Apple rolls out iOS update to restore devices bricked by ‘error 53’

Apple today announced that it’s coming out with an update to iOS 9.2.1 that’s intended to fix the “error 53” issue that disabled some iOS devices.

Apple is directing people to an explanation on a new support page about the issue, which first came to light earlier this month:

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After you try to update or restore your iOS device in iTunes on your Mac or PC, you might see error 53 in iTunes and “Connect to iTunes” on your device. Error 53 appears when a device fails a security test. This test was designed to check whether Touch ID works properly before the device leaves the factory, and wasn’t intended to affect customers.

For anyone who experienced error 53, Apple has released an update to iOS 9.2.1 to allow you to successfully restore your device using iTunes on your Mac or PC. Use the steps in this article to restore and recover your device. If you believe that you paid for an out-of-warranty device replacement based on an error 53 issue, contact Apple Support to ask about reimbursement.

Apple notes at the bottom of the new page that Touch ID won’t work after you restore an iOS device if it didn’t work before error 53 popped up.

In a statement sent to TechCrunch, Apple apologized for any issues the error caused and reiterated that it was “designed to be a factory test and was not intended to affect customers.” Of course, it did end up causing problems for some customers, but now Apple is trying to make it right.