Downgrade iPhone 3G & 3GS From iOS 4 To 3.1.2

By Nakodari on Jun 23 2010 219 Comments

Users who want to downgrade their iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS devices after accidentally upgrading to iOS 4 will find this guide useful, thanks to commenter Kamrul for the simple and straight forward steps. It has been tested to work on both iPhone 3G and  iPhone 3GS.

Please note that this only works with OLD bootrom and you need your SHSH blobs saved on cydia before you can do this downgrade.

1. Open the file C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts (Windows) or /etc/hosts (Mac OS X) and add the following entry to the bottom of the file.
74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com

Restore
———-
2. Connect your iPhone to the USB and put it into DFU mode. iTunes will display an alert stating you need to restore your device, click ok then hold option + click restore and navigate to your previously downloaded 3.1.2 FW.

3. After the restore finishes you should be hit with a 1015 error. That’s expected. Your phone should be in Recovery mode now and iTunes will tell you to restore again. Click OK then hold option + click on restore again – this time you do not have to go into DFU mode – and navigate to the 3.1.2 FW.

Jailbreak
———–
4. After the restore finishes again it’ll throw another 1015 error. That’s expected again. This time, just select OK and close iTunes. Fire up redsn0w – make sure it’s the 0.9.4 version – and jailbreak as normal. Uncheck all the ticks while jailbreaking.

5. After the jailbreak is finalized your device should reboot and strange enough you successfully downgraded to 3.1.2.

– Heaps of ipsw available here
http://www.sinfuliphone.com/showthread.php?t=3306

Update: If your iPhone goes in Recovery Mode loop, use RecBoot to get out of it. It is a brilliant application which will get you out of continuous never-ending loop.

Disclaimer: Please make sure that you have ample hands-on experience before trying your hands on this one. AddictiveTips won’t be liable for any damages that may incur to your device during the process.

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • sk858

    if i dont check all the ticks how do i get cydia?

  • Quetta

    Hey I just bought an Iphone 3gs that has an old bootrom but it already had the 4.0 firmware and I do not have the SHSH files for it and have no Idea if it was jailbroken before is it possible for me to downgrade or jailbreak or anything plz help.

  • John

    hey…i just updated my iphone 3gs 3.0.1 to 4.0 and its now on a new bootroom and it just like and ipod touch to me.can anyone plz tell me when the snowbreeze has planned to release the jailbreak for 4.0 with the new boot-room. really in a terrible situation

  • darkevilsta

    Thanks for the tutorial. It worked on my MB model 8GB iPhone 3G. I followed it through once just like you said. However, I rely on an unlock, which means cydia, so I hacked it once more with redsn0w and now lets see if it unlocks.

  • Juel

    Works like a charm thanksguys

  • Paul

    how do i downgrade an iPhone 3GS with iOs 4 firmware?
    it is in emergency call mode so i cannot use any features. it was unlocked at one point in time until i accidentally updated to the new firmware so i dont know if it was jailbroken or not when it was in 3.1.2 can u help please?

  • roxana

    Hi all,
    I recently bought Iphone 3gs frm USA (3.1.2)jailbroke it with SPIRIT… was unlocking using blacksn0w i think… it got hanged while the process was about to end… and when I rebooted it, it showed apple logo only and couldnt go into the main menu screen,,,, so out of frustration or my impatience, I restored it using itunes with OS 4.0 firmware… now it shows emergency calls only and iTunes doesn’t recognize my SIM as I dont have an official carrier’s SIM (I am in middle east). So th ebasically it has been restored to factory settings and is currently inactivated. How can I jailbreak and activate it ?? Any help would be much appreciated…. is there any other option for eg hardware unlock ??

  • darkevilsta

    I have a problem now. The downgrade worked, but now my iphone isnt recognized by itunes. It still pops up as a camera, just doesnt get recognized

  • MUNIR

    i have sucssfully completed every step but my iphone 3g 8gb is giving no service i downgraded from 4.0 to 3.1.2 please help me.

  • Bannana Joe

    Well I already learn two things.

    1st. You will need SHSH ALLWAYS. Without this file WE CAND DO ANY DOWNGRADE, since Cydia and Apple sites verify and confirms the SHSH to let us downgrade firmware. And SHSH are not compatible between iphone each iphone has their own SHSH EICD, also each SHSH must be created un their original firmware.

    Example: SHSH of 3.1.2 is different from 3.1.3, you can only restor the phone to the SHSH was createt at the moment. That’s the reason WE the people that has been upgraded iphones to the stock iOS 4 for any reason, from iTunes/Apple site are totally unluck if we don;t have these SHSH files on cydia.

