How to Fix iPhone/iPad Won’t Activate after iOS 11 Update
Can’t activate iPhone after updating it to the newest iOS 11? There’s something you can do to solve the iPhone/iPad could not be activated during iOS 11 update.
Sometimes the activation issue happens when you’re updating iPhone/iPad to new operating system. You might see an alert message showing that your iPad or iPhone could not be activated. To fix the iPhone/iPad won’t activate during iOS 11 update problem, here are a few tips for you to consider. Before that, let’s check out why you could not activate iPhone/iPad.
How to Fix iPhone Could Not be Activated after iOS 11 Update
Reasons for iPhone or iPad Could Not be Activated after iOS 11 Update
Could not activate iPhone or iPad after updating to iOS 11 – the problem might be caused by the following common reasons:
- Activation server is unavailable.
- iPhone/iPad isn't recognized.
- There is no SIM card installed in iPhone/iPad.
- iTunes didn't verify iPhone/iPad.
How to Fix iPhone/iPad Could Not be Activated after iOS 11 Update issue
Now follow the tips here to fix your iPhone/iPad won’t activate after updating to iOS 11.
Wait and Retry – The activation server may be temporarily unavailable since there are too many users waiting for activation. So the first time you can’t activate iPhone or iPad, wait a bit and try again later.
Restart iPhone/iPad – Another basic way is to reboot your iPhone or iPad. Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons until the Apple logo appears. Note that for iPhone 7/7 Plus users, you should press and hold both the sleep/Wake and Volume Down buttons.
Check Cellular/Wi-Fi Network – The Internet connection might be a factor preventing your iPhone from being activated successfully. Make sure your cellular or Wi-Fi network is OK.
Lock/Unlock SIM Status – Contact the carrier and ask them to unlock your SIM card and device. Once unlocked, you can try to take out the SIM from iPhone/iPad and reinsert. Then you can activate your iPhone or iPad again.
Reactivate iPhone/iPad via iCloud
To reactivate iPhone or iPad via iCloud, these steps can help:
- Turn off iPhone/iPad to let it totally offline.
- On computer, go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Open Find My iPhone.
- Click All Devices and then select you device, the one that is not activated.
- Choose Remove from Account option.
- Turn on your iPhone/Pad and activate it again.
Restore iPhone/iPad with iTunes
If above methods fail to work, try restoring your iPhone or iPad. Do as the following steps:
- On your Mac/PC, open iTunes and connect iPhone/iPad with computer.
- Click on your device icon when it appears in iTunes.
- Select Restore Backup in iTunes.
- Choose a most relevant backup by the date and size of each backup.
- Click Restore and wait for the process to finish.
- Keep your iPhone/iPad connected after it restarts and wait for it too sync with your computer.
How to Fix iPhone/iPad Could Not be Activated after iOS 11 Update
Usually during the process of updating iOS device to new iOS, a lot of users report some data get missing from iPhone or iPad. The latest iOS 11 might not be an exception. The bonus tip will show you a safe and easy way to get lost data back. Primo iPhone Data Recovery is the tool you need.
Bonus Tip: How to Recover Lost Data after Updating to iOS 11
With Primo iPhone Data Recovery, a total of 25 types of iOS data’s recovery can be achieved easily, including photos, messages, contacts, notes, etc. Data that have been retrieved can be saved right back into your iPhone/iPad or to Mac/PC computer. Detailed steps are introduced in this post - How to Recover Lost Data on iPhone/iPad after iOS 11 Update.