Pin It

How to Downgrade iPhone 2G/3G from Firmware 3.1 to 3.0

By on September 22, 2009 in Posted In: iPhone

Downgrade iPhone 3.1 to 3.0For anyone who have accidentally upgraded to iPhone OS 3.1 and would like to downgrade back to OS 3.0, you can follow this guide for the downgrade. This guide is written for iPhone 2G and 3G only. It will not work for iPhone 3GS.

By downgrading your iPhone 2G/3G from OS 3.1 to 3.0, you can use redsn0w to jailbreak it again. But for iPhone 3G user, while you can jailbreak your iPhone, ultrasn0w will not work for you as iPhone OS 3.1 has upgraded the baseband.

Okay, let’s get started.

Downgrade iPhone OS 3.1 to 3.0

1. First, make sure you are using iTunes 8.2 or 9.0. Also, download the iPhone 3.0 OS here.

2. Put your iPhone into recovery mode. To put your iPhone into recovery mode, first disconnect your iPhone from USB cable and power off your iPhone. Then hold the ?Home? button and connect USB cable again. Keep holding the ?Home? button until you see a dock cable pointing to the iTunes icon (or yellow triangle for older version of iPhone). Now you are in recovery mode.

3. Launch iTunes and it should detect your iPhone in recovery mode. For Windows user, press SHIFT and click on the Restore button to select the firmware 3.0 IPSW file. For Mac user, press Option button and click on the Restore button to select the 3.0 IPSW file.

Restore with iTunes

4. Wait until iTunes completely restores the iPhone 3.0 firmware. If you’re using an official SIM card (e.g. from AT&T), your iPhone should be ready for use after reboot. Continue with the last step if you need to jailbreak your iPhone.

Tip: If you get error message like 1011, 1013, 1015, just ignore them. Your iphone should already be restored with iPhone OS 3.0

5. Lastly, you can use redsn0w to jailbreak and unlock your iPhone (note: unlocking is for 2G only). Follow this jailbreak guide for the details (skip step 1 and 3-5).

Though the above procedures have been tested for several times, use it at your own risk. As always, if you encounter any problem, leave us comment below and we will try to help.

Update #1: I will post the procedures to downgrade the baseband of iPhone 3G very soon. Stay tuned.

Update #2: As of now, you can use blackra1n and blacksn0w to jailbreak and unlock iPhone OS 3.1.2. You can further check out the jailbreak guide for 2G & 3G/3GS.

About Simon Ng

Founder, developer and chief blogger of simonblog.com
View all posts by Simon Ng →

, ,

  • Gokhan

    Hi, i have a queation, i was downgradin my iphone 3g v3.1 to v3.0, but i got a 1015 error. I ignore it but the phone is still on recovery mode. its not working regularly, its just showing plug in to itunes. What sud i do now? :(

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @Gokhan, you need to jailbreak using redsn0w as mentioned in the last step.

      • Gokhan

        simon, i started to make jailbreak after u told me, its been an hour but the jailbreak hasn’t finished yet? and i didnt see the flashin NOR, i’m still waiting for uploading ramdisk, is it normal?

        • DAC

          Hi Gokhan, i was in the same predicament before and read somewhere that in that moment, after hours of being in recovery mode, u should unplug and plug back again the USB cable very fast to make it work, it’s like a lil trick, it worked for me.. hope it will work 4 u as well..

          • Gokhan

            Dac, u mean after downgrading, the iphone is still shows plug in itunes (recovery mode). should i unplug and plug back the USB cable very fast?

            • Gokhan

              Simon, i downgraded the iphone and jailbroke it but its still in recovery mode. (After downgrading itunes is alertin 1015 error and i ignore then i start to jailbreak. ) Everything was succesful. but now its still in recovery mode… What can i do now? :/
              Thnx 4 help..

              • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

                @Gokhan, it seems your iPhone has not been jailbroken. Can you try the jailbreak process using redsn0w again?

              • Gokhan

                @Simon, I have Jailbreak it 2 times but its still in recovery mode. i cant save the iphone from recovery mode…

              • GENE

                I have the same problem… still, it keeps getting back to recovery mode and No Flashing Nor etc… any solution…

              • GENE

                @Simon
                is it still possible to fix this problem?

  • usmc1974

    I followed all the steps and jail broke my phone but I don’t have any cell service after the jail break?
    Appreciate your help……

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @usmc1974, for iPhone 3G, you need to downgrade the baseband to 04.28.06 and use ultrasn0w to unlock. I’ll post the procedure in the upcoming post.