    2nd. We need to read more and more about this matters because we are now bricked, until Dev Team or someone else make a NEW Jailbreak for STOCK iOS 4. Since the upgraded iOS4 CUSTOM from previous 3.x.x firmwares are not working with us.

    Thats why, everyting we trie are a total failure, becuade WE DON’T HAVE THE SHH files to downgrade our phones.

    :( Too sad (even for me) next time is wise read a little about this matter unless we want a new brick.

    I see difficult to Dev Team and all the other make and Jailbreak for iOS 4, they are more focused in iOS 4.1 since this OS is about to see the daylight any time soon.

    We need to hold on our horses and wait until the new files arrive, or joint in the large file of ebay sellers selling their AT&T devices because they already bricked and don’t have any hope to realeas thei iphones from lock.

  • missG

    It works! thanks man. all you have to do is follow this guide, when you stuck on recovery loop just run recboot. make sure your iphone recognized by irecovery. you can follow to this guide to install libusb.

  • Mario

    How can you make sure the contacts and data are intact for downgrading a 3g from os4.01 to 3.3.1..

    Thanks!

    • Luigi

      Backup your phone first

  • hunj

    my phone uses old boot rom and it is already upgraded to ios 4.0
    the problem i have is that i did not save the back up file when i upgrade the phone to ios.4.0 from 3.1.3. so, basically, i do not have shsh file. i used spirit to jailbreak for 3.1.3 and the phone is using ios4.0 now.
    is there any method that i can down grade my phone to 3.1.3. from ios 4.0 without 3.1.3. shsh file?
    if someone knows the way to solve my problem, please help me.
    thanks.

  • Pingback: Possible To Downgrade iOS4 to 3.1.3? - Hackint0sh

  • Aaron

    I always get stuck in “Installing Activation Bundles” I have an iPhone 3G

  • Te Fusion

    Hi there,
    Can someone please help me with a detailed and accurate process with downgrading my iPod touch 3rd generation mc model downgrade from firmware 4.0 to 3.1.2? Because I have basically no idea. And when at 3.1.2 what would be the best jailbreak to use. This help would be so helpful!

  • Dagny

    I’ve done everything and I always stop at redsn0w. I always get that “It wont recognize specified IPSW.”. Did no one else get this problem?! Everything was just like they said until this.

  • vince

    did add the IP to the hosts but still got erro 3194.. any further help? :(

    • http://www.myspace.com/drhorrible32 Clayton

      okay, how did you add on to the host file?

      • Eric

        I got the same error, I added the ip at the very end after the # signs. On a new line. I tried with the most recent version and that didnt work, so i got itunes 9.0.1 and that didnt work, now what do i do?

        • jeffz

          upgrade your itunes 9.1 to 9.2 try to downgrade your iphone….

          • Eric

            I tried that ” I tried with the most recent version and that didnt work” I keep getting error 3194, I did not shsh my blobs, I didn’t even know what that was before trying this. Crapos for me, But still there, is a way to do it, i just havnt found it. Is their anyway to bypass the checking at apples servers, or cydias in this case? It may be a dumb question, but their has to be a way.

            • Lutfi

              i also face the same problem with my ipod touch 3g.. i also didn’t shsh blobs first because this is my first time using ipod touch and first time to jailbreaking.. hmm.. if there is a way, let me know too.. i’m still depressed now.. :(

    • ipodhelper

      For people having trouble with this just watch this video i found it very helpful

      http://www.youtube.com/user/Dinozambas#p/u/7/4H0-Fk-d3gM

    • Syed Wajid

      For the users of iphone 3gs if having error 3194.
      1st download firmware 4.1 ipsw
      Then go to run type %appdata% then press the enter botton.
      open folder apple computer, then folder itunes, then folder iphone software update. U will find a firmware with a diffrent version delete this file but not parmenantly make sure its in recycle bin.
      now make sure that u copy and paste the 4.1 version.
      after updating complete it will give u 9808 eror.
      go to run and type services.msc
      look for the dns client and restart it.
      then open itunes and connect your ihopne again. and it will work .

      then open itunes and
      then open itunes and restore.

  • Pingback: Help! - TiPb iPhone, iPad, iPod Forums

  • Terrence

    For those of you having the 3194 error, I fixed it on my 3GS (old bootrom).

