If you’re trying to update iOS to the latest version on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, and getting “This device isn’t eligible for the requested build” then here’s how to fix it.
Update iTunes
You may get this error if you’re using an old version of iTunes. This tends to happen when you’re trying to install an iOS software update which is not compatible with iTunes.
So please update iTunes to the latest version. On the Mac, launch iTunes, click on iTunes in the menu, and then “Check for updates” to install the latest version.
Use Correct iOS firmware file
If you’re updating or restore your device manually using a downloaded iOS firmware file, then it looks like you’re using the wrong version. When Apple releases a new firmware update, it tends to stop signing the firmware files for the older version after a week or two, so it is not possible to update or restore your device to an older iOS version.
You can download the latest firmware file from our download page:
➤ Download iOS firmware file for iPhone
➤ Download iOS Firmware File For iPad
➤ Download iOS Firmware File For iPod Touch
If you’re trying to downgrade your device, then check our downgrade page to find out if you can still downgrade to the older version.
➤ Downgrade iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
Check your hosts file
The problem could also occur because iTunes cannot communicate with Apple’s update servers. You need to check your hosts file, and there is no entry for “gs.apple.com”.
Mac
- Quit iTunes
- Launch Terminal
- Enter the following command and press Enter/Return.
sudo nano /private/etc/hosts
- Enter the password you use to sign in to your computer when prompted, and press Enter/Return.
- Terminal will display the hosts file as seen below.
- If you see any entries for “gs.apple.com” then you need to either remove or comment the entry.
- Navigate to the “gs.apple.com” entry using the arrow keys, and add the # symbol and a space at the beginning of the “gs.apple.com” entry.
- Press Control-O to save the file.
- Press the Enter key when asked for the filename and Control-X to exit the editor.
- Restart your computer.
Windows
- Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Search, type run, and then tap the Run icon. Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Search, type run, and then click theRun icon.
- Type %WinDir%\System32\Drivers\Etc in the Open box, and then tap or click OK.
- It should open the Etc folder. Double click on the Hosts file to edit it.
- If you see any entries for “gs.apple.com” then remove it and save the Hosts file.
That’s it, now try to restore or update your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch again, and you should ideally not get the error again.
You hit the error because you may have used a jailbreaking tool like Redsn0w at some point of time, which added the entry to the Hosts file so that iTunes could connect to Cydia servers instead of Apple update servers.
As always, let us know if it helped, and which solution worked for you.
