Downgrade iPhone 3G OS 4.0 to 3.1.3 or lower

9 April 2010 by Vinay 30 Comments

Apple released iPhone firmware 4.0 Beta 1 for iPhone developers to develop and test their applications with new API extensions released with new iPhone SDK. Upgrading to 4.0 with Ultrasn0w/Blacksn0w installed will cause people to lose their unlock and jailbreak for iPhone 3G. OS 4 beta 1 contains a baseband update 05.13.03 for iPhone 3G and 3GS. So if you accidentally updated your iPhone 3G to OS 4 here is the handy guide for downgrading.

Remember this will not downgrade your baseband only your firmware will be downgraded. It’s possible to downgrade OS however we strongly suggest you to carry on with OS 3.1.3 until Dev team update Pwnage Tool or redsn0w Tool.

Step by Step Guide to Downgrade iPhone 3G

Step 1: Make sure you have latest iTunes installed, Now connect your iPhone to your computer.

Step 2: Put your iPhone 3G in DFU mode with following instructions.

Connect your iPhone to your computer.

Turn iPhone off.

Hold power and home together for 10 seconds (exactly).

Release power but keep holding home until the computers beeps (observed on a PC) as a USB device is recognized.

A few seconds later iTunes should detect your iPhone.

If the Restore Logo is present on the screen, you are in Recovery Mode, not DFU.

Step 3: Once your iPhone is in DFU mode following message will be appeared in iTunes. Click on “OK” , Now hold Option key while clicking Restore in iTunes and browse the OS 3.1.2 or below firmware for your iPhone 2G, 3G. Now the restore process will take 10 – 15 minutes.

Step 4: If you encountered an error message like 1011, 1013, 1015, just ignore them(Actually the firmware3..1.3 is already successfully installed) and use iRecovery to get the hold of your iPhone again.

Download this package [Download Here] included iRecovery for Windows & Mac and LibUsb-Win32. Windows user also download Latest version of iRecovery [Click Here]

1) Windows users Install libusb from the downloaded pack, Mac users can skip this step. If you are on Windows Vista / Windows 7 then follow the steps given below to install Libusb-Win32.

Right click on this file. Select Properties | Compatibility Click the “Run this program in compatibility mode” box and select “Windows XP (Service Pack2)” from the drop down list.
Right click again and select “Run as “Administrator”. Follow the installation instructions. Running the test program list the usb devices plugged into my computer – but not my new device.

2) Start iRecovery in Terminal / Console with iRecovery -s

3) Execute the following commands:

setenv auto-boot true
saveenv
reboot

4) Reboot your iPhone (keep holding home + sleep for 10 seconds).

But if you encountered with error message like 1601, 1602, 1600 or anything else then try putting the iPhone into DFU mode and try again.

Disclaimer : This process is universal and tested several times though we are not responsible for and damage (if any) so use it at your own risk. If you like our work then consider to digg the story and help us by spreading the word.

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30 Comments »

RamPc said:

One good reason to release the unlock for the baseband 5.12
At the end, there is going to be a new baseband for OS4

# 9 April 2010 at 7:51 pm

michael said:

I got error 1015 and ignored it then jailbroke it but when my phone came back on I couldn’t get service. I’m trying to restore again but idk if it’ll work… what am I missing?

# 9 April 2010 at 11:07 pm

lyrics said:

I followed your steps, but stuck on error1015.
I tried several times but returned same error to me.
I dont think the os has been downgrade to 3.0, the redsnow cannot identify my current iphone version.
Is there any solutions?

# 10 April 2010 at 2:01 pm

egoste said:

After 3.1.3 DFU restore and 1015 error…

RT:

“Go to iHackintosh and download a little utility called iRecovery.
Once you have iRecovery downloaded, open up a terminal window and type the following:

cd /directory/to/iRecovery then type iRecovery -s

Wait for iRecovery to load then run the following commands one at a time:

setenv auto-boot true
saveenv
/exit
Reboot your phone by holding the home and power button for about 10 seconds, the phone will then reboot, connect to iTunes and activate.
You’re done!”

# 10 April 2010 at 11:44 pm

Jill Snaels said:

I got everything to install, the phone booted into 3.1.3, but no cell network (I use AT&T)… everything else worked. re-loaded 4 beta and cell network worked again. I’m stuck at 4 for now

# 10 April 2010 at 11:54 pm

frankly said:

i managed to get it working. Here are the steps i took:

1) followed the steps in this article and got to error 1015.

2) download iRecover (following the steps in this article http://thebigboss.org/2009/03/19/iphone-v30-beta-do-not-use/#comments) and this article (http://www.ihackintosh.com/2009/07/irecovery-iphone-recovery-mode-loop-restart/) to get the iPhone out of the recovery loop

# 11 April 2010 at 4:01 am

nights said:

Seriously, what michael said. No signal. I guess this is what we get for upgrading to a beta OS.