    Sometimes Windows XP (what I am using) will cache the DNS and not read from the hosts file

    Click Start > Run > and type services.msc

    Look for the “DNS Client” and disable it – Then try to restore.

    • Rafiq

      I have iphone 3gs old bootrom running on 4.0. Did everything including disabling DNS still having the 3194 error for iphone. I tried both windows vista and xp.
      please help

  • Mark

    Hi

    I am running a 3g on OS4, ive heard that if i downgrade it i cant unlock it because the baseband does not change. is this true?

    The os4 on the 3g really is a pain, i cant take it anymore. its driving me nuts!

    • Saqib Ali

      i downgraded 2 iphone 3g from ios 4 to 3.1.3 and i also jailbreak them and unlocked them they seem to work fine… im just w8ing for the jailbreak for ios4 on 3gs now

    • Gordo

      Hay dude u can os4 sux for 3g I’m now on 3.1.2 blackra1n works great for me now and can still unlock if I choose to read my post below

  • alireza

    hi.
    i try to downgrade my ipod touch 3g from os 4 to os 3.1.2 in windows 7 with more guides but i see error 3194 please help me

  • Tical

    i put my phone into recovery from the beginning by accident and this worked for me

  • Moses

    HOLY CRAP THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING I’VE READ IN THE LAST 613 YEARS!

    Thank you so much!

    After I “upgraded” (read: downgraded) to iOS4 on my 3G, I thought I’d have to live with that crap forever. Thanks to this article, 3.1.2 is working perfectly again on my phone. THANK YOU THANK YOU!

  • Bogdan

    I am running now again with 3.1.2, but the problem is that it doesn’t see my network, and I am running on official network.
    Any thoughts about this??

    Thanks

  • Scott

    I upgraded a week ago to 4.0 and have regretted it every since. It’s extremely slow and I don’t know if that’s because it’s OS 4 running on 3g or because it’s Jailbroken I have been trying to downgrade my phone to 3.1.3 and have had no luck. I was about to throw in the towel when I found this link tonight. I followed all the instructions and sure enough my iPhone is back on 3.1.2. Thanks for posting this information. Very good stuff.

    • waleed

      hii! i have a iphone 3g too and stuck with same problem ! but i wannna ask u have u saved your shsh blobs on 3.1.2 or 3.1.3 ? please reply ! its important for me thanks !

  • setter

    i didn’t want to donwgrade
    i just did hard-reset and now i use XSysInfo app from appstore to clear memory each time when my 3g becomes slow

  • Wayne

    You saved my life worked perfectly for me :) well done man this brilliant

    You are a legend took me hours of searching to find your post but in ten minutes my iphone was un “bricked”

  • Bones

    This method totally worked. I really thought I was in some trouble but then I came across this great article that bailed me out! THANK YOU!!!

    • dario

      can you help me please i have an iphone 3gs 4.0 now.

  • dario

    i have the error 1604 what does it means??

  • Pingback: How To: Fix iPhone 3G/3GS 1015 iTunes Restore Error

  • Xenit

    I am trying to apply this to my ipod 3g and i disabled the service and all but i still get the 3194 error… it just says verifying with apple and straight after that i get the error 3194… please assist 4.0 was a mistake

  • Chris

    WOW I think I love you, no homo.

  • pinkvodka

    it worked! now my iphone 3g is back to ios3!
    when first finished the above steps, my phone didn’t have network. but after restored with itune one more time and restared it again, everything is working perfectly ;-D

    thx so much Nakodari you are a genius!!!

  • Sinner

    Guys …I have an Iphone 3GS….tried restoring to 3.1.2 using a windows machine…. updated the hosts file…restarted the machine…Disabled the DNS client(in that order)….in DFU mode tried restoring…went till the verifying with apple…and den error 3194…
    Dnt hve SHSH’s on saurik’s server…
    Help neededddddd!!!!

    • tubi

      hi, did you solve this problem?

  • Pete

    YESSS!!!!!!! Work for me like a charm Win vista64

    • Desperate 3g user os

      Ive used these instructions and they worked great. THank goodness. I’m so very disappointed with Apple right now. The iphone 4 crap and now this. APPLE get your freaking act together. Your gonna loose the loyalty you worked so hard over the years to get back.

  • Success!!!

    I’ve tried almost every guide regarding this subject and this guide worked for me: “http://www.ihackintosh.com/2010/04/downgrade-iphone-3g-os-4-0-to-3-1-3-or-lower/”

    I had an iphone 3g in 4.0 and downgraded successfully to 3.1.2 and got it working with calls etc. When I was done with the guide i got into recovery-mode, but I just used redsn0w 0.9.4 to jailbreak it!

