Tips & Tricks to Fix iTunes Error 3194 on iPhone

Many iOS users the iTunes error 3194 when connecting or syncing iPhone with their MacBook or Windows or while trying to update or restore your device via iTunes. While it does fall into the category of annoying issues, we can sort it out with ease. So, if you are on the lookout for viable tricks to fix iTunes error 3194 on your iPhone, look no further than this hands-on guide.

Why Does iTunes Error 3194 Occur on iPhone

Before trying out the solutions to resolve the iTunes Error 3194 on your iOS device, let’s first understand why does it come up in the first place.

Error 3194 occurs when iTunes is unable to connect to Apple’s software update servers which perform the task of activating iOS when upgrading or restoring. When activation servers fail to respond, the iPhone throws this error which prevents it from restoring or upgrading.

As to when this error is most likely to occur, it tends to raise its head when the iOS version has already expired or become out of date or the device has been modified using jailbreak.

Now that you have got a good hang of the problem, let’s cut to the chase and look at how to fix it!

Update iTunes

The first solution you should try to resolve the error 3194 on your iOS device is to update iTunes. Do note that Apple has shut down iTunes on Mac with the introduction of macOS Catalina (released in 2019). Therefore, you will be able to update to the latest version of iTunes up to 12.8 version only on your Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier.

Image credit: Apple Support

To update iTunes on your Mac: Launch App Store and then click on Updates at the top of the window. Now, click on Install if you see an iTunes update.

To update iTunes on Windows PC: Open iTunes > select Help from the menu located at the top of the window > Check for Updates. Now, install the update as usual.

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Change Your Hosts File

Step 1 – First off, quit iTunes, if it’s already open. After that, open hosts file using below methods for your respective OS.

Step 2–On your Mac, launch Terminal from Utilities and enter the below-given command and hit Return.

sudo nano /private/etc/hosts

Step 3 – On your Windows PC, head over to system32driversetc. After that, double-click the hosts file. Choose Notepad as the program to open it, if prompted

Step 4 – If asked, enter the password when logging onto your computer. Then, locate the host file entry for gs.apple.com.

Step 5 – Just in case the gs.apple.com appears, the hosts file doesn’t have any issues. In this case, move on to the next solution.

Step 6 – If you see the host file entry for gs.apple.com, make sure to add # and space at the start of the gs.apple.com line.

Step 7 – In the end, be sure to save the file (use the Control + O command to do it on a Mac).

Step 8 –Now, close the file or the Terminal and then restart your Mac or Windows PC. Once your computer has restarted, try to restore or update your iOS device to see if you have got rid of the issue.

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Ensure That The Network Connection and Security Software Are Not Creating Trouble

If you are still struggling to take control of the error 3194, check out the network connection and the security software. The reason why you must check out the network connection is that error 3194 tends to crop up due to a networking problem. Therefore, make sure that the internet connection is strong and working as expected and there is no interruption to either the connection or the data transfer due to any 3rd party software like an antivirus or a firewall.

To fix a sloppy Wi-Fi connection, restart the Wi-Fi router and if possible, try connecting it directly to the router via ethernet/LAN cable.

Also try to disable your security software temporarily, both Antivirus and the Firewall as they tend to block connections of certain servers. After that, restart your computer and try again.

If Nothing Works: Contact a Trusted iPhone Repair Centre

What if none of the above-mentioned solutions has worked for you? Though we are confident that the solutions discussed above may help you sort out the issue, we can’t completely rule out their ineffectiveness in some rare cases. If that’s what you are staring at, contact us to help you fix your iPhone at the earliest.

With an experienced team of experts, Rapid Repair excels in fixing both the complex software and hardware issues. So, reach out to us to get the device fixed.

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