# 11 April 2010 at 3:16 pm

Drew said:

You need push button Make My Life Easier in Cydia with 3.1.2 is saved
This Device Has a 3.1.2 ECID SHSH On File. Otherwise you couldn’t get service.

# 11 April 2010 at 3:26 pm

aatkco said:

I am stuck too at error1015.

# 11 April 2010 at 7:38 pm

Max said:

I have the same problem as Michael. Please Help!

# 11 April 2010 at 8:36 pm

Hussain said:

Thanks guys for this guidelines

# 12 April 2010 at 9:50 am

James said:

You can fix the no service issues.

Follow this guide here: http://modmyi.com/forums/3g-s-downgrading/706420-how-downgrade-4-0-jailbroken-3-1-3-a.html

# 13 April 2010 at 3:06 am

polsfuss said:

what is the difference between puting iPhone in DFU mode or not, before holding alt + restore
to browse the firmware.
I forgot puting DFU, and it worked.

# 14 April 2010 at 12:21 am

Relieved said:

May I say you are a God? Thanks….

# 20 April 2010 at 12:31 pm

Sachin said:

i am stuck at error 1600, i tried sevaral times with DFU mode and without DFU mode , but same error , please help

# 27 April 2010 at 6:00 am

Kable said:

WOW! Thank you! Your a life saver!

My iPhone messed up on me completely and wouldn’t boot. I now have 3.1.3 which is just great. Atleast now it won’t take me 30-45 seconds everytime I enter my password to unlock my phone!

# 30 April 2010 at 3:23 am

lado said:

i have some problem with iRecovery. when im typing ./irecovery -s comes this out
lado-bakhtadzes-macbook-pro:desktop ladoiesmac$ ./iRecovery -s
iRecovery – Recovery Utility for 0×1281 and WTF.
by wEsTbAeR– and Tom3q

Got USB
No iPhone/iPod found.

and nothing happens. please help

# 30 April 2010 at 3:15 pm

cody lee said:

Did everything but when in console, the commands given in the article are not
Ever recognized. – not a known command. The only one that was diferent was when I typed
“Reboot” it said no permission or something.

# 1 May 2010 at 7:47 am

Patrick said:

Like a dummy I installed 4.0 without having a UDID and a developers license and ended up with a bricked phone. I did the iRecovery and terminal and it all works. Thanks for the post, and I really appreciated it.

# 6 May 2010 at 12:20 am

orcaMk2 said:

I can help anyone that is stuck with iPhone in 4.0 and wants to downgrade to 3.1.3.

I also have the ability, if you want, to get a 4.0 upgrade and have no problems with the Beta for 1 year let me know.

All I ask is a paypal donation of $10.00 for either.

contact me at orcamk2@gmail.com

good hunting

# 6 May 2010 at 3:06 am

JU said:

Hey
I tried to test the iOS 4 to program apps, but I couldn’t get it activate (don’t have the right sim). Then I downgraded and iTunes (Mac) is stops at 3/4 of the loading bar while restoring and iTunes (Win) is saying error 1015 when using normal ipsw and 1600 when using a pwnage ipsw…

can you tell me either how to:
- activate 4.0 without a sim
- fix 1600/1015 bug
?

thx!
JU

# 11 June 2010 at 6:44 pm

JU said:

I fixed it
I got error 1015. Then I used iRecovery and i got out
of Recovery Mode. Then I used Redsnow 0.9.4 and
it was jailbreaking my device…
WOHOOO

# 12 June 2010 at 11:14 pm

chris said:

after alot of hours trying this is what worked for me to downgrade from ios4 on iphone 3g

i followed istall of 3.1.3 ipsw for iphone 3g
got error 1015 and iphone went back into recovery
used blackrain and clicked on make it rain
locked out and turned off iphone
held power on til apple logo came on back to recovery
unplugged and replugged back into computer
came out of recovery and activated with my installed sim
re jailbreak with spirit
all working 100%
best of all i dont know how
maybe someone in the know can try all this to confirm,

thanks to all above, i actually did read most, i did not follow any of the irecovery solution to bring out
many thanks again

# 16 July 2010 at 4:22 am

Uma said:

Hi there:
I tried to downgrade the 4.0 OS to 3.1 as instructed above- however,Itunes prompts me to restore and update software back to the 4 oS! The reason I would like to downgrade this is that the 4 OS software juices out my battery in like 2 hours! Help!!

# 19 July 2010 at 9:58 am

Martini said:

Where and which one is the “option” key in Step3?

# 19 July 2010 at 9:31 pm

Peter said:

Just downgraded from 4.0 to 3.1.3 on my iPhone 3G – it feels like I have a new phone again, it is fast and responsive just as it used to be. IOS4.x i not meant for 3G and should never have been released for this phone.

Thanks for the guide, it is great to have a working phone again (o;

# 23 July 2010 at 12:47 pm

Mark said:

hey please help with step 4… when I open a terminal window and write iRecovery -s … they say windows cannot find iRecovery… So what can I do guys????????????????????????????

# 13 August 2010 at 9:45 pm