Can’t Activate iPhone or iPad After Installing iOS 9.3 Software Update? Here’s How to Fix It

BY Killian Bell

Published 24 Mar 2016

Activate-iPhone

If you’ve updated to iOS 9.3 and you’re having trouble activating your iPhone or iPad, don’t worry. You’re not the only one with this problem, and fortunately, there are a couple of workarounds that should fix it. Here’s what you can try.

The problem, which appears to be affecting a fairly large number of iOS users, according to a thread on the Apple Support Communities forum, throws up an Activation Lock screen after the iOS 9.3 update has been installed. However, users are unable to sign in.

“In some cases, the hint that you see on the Activate iPhone screen might not match your current Apple ID,” Apple says. These are the workarounds you can try to fix the problem:

Method 1:

  1. Connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the computer.
  2. Open iTunes. Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes.
  3. Select your device. You should see the Activate [your device] screen in iTunes.
  4. Enter your Apple ID and password and click Continue.

Method 2:

  1. Turn off your device or take it offline.
  2. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID and password.
  3. Open Find My iPhone.
  4. Select All Devices, then select your device.
  5. Click Remove from Account. If you still see a map in the device detail view, select All Devices again, click X next to your device, then click Remove.
  6. After you set up your device successfully, make sure that you sign in to iCloud again.

After following one of these workarounds, your iPhone or iPad should be activated and back up and running as normal. If it isn’t and you’re still having problems, Apple recommends that you contact Apple Support for further assistance.

Have you experienced this issue after updated to iOS 9.3?

[Apple]