A Complete Guide to Unjailbreaking an iPhone

PDF download Download Article
Restore your iPhone to its pre-jailbreak status with this simple tutorial
PDF download Download Article

If you’ve decided to “unjailbreak” your jailbroken iPhone and want to return the device back to its original state, you can do so at any time using the Backup and Restore feature within iTunes. Note: It's highly advisable to back up your iPhone before restoring as this process erases everything on the device. Using this method will restore your device to its factory settings and installs the latest version of iOS.

Unjailbreaking Any iPhone

  • You can unjailbreak an iPhone by placing it into recovery mode, connecting it to your computer, and restoring in Finder or iTunes.
  • Unjailbreaking will delete everything on your iPhone, so back up anything you want to keep.
  • Do not unplug your iPhone from your computer throughout the unjailbreaking process.
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Putting your Device in Recovery Mode

PDF download Download Article
  1. Use a lightning USB cable to plug it in. [1]
  2. Release the Power button after 10 seconds.
    Advertisement
  3. You should see a "Connect to iTunes" screen appear.
    5. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Using iTunes Backup and Restore

PDF download Download Article
  2. Doing so will confirm that you want to restore a device that's in recovery mode. [2]
  4. iTunes will begin restoring your device. [3]
    • This process may take several minutes to complete.
    • Do not unplug the device during the restore process.
    • Click "Set up as new iPhone" to start fresh.
  7. iTunes will set up your device.
    • This process may take a few minutes.
  8. Tap to follow the on-screen prompts.Your iPhone will be restored to its "unjailbroken" state, and all the content and files you had on your jailbroken iPhone will be removed.
    9. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What happens if I unjailbreak my iPhone?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    You're just putting the stock firmware back into the phone. To do this, simply plug your phone into your computer and factory restore it with iTunes.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 5
  • Question
    Is it hard to unjailbreak a phone?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Unjailbreaking your phone is very straightforward. In fact, it's harder to jailbreak a phone than it is to unjailbreak it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 3
  • Question
    Will they be able to find out what caused the virus on my iPhone if I take it to the Apple store?
    PacmanEater123 :D
    Community Answer
    No, they won't be able to find out, as long as you followed the instructions on this post correctly.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 12
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Using this method will restore your device to its factory settings and installs the latest version of iOS.
        Thanks
        Helpful 6 Not Helpful 2
      • Apple does not support devices that have been jailbroken. If you plan on taking your device into the store for repair, you will want to restore it to factory settings.
        Thanks
        Helpful 5 Not Helpful 3
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Hard Reset an iPhone
      Apple ID Sign Out Unavailable? Here's How to Fix It
      How to
      Get Past the Activation Lock on an iPhone or iPad without the Seller
      10 Simple Ways to Fix an iPhone or Android That Won’t Send Pictures
      6 Easy Steps to Reload Your Cash App Card at the Store
      How to
      Fix the “iPhone Unavailable” Message: Explanation and Fixes
      How to
      Turn On MMS Text Messages on an iPhone
      2 Ways to Get a Still Image from Video on iPhone or iPad
      How to
      Use the iPhone Hidden Album to Hide Private Photos
      How to
      Fix "Notifications Silenced" on iPhone Messages
      How to
      Bypass Your Screen Time Passcode: Reset, Remove, or Hack Screen Time
      How to
      Downgrade and Restore Older Versions of iOS on iPhone
      4 Ways to Find Your Lost iPhone When It’s Offline or Dead
      Turn Off Location Sharing on an iPhone Without Anyone Knowing
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 March 2021
      2. ↑ http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/07/27/remove-ios-9-3-3-jailbreak/
      3. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 March 2021
      4. http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/03/21/putting-iphone-ipad-into-recovery-mode/
      5. http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/07/27/remove-ios-9-3-3-jailbreak/
      6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6quIEHrGnKU

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Put iPhone into recovery mode.
      2. Connect the phone to a computer.
      3. Open iTunes on your computer.
      4. Click Ok .
      5. Click Restore iPhone .
      6. Click Update .
      7. Click Restore from this backup .
      8. Select a backup and click Restore .

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 118,485 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement