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iPhone 17 iPhone 17 stuck in boot loop and error 4013 during restore, what should I do next?

cruelfoolish

cruelfoolish

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 23, 2024
46
64
Lima, Peru
I’m having a weird issue with my new iPhone 17 and I’d appreciate some advice.

Yesterday, I turned my phone off for a few seconds and when I powered it back on, it got stuck showing only the Apple logo, it would turn off and on repeatedly in a loop. I tried a forced restart, but after a while it displayed the “support.apple.com/iphone/restore” message.

When I got home, I followed the instructions and connected it to my MacBook using Finder. I tried the forced restart again, and surprisingly the iPhone booted up normally as if nothing had happened.

However, when I tried to make a backup in Finder, it suddenly shut down again and went back to the boot loop. I entered recovery mode and tried to update iOS, but during the download, the iPhone disconnected itself and went back to the loop once more.

I re-entered recovery mode and this time chose Restore, but Finder threw an unknown error (4013) partway through. I’ve already tried different cables and ports, and even attempted DFU mode, but Finder doesn’t seem to detect the device when I do that (maybe I’m missing the timing).

So right now, my iPhone keeps going back into the recovery loop.

What would you recommend I do next? Should I keep trying DFU restore, or could this be a hardware issue already (like the logic board or NAND)?

Any help would be really appreciated
 

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Since it's a brand new device it's likely that it came with faulty flash modules or something similar where it quickly becomes unable to read the data necessary to start up. You are somewhat lucky despite this situation that it manifested so quickly so there is no question whether it's a manufacturing defect.

If it's still within the return window I'd return it immediately and buy a brand new one afterwards. Otherwise there is a chance Apple will open up the device and repair it instead of replacing it on the spot.
 
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okkibs said:
Since it's a brand new device it's likely that it came with faulty flash modules or something similar where it quickly becomes unable to read the data necessary to start up. You are somewhat lucky despite this situation that it manifested so quickly so there is no question whether it's a manufacturing defect.

If it's still within the return window I'd return it immediately and buy a brand new one afterwards. Otherwise there is a chance Apple will open up the device and repair it instead of replacing it on the spot.
Click to expand...
The return window has already passed. The iPhone was purchased on Saturday, September 20, and the return period ended during the first week of October. However, this iPhone was a gift, so I only received it last week. I didn’t have much free time, so I was only able to set it up on Sunday, October 12. The warranty says it expires on October 11, 2026, so at least I’m covered on that front.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I still don’t really understand what could’ve happened with the phone. I’ll take it to Apple and hopefully they’ll give me a replacement instead of trying to repair the defective unit I got. I just hope stock isn’t an issue, after all, it’s the base iPhone 17, 256GB in black, so they should have plenty available.
 
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cruelfoolish said:
The return window has already passed. The iPhone was purchased on Saturday, September 20, and the return period ended during the first week of October. However, this iPhone was a gift, so I only received it last week. I didn’t have much free time, so I was only able to set it up on Sunday, October 12. The warranty says it expires on October 11, 2026, so at least I’m covered on that front.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I still don’t really understand what could’ve happened with the phone. I’ll take it to Apple and hopefully they’ll give me a replacement instead of trying to repair the defective unit I got. I just hope stock isn’t an issue, after all, it’s the base iPhone 17, 256GB in black, so they should have plenty available.
Click to expand...
This isn't a return, so the return window isn't any sort of thing. It's a hardware fault, which is covered under Apple's one year warranty. Apple will repair or replace at their discretion and there will be no charge to you at all.
 
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Just wanted to give an update in case it helps anyone who runs into the same issue.

After my last post, I managed to successfully put the iPhone into DFU mode and restore it completely. It booted up fine and I set it up as a new device (no backup restore). Everything seemed normal for a while.

However, after a couple of days, I plugged it in to charge, and within a few minutes, it started rebooting in an infinite loop again, exactly like before.

I tried doing another DFU restore, but this time it didn’t complete, the phone stayed on the “support.apple.com/iphone/restore” screen and Finder stopped detecting it. At this point, I think the issue is definitely hardware-related, possibly something with the power management IC or NAND.

For context, the iPhone was purchased in the U.S., but I live in a country without Apple Stores. The import store that handled the purchase will now send it back to the U.S. so it can be checked or replaced by Apple.

The device is still under warranty until October 2026, so hopefully they’ll be able to replace it without any issues.

Thanks to everyone who commented and helped. I’ll post another update once Apple gives me a diagnosis or replacement.
 
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Hey everyone,
Just wanted to post an update about my iPhone 17 case for anyone who’s been following or dealing with something similar.

So, a few days ago I took my iPhone to an Apple Store after going through all the usual steps (DFU restore, Finder stuck in “preparing iPhone for restore,” multiple loops, white rectangles on screen, etc.). The store ran their full diagnostic process and here’s what they found:
  • They restored the iPhone.
  • They ran the internal diagnostic test (MRI) → passed without errors.
  • They checked system stability → initially passed.
  • They reviewed the cosmetic condition → no visible damage.
However, the final repair summary says:
“Restored iPhone and ran diagnostics to verify there are no further issues with the phone. System stability failed so in-store logic board repair under limited warranty.”

