. This means a replaced iPhone component may be unauthorized therefore making a device think it is unsafe and should be avoided. As a result, this creates incompatibility issues preventing the system to restore or install new updates properly. The great news is that sometimes this error can be worked out without referring to Apple centers with hardware complaints. Also, if you have not done any replacements or damage to the aforementioned components, this guide will be especially useful for you. Alike other issues with updating or restoring a device, error 53 can be potentially solved using a general set of approaches to address such problems. Try each suggestion proposed below to circumvent the issue and get back to using your device as usual.
Download repair tool
Sometimes resolving the errors is out of our control and possibilities. This is where third-party tools are more than welcome to contribute and carry all the difficulties away. If you are facing error 14 or similar issues, but fail to benefit from any of the manual steps below, try using Tenorshare ReiBoot – a great recovery tool designed for resolving errors like that. Get to know how one can use it to address the errors and restore or update an iOS device successfully on their website.
- Download and install ReiBoot for either Mac or Windows.
- Once done, open the app and plug your device into the computer.
- The program should recognize your device and offer a couple of options.
- Choose Standard if you simply want to update your device or Deep repair if you want to fully restore it.
- Then, download the firmware found by the app for your smartphone by clicking Download.
- Once the process is finished, click Repair now to start resolving the problems.
- Wait until the app finishes its repair and restores your device. It will take about 15 minutes to end.
Standard is meant to search for basic issues and bugs to address them without wiping out your data.
Deep repair will reset your device to factory settings and delete the entire data stored on it.
If your device is stuck on the Apple logo and does not want to move any further, skip over to these steps and get to trying solutions after reviving your device.
1. Ensure your iTunes and macOS are up-to-date
If you are still using old versions of macOS, this could be the reason why problems like error 53 appear. Outdated software may no longer endorse the same compatibility level as previously. Our advice is to check your macOS for available updates and install them eventually. We would also recommend you check updates for iTunes as it could be outdated as well. Here is a short instruction on how you can do this:
To install updates for macOS:
- Go to Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen and choose System Preferences.
- Then, click Software update and choose Update Now to install the latest update available for your current version.
- If you don’t see this button, this means your system is already up-to-date.
Usually, other apps like iTunes get updated along with installing the latest macOS version. Despite this, it is still worth double-checking.
To install updates for iTunes:
- Open App Store from the dock on your screen.
- Move to Updates on top of the window or left pane and search for iTunes from the list.
- If there are any updates available, you will be able to click on Install to get them.
Otherwise, your iTunes service is up-to-date. If you installed iTunes on Windows from Microsoft Store, do a similar procedure there.
2. If your device is stuck on the Apple logo
This is a solution to get out of the Apple logo loop. It has become quite common for IOS users to have their devices stuck at the Apple logo while trying to update or restore a device. Here is what you can do to get out of this state and try updating your device using alternative methods again.
iPhone 8 or later:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button (which you use to unlock your screen) until you see the Apple logo.
iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation):
- Press and hold the Side (or Top) button and the Volume Down button together at the same time.
- Likewise in the previous steps, the Apple logo should appear on the screen.
iPad models with a Home button, iPhone 6s or earlier, and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier:
- Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Home button until you see the same Apple logo as it was above.
iPad models without a Home button:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Then press-hold the Power button and wait until the iPad restarts.
Basically, the pattern of restarting your device is the same only varying by a combination of buttons on different generations of IOS devices.
3. Update your iPhone
If you are dealing with the iTunes aversion when restoring a device, then check if a newer IOS version can be installed. Apple says they fixed incompatibilities with third-party replacements in the patched version of iOS 9.2.1. Make sure your device is up-to-date using these traditional steps.
- Open Settings and navigate to General.
- From there, find and open Software Update.
- If any new updates are pending, you will be able to click on Download and Install.
4. Try using another computer
If there is still this annoying error coming your way when iTunes is used, try to set up a restore or update on another computer. You can borrow it from a friend and perform the same procedure you struggled with before again. It is quite hard to find the reason why this could be related to your own PC or Mac – various bugs, corrupted system elements, and other causes could be in place. If this does not resolve the issue, we are afraid you will have to ask official Apple support for assistance.
Summary
The range of available solutions is quite limited when it comes to addressing the error code 53. This is because the problem is generally related to hardware reasons like those with replacing the Home button or Touch ID sensors. In case you are still concerned about this issue, go to the certified Apple service to ask them for help. You can also ask your friends for feedback and recommendations based on their experience of visiting such services in your city.