  • usmc1974

    Thanks Simon……
    Do you know where I can DL a trusted 3.0 ipsw file for windows, I think mine might be corrupt.
    Also,
    I downgraded from 3.1 to 3.0 using itunes 9.0 restore, errors code but other problems.
    Jailbreak 3.0 with redsn0w, no problem.
    Used Ultrasn0w from repo 666 on cydia and wam! NO cell service but I did have wireless for awhile.

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @usmc1974, you can download the firmware file from here. Also, for ultrasn0w to work, you’ll need to downgrade the baseband using Fuzzyband.

      • usmc1974

        Everything went fine until I loaded fuzzyband and it won’t work on my baseband(05.11.07) is there anything else I can do or just wait for the dev team release?…….:-/
        *Note* Some of these fellers may have to run through all the steps again to make all the steps work. I completed everything in 20 minutes. Sometimes it hangs on Redsn0w installing packages and the 1015 code has no effect on the process…
        APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO!!!!!
        usmc1974

        • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

          @usmc1974, if Fuzzyband doesn’t work for you, the only solution is to wait for iPhone Dev team to release an update of the ultrasn0w. Or you need to consider to use an official carrier for now.

  • http://www.telocken.com.br André

    I had do all step, but after the step 15 (from complete Guide) the Iphone stay in recovery mode.

  • Aaron

    Hi Simon, just like Andre, I have completed step 15 but Iphone stay in recovery mode. Before i started the jailbreak process, I did the shift + restore using firmware 3.0 and as you have stated in you blog that the error code “1015″ appeared and I ignored it.

    Did I miss anything or I just have to redo the procedure?

    Thanks.

    • Aaron

      I just redo the whole process the I got to step 16 screen. When I try to launch cydia nothing comes out. Anybody has any clues?

      • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

        @Aaron, as you have already reached step 16, that means your iPhone is successfully jailbroken. For cydia launch problem, are you using Wifi connection?

        • Aaron

          Hi Simon, as my phone still have no service at the moment and I am only connected to labtop. Is that why cydia cannot be launched?

          • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

            Can you enable the Wifi connection and launch Cydia again? Cydia should work best with Wifi.

            • Aaron

              Can all 3G phones be baseband downgraded to 4.26.08 using fuzzyband or other tools?

              • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

                @Aaron, not all. Fuzzyband only supports iPhone with bootloader 5.08 (or 5.8).

  • Wessam

    Simon, i downgraded the iphone and jailbroke it but its still in recovery mode. (After downgrading itunes is alertin 1015 error and i ignore then i start to jailbreak. ) Everything was succesful. but now its still in recovery mode… What can i do now?
    Thnx 4 help..

  • monty

    Hi simon….i downgraded my iphone 2g to 3.0 frm 3.01.everything went fine but unfortunately i had a password for encrypt iphone backup which i dont remember and i have very important data in my phone which i cant afford to lose.IS there anyway of retrieving the password?PLEASE HELP

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @monty, sorry to hear that. But from what I know, there is no way to recover the password.

  • Tyler

    I have followed the whole process but when i try and jailbreak it goes back into recovery mode

  • RR

    Simon

    I have jailbroken my 3G 0s 3.0 iphone and lots of my friends dozens of times with great success. Such an easy process, thanks to your step by step guide.

    Stupidly, howecver this morning (Aaaggfhhhh) i upgraded my own phone to 3.01. I have now been trying ALL DAY to downgrade again so i can jailbreak (as i have done successfully before lots of times) and right at the end of the Restore process i get the error 1015 message. I have tried everything. Ignoring it and jaibreaking with Redsn0w, but it either just hangs on “Downloading Jaibreak” and hangs and hangs for hours or when re-do the process (from scratch… Gggrrr) it hangs on Nor …. pleawes please help simon…. this used to be such an easy process. What am i doing differently or wrong :-(

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @RR, are you talking about firmware 3.0.1 (not 3.1)? If it’s firmware 3.0.1, it is jailbreakable. You can just use redsn0w to jailbreak it. No need to downgrade.

  • kp

    I upgraded my iphone 3g to 3.1 and now i cant restore it. Itune gives me an unknow error occur (1015). Right now i have the usb with the arrow to itunes image on my phone.. Any advice would be grateful. Thanks simon

  • lee edwards

    hi simon if ya still got probs with phone check out this link he will talk you though your downgrade . to 2.2.1 then you can upgrade back to 3.0 or 3.0.1 ive done this a few time works fine for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26BGUkjuAUg

  • rick mcconnell

    all… i have followed all instructions above and come up with the error (I do not have a jaibroken phone). The problem seems to be that instructions put you in Recovery Mode not DFU (which is what is needed). After follow steps at the link posted below I was able to restore. I have not looked at post because I’m not fond of waiting through a video, but it may contain the same instructions.

    link- http://www.ihackintosh.com/2009/09/how-to-downgrade-iphone-os-3-1-to-3-0-for-iphone-2g-3g-3gs/

  • hughesmiester

    Hey Simon – I appreciate the guide, seemed to have worked great. I have an iPhone 3G, accidentaly upgraded to 3.1 and followed your guide to downgrade back to 3.0 but I don’t have any service whatsoever. What can I do here? If you don’t mind emailing me at [email protected] or posting here, whatever works for you. Thanks!

  • rm

    NOTE: NEVERMIND… I apologize, but I have gotten the Recovery Mode bs again. Please see the above post for the video detailed in post.

  • Carla

    hi, thank you very much for your step by step instructions on 3.1 to 3.0 downgrading, havent started it yet coz i want to know first if you can still jailbreak an iphone that is carrier unlock, pls. help, or did i just missed out on the instructions

  • Carla

    oops, sorry , i mean carried lock coz now it keeps asking for unlocking sim, cant make calls anymore

  • VEO

    Thank you! I was able to downgrade my iPhone 2G from 3.1 to 3.0 yestarday.

  • lee edwards

    hi all hope this helps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26BGUkjuAUg follow what the guy has to say . you must update to itunes 9 then you can restore to 3.0 or 3.01 just done it works fine . itunes wouldnt install at first so i deleted the itunes file from music . like i said hope this helps .
    lee

  • Patrick

    im trying to downgrade to 3.0 from 3.1 i’ve ran restore with a ipsw from here. then ran redsnow to jailbreak. i can get all this to work but after it boots after redsnow the iphone has no service with att. the phone was never unlocked just broken. i updated to 3.1 and now my baseband is at 5.11.07. just trying to get back to 3.0, i’m there but for some reason i have no service. but if i go back to 3.1 i do? any ideas?

  • http://iphoneauctions.com.au/ iPhone Round Up

    Thank you very much for this informative post. I’ve learned a lot.

  • lucky

    I can not find any ipsw files from the download of firmware 3.o for iphone 3g. When I extract the zip file, there are no ispw files to use for the recovery.

  • jack

    I got through the 3.0 process, but now im restoring it again, is that going to erase 3.0?

  • Jamie

    I tried it but instead of using you’re ISPWs you said I used redsnows,and at the start I forgot to put it into DFU mode then I used pawnage tool 22-1 after the “1015″ error.at the end of the process I got the message “iTunes could not connect with iPhone because of an unknown error,number 0ex800000a”.this went on for about 2hours.I thought I had broken my iPhone 4 good.then I downloaded something called “regcure” the free version,then about 5minuets later iTunes activated my iPhone again.I don’t know if regcure done it or I did something else I don’t know by luck so I am scared to try it again.have you heard this error before and do you know what caused it and what got iTunes to activate my iPhone again.please reply and any help would be most gratefull.thanks in advance.yours jamie

    • Anna

      Hey Jamie, seem to have the same error. (0ex800000a). Do you have a link to the download that you used??? Thanx again in advance!

  • Luca

    Thanks, thanks, thanks.

  • Malestone7469

    I notice a lot of people can’t seem to jailbreak using RedSn0w, did you all, power off the iphone according to RedSn0w instructions before running redsn0w?

    If you don’t power off the iphone before using reds0w, the iphone will keep on staying in recovery mode.

  • Malestone7469

    Okay. I see what is going on now….
    An update to my previous post.

    If the downloading icon keeps on going for 1/2-hour or so, unplug the cable and wait…
    After a while, the recovery mode icon will appear. At this point press the power button and wait for iphone to show “Slide to Power Off”.
    Power Off the iPhone.
    The redo the redsn0w, you should be successful this time.

    Enjoy!

  • Malestone7469

    For those suffering from the no network issue…
    Redo the restore with iTunes. And unlock using iTunes
    Then redo the jailbreak with redsn0w.
    It should become okay.

  • Malestone7469

    The only downgrade from 3.1 to 3.0 that works is from http://www.redmondpie.com
    http://www.redmondpie.com/downgrade-iphone-3.1-to-3.0.1/
    Unfortunately the site has been suspended.

    So here are the steps for iPhone 3G:
    1. Backup your details in iPhone using iTune
    2. Press Shift/Option Key and Restore to 3.0.1
    3. After Restore, iPhone will be in Recovery Mode
    a. Use QuickPwn 2.2-1 and use the 3.0 IPSW
    b. QuickPwn will show an error
    c. End QuickPwn and turn on iTunes, phone should be unlocked
    4. Use Redsn0w and Jailbreak iPhone 3G to 3.0.1
    5. Use iTunes to recover backup

    Hope this helps!

