Error 3194 : How To Fix This Error for Windows and Mac Solutions

This Error 3194 happens when you are trying to update or downgrade your iDevices using iTunes . The error is related to the hosts file on your computer. This error can happen for both the Mac and Windows.

Fix Error 3194 – When Updating your iDevice

This error is also related to the following according to Apple’s service support page:

Error 17
Error 1639
Errors 3000-3020
Errors 3100-3999

This device isn’t eligible for the requested build

When you encounter this error message, this means the iDevice you are trying to update or downgrade cannot connect to the Apple servers. This usually happens when you have jailbroken your iDevice before. The Jailbreak adds some “extra” texts to your hosts file. These added text interferes with your device’s ability to connect to Apple’s servers. As mentioned before, we need to edit your hosts file to correct this error.

This is very common. There are many fixes for it but there is no specific solution to solve it. You need to try several methods that will fix the error for your particular iDevice.

The solutions presented below are easy to do. Method 1 is for the Mac OS. Method 2 is for the Windows OS. Try the fix for your operating system.

Before doing this procedure, make sure that your iDevice is turned off and not connected to your computer.
Fix Error 3194: Solution 1 (Mac)

Step 1. Open “hosts” file ( /etc/hosts )

Step 2. Edit the “hosts” (open with administrative rights) and add this to the last line:

74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com

“Hosts” file in Mac

Step 3. Connect your iDevice to your computer using the provided cable.

Step 4. Open iTunes.

Step 5. Put your iDevice in DFU mode. Do this by holding the Power and Home buttons at the same time. After ten seconds, release the Power button. Keep holding the Home button until iTunes shows ” Your device is now in recovery mode”.

Step 6. Update/downgrade your iDevice using the “restore” feature in iTunes.

Following these steps should solve error 3194 problem for you.

The next method is for Windows. It is almost identical to the Mac method.
Fix Error 3194: Solution 2 (Windows)

Step 1. Open “hosts” file (c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts) and add the same line as for the Mac method.

Windows “hosts” file

Step 2. Connect you iPhone/iPad/iPod to your computer.

Step 3. Put your iDevice in DFU mode (see above procedure).

Windows “Hosts” File

Step 4. Again, Update/downgrade your iDevice using the “restore” feature in iTunes.

That’s it. You solved your “error 3194” problem.

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