When I went back later that same afternoon to pick up the device, I noticed some interesting details:
  • The model number now starts with “N”, which usually indicates a replacement unit.
  • The serial number and both IMEIs have changed.
  • The battery cycle count shows “3” instead of 0.
This makes me wonder, did they actually replace the entire iPhone with a service replacement unit, or did they just replace the logic board? Everything else looks and feels exactly the same (same color, same storage capacity, etc.).

As of now, the phone is working perfectly. I charged it overnight and woke up with no random restarts or loops, finally stable after all the headaches.


Just curious if anyone knows for sure:
  • Does the “N” model prefix confirm a full device replacement, or can it still appear if only the logic board was swapped?
  • And would a replacement device ever show 3 battery cycles instead of 0?
Thanks in advance, and hopefully this helps anyone else dealing with a similar boot loop / 4013-type nightmare.
 
Question is when you got the phone back dod uou had to set up your device again or was all your content were still on the phone?
 
It's a replacement. It was probably more convenient for them to just replace it. Your old phone will be reworked and they'll replace the LB when they do that. Then it will go back in to their system as a replacement for someone else.

No need to worry about the new phone. And if the battery does become an issue, that's covered under the same warranty that you get your replacement under.

Apple tends to do what is easiest/convenient for them. I once smashed a screen on my 6+. Apple replaced the entire phone, not the screen. Why? Because that was around the time iOS 9.0 launched and for whatever reason they could not get iOS 9.0 to install on my iPhone. So, they just gave me a replacement. Didn't cost me any more than the price of the screen, but I got a brand new phone out of it.
 
eyoungren said:
It's a replacement. It was probably more convenient for them to just replace it. Your old phone will be reworked and they'll replace the LB when they do that. Then it will go back in to their system as a replacement for someone else.

No need to worry about the new phone. And if the battery does become an issue, that's covered under the same warranty that you get your replacement under.

Apple tends to do what is easiest/convenient for them. I once smashed a screen on my 6+. Apple replaced the entire phone, not the screen. Why? Because that was around the time iOS 9.0 launched and for whatever reason they could not get iOS 9.0 to install on my iPhone. So, they just gave me a replacement. Didn't cost me any more than the price of the screen, but I got a brand new phone out of it.
Click to expand...
As you might remember, Apple “repaired” my iPhone in-store last week, saying they performed a logic board repair under warranty. When I picked it up, I noticed the model number now started with N, and the serial number and IMEIs had changed, which made me think it might actually be a replacement unit.

Anyway, I set it up again on Thursday and it worked perfectly all day yesterday. No crashes, no restarts — everything seemed fine.

But this morning, after charging it overnight, I woke up to this again (photo attached): the same “support.apple.com/iphone/restore” screen. It’s back in the exact same restore loop it had before Apple serviced it.

At this point, I honestly don’t know what else to do. This makes me think they probably just replaced the logic board instead of giving me a full replacement device, and whatever underlying issue there was has come back.

I’m really starting to feel like the only reasonable solution now would be for Apple to refund or fully replace the device.

 
Here’s a video I recorded showing what’s happening:
((Look at the 2:41 mark, the white box that appears on the screen, I’ve never seen anything like that before.)



At this point, I honestly don’t know what else to do. The device already went through Apple’s hands in the U.S., passed their diagnostics, and was supposedly repaired, but the issue came back after just one day of normal use. It’s really frustrating because in my country I can’t go directly to an Apple Store. At this stage, I just want Apple to replace the phone completely or issue a refund, I’ve lost all confidence in this unit.

I’m honestly really disappointed.
 
Today I’m taking the iPhone to an Apple Authorized Service Provider (iShop). I scheduled a visit through the official Apple Support app, and I really hope they can help me. I’ll let you know how this story ends.
 
They did replace it, otherwise it shouldn't turn into a different model with a new serial number through a repair. That matches the new battery that has different charge cycles out of the box. They might have initially wanted to replace the logic board and perhaps didn’t have a matching one available or they botched the repair and couldn’t return your unit. It’s not all that uncommon for iPhones to get damaged during repair.

In any case, I’d go back to the same Apple Store if it’s an official one and let them know they botched the fix. A second repair attempt should fix it, you’ve already been very unlucky…

Within Apple warranty you have no right to get your money back and you have to give Apple another chance to fix it. But your country’s consumer protection laws might change what you can ask for.
 
Apple replaced the logic board. Of course you’ll get a new model number and IMEIs. A refurb replacement from Apple can consist of a mix of used parts. Apple can create an “N” model for you by replacing the logic board.

In this case, there may be other parts in the phone such as the TrueDepth, proximity, or rear camera causing the error.
 
I'm facing exactly like you with my iPhone 17 Promax. Recovery, DFU,... everything I did but reboot loop occurred. I found some panic full and reset counter log.

Now I sent my phone to Apple Services Center to check. In my country does not have physical Apple Store. But after chat with Apple I used send-in service and now my phone is being diagnosed at services center.

From Nov 1st until now they don't update anything on my support website.

How long does it takes when you send your phone to apple and receive back a phone?
 
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