  • Jams1888

    Everyone.download with firefox or google chrome and it is not a zip file.after the 1015 error close iTunes and open quickpwn 2.2 which u should have downloaded already and follow the steps(hold home and power for 15 seconds then hold power for 2 seconds)then open iTunes again and it will be downgraded and activated.if you want to jailbreak after this use redsnow 0.8.
    Also when u downgrade the BenM tethering hack will work again.

  • Jams1888

    Everyone.simons way won’t work.first put ur phone into dfu mode not recoverymode by powering off, hold home and power for 10 seconds then let go of power BUT keep holding home until you’re computer makes a beep like it does when you put a USB in and the screen goes completely black.no logo or anything then you’re in dfu mode. Follow the steps till you get the error 1015 thenuse quickpwn2.2 or 22-1 like I told you above then open iTunes again and that’s it.

  • Prasad

    I Finally got it jailbroken and downgraded to 3.0, Follow the above steps and ensure you do it in Windows XP and Itunes 9 or 8.2 just make sure its XP.

    Now the only thing is i aint sure its unlocked or not coz the network isnt showing.

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @prasad, what’s your baseband version?

      • Saviour

        Hi Simon,
        I accidentally upgraded my iPhone to I think 3.1.2 or 3.1.3… Please help… is there another way to have my iPhone OPEN LINED? I mean, open for other sim cards… since now I’m in a different country… how can I have my iPhone open lined???

  • Prasad

    Its 5 something, i spoe the base band still hppens to be from the upgrade version.

  • Ashah18

    Hey I am currently running 3.1 and I am planning to downgrade because alot of the cydia apps run only 3.0 not 3.1. For example the gameboy emulator will just quit out wen I click on the ROM (the game). So do you think it will fix that problem and what are the exact steps to put your iPhone into recovery mode ?? I’m a little bit confused on that. Thanks for all of your help.

  • http://www.expertjailbreakers.weebly.com Rshah13

    Hey I am on 3.1 iPod Touch 2G 8GB. I have 3.1 jailbroken. Can I downgrade my iPod Touch 2G. I have tried but I keep getting errors. Mine is 3.1 jailbroken, so should I restore and downgrade or what. I have dowloaded at least 4 different ISPW’s and all are failures. if you do not mind you can replie to this post or email me at:
    [email protected]
    Thanks,
    Expertjailbreakers

  • Jacob

    FUCK YOU, YOU MESSED UP MY FUCKING LIFE.

  • Saviour
  • Rex

    Hi Simon:
    Can u tell if downgrading OS can downgrade the baseband 5.12.1 with boot loader 6.04?

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @Rex,

      Presently, there is no way to downgrade baseband 05.12.1.

  • Laurent Ren

    How can we downlowd the iPhone OS 3.0.1 IPSW file?
    I tried it and got a zipped file under WIN XP which is unzipped into a folder but I failed to find any IPSW file in it?

    What is wrong with my downlowd? Thanks in advance!

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @Laurent,

      What browser are you using? Some browsers mis-recognize the .ipsw file as a zipped file and extract it automatically after download. So, I suggest you to use firefox browser to download the firmware.

  • Jacq
    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @jacq,

      What version of iPhone OS are you using? Blackra1n should apply on OS 3.1.2 and you need to use blacksn0w to further unlock your iPhone after jailbreaking in order to make/receive call.

      • jacq

        Hi Simon,

        I give up on the downgrade thing. It actually works every step which you mentioned. However jus the incoming and outgoing call doesn’t work. Before i read your reply, i had restore everything back to 3.1.3. I am trying to jailbreak using my 3g to 3.1.3, is there any other way to do it. Can you help on that. I don’t wish to downgrade anymore, i am afraid my phone will not works. Keekee

        • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

          @jacq,

          If you’re just looking for jailbreak solution on 3.1.3, you can use redsn0w to jailbreak it.

  • Jacq

    Thanks Simon…

    Seems a very very long steps. This really crack my head. Is more difficult to downgrade . I bet, i wait for the latest 3.1.3 jailbreak version is out before. By the way, do you know how to change sms tones for iphone even without jailbreak??

  • becool81

    hi Simon
    I tried downgrade version 1.2.3.0 ( fw for 3 g) error 2003 from Itune restored ( shift +restore + file fw 3.0 )I am downgrade 3.1.2 version to 3.0 I had 3g baseband 5.14 bootloader 5.9 can Jailbreak but can not unlock ( no option downgrade fuzzyband )what I do wrong
    thanks

  • Greg

    Hello. A colleague of mine gave me her iPhone. I informed that I would reset the phone. I erased all content from the phone and now when trying to restore (it comes up in Recovery mode), it gives the popular 1015 error. I have downloaded the firmware, but when clicking Shift + Restore, it does give me a suitable file type.

    Please assist.