    GL

  • Monkeyman

    If this fails, try podcast on “How to:Downgrade your 3G Iphone from iOS4″ on itunes. Works a treat

  • Emyleo

    I downgraded from 4.0.1 Baseband 05.13.04 to 3.1.2 (Which I think even more better). Downgraded firmware will not downgraded your baseband. People said after that I can use Blackra1n like I used to. I did but its not working on baseband 05.13.04. I lost hope. My iphone is not nothing but a piece of junk. Today, I stupidly, blindly, suddenly use jailbreakme.com to jailbreak my iphone. It went as usual (I felt strange??). Then I was shocked to see Cydia was there on my homescreen (Now I hv BIG ???)
    I immediately install Ultrasn0w…sadly my Iphone stuck for looooooooooooooggggg time…I turn off my precious Iphone felt frustrated. I tried to turn it back on. and again stupidly inserted my sim card. Waiting….waiting….and IT WORKED!!!! Now I can use it with any SIM CARD I want…I have stupidly jailbroke and unlocked my Iphone with my own stupid way…Now my iphone is not a junk anymore…hahahaha…just want to share with you guys!!

    • Ray

      You’re gorgeous

      • Emyleo

        Haha!

  • Pozzdonnz

    Me too I use 3GS but when my itune upgrade so I try many way and every way if got love of us pls give us the good hacker to make downgrade tools becoz I don’t have shsh blob that why I can’t downgrade and tinyumbralla told me no way to get shsh 3.1.3 turn back to my phone (NO WAY) It told me that I try to do more than 100 Time so some time error sometime file occu now I just wait and wait for good guy to build downgrader tool for people so I post for good man guy hacker to help ANYWAY THANK ALOT

  • shabeer zamir

    man just watch this ! it works 100000% its step by step tutorial !

  • shabeer zamir

  • viktor

    Pls help me !! .. iphone 3gs 4.0.2 .. ??? ????

  • LordPayne

    I also have an iPhone 3G running iOS 4.0.2! Is there any way possible to downgrade back to os 3.1.2 or 3.1.3?

  • reige

    hi, everyone! I need assistance my 3gs iphone is updated by my sis to ios 4.0.2, and its never jailbreak, is there any chance downgrade to do the jailbreak…. thanks

  • Antony

    For those of you trying to downgrade and receiving the 3194 error, here is a tip that might work.

    Providing you have already had your shsh saved with cydia and are trying to downgrade to 3.1.2, try downgrading to 3.1.3 first. I was getting the 3194 error and tried going to 3.1.3. Worked fine.

    Hope that helps some of you :D

  • shinyneptune

    I was ABLE to downgrade my iPhone 3GS from 4.0.2 to 4.0.1 WITHOUT SHSH blobs. I followed the following instructions:
    http://www.iphone-network.net/downgrade-your-3gs-from-4-0-2-to-4-0-without-having-your-shshs/

    With a little tweaking these instructions worked like a charm. I just jailbroke and unlocked the phone using jailbreakme and ultrasnow.

    • Intimacygel

      What tweaking did you try? I tried this on my iphone 4 and still didn’t work. I tried many tweaks

  • NoTrueName

    I did everything it all worked find untill it powerd back on, And my Carrier and my Network are not avaliable? Whats up with that.

  • Sherif Salem

    Dear All, The latest Itunes software won’t allow you to downgrade
    1-please remove itunes 9.2.x and install itunes 9.1
    2-change the hosts file as mentioned before
    3-Downgrade the IPhone
    4-when Iphone upgrade process completes
    5-install itunes 9.2.x to activate your phone incase you downgrading to os 4.0.1
    I tried it and it works so if you need help please contact me

    • mohsin

      i have iphone 3gs can some 1 tell me how to downgrade software from 4.1 to 3.1.2 or 3 ill upgrade my iphone software & my iphone waz locked :( ((((((((
      reply me sOOn plzzz

    • piyush

      hey .. when i restore my iphone 3g.. its show error in last.
      i have itune 10.
      and i very confused plsss help me..
      i cant restore my i phone
      iphone screen shows only connect to i tunes
      09888873123 this is my ph no. plz help me

  • Paramjeet

    my ipod doesnt restore even if i hold shift and click restore then this error comes this is what come

    The Ipod “my ipod” could not be restored because firmware file is not compatible

    please help me i need help email me fast please

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →