iPhone stuck on iTunes after ios9 upgrade, no computer HELP please

September 24, 2015 2:19 PM

FML. I upgraded my iphone STUPID ME and now it is stuck with a prompt that just says "iTunes." I don't have a computer available, and I have to meet people in a few hours ... phone is our only method of communication. PLEASE HALP
posted by cyndigo to Computers & Internet (13 answers total)

Do you have an Apple Store nearby? Geniuses can definitely help.

Only other thing I would try to fix your computer is a hard restart — hold lock button and home button until the thing restarts and you see the apple logo.

Last thing: do you have an older phone around? A different phone? You can swap your SIM from your current phone into a different one and it'll be able to receive calls on your number.
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:23 PM on September 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: No Apple store, hard restart still bricks, no backup phone :-( But thank you those are all great suggestions
posted by cyndigo at 2:26 PM on September 24, 2015

It looks like you really need to find a computer with iTunes to connect to, and then follow the stops here.
posted by beagle at 2:40 PM on September 24, 2015

How are you typing this? On some other device that you could use to text or email these people? Can you still receive calls? I've had calls come through to an iPhone that was giving unmoving prompts on my end.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 2:45 PM on September 24, 2015

Response by poster: Chromebook. No, they're off the grid except phone
posted by cyndigo at 2:52 PM on September 24, 2015

You can send a text via email.
posted by Rock Steady at 2:55 PM on September 24, 2015 [4 favorites]

Call them via Skype or Google Voice.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 3:48 PM on September 24, 2015

Did you do the upgrade while connected to iTunes, or did you do the upgrade over-the-air? If you did it via iTunes, is it possible you disconnected the phone without first unmounting it from iTunes?
posted by Thorzdad at 3:58 PM on September 24, 2015

You really need to find any available computer with an internet connection and use(or load) itunes. The fastest way to install itunes is with ninite.

There, unfortunately, is not a way out of that screen when you do over the air updates.
posted by emptythought at 4:25 PM on September 24, 2015

Response by poster: I lost my people but found a Macbook with iTunes ... "unknown error." Still bricked. Thanks, Apple. I'll hit the "geniuses" tomorrow but after 20 years as a fangirl, I'm done.
posted by cyndigo at 9:52 PM on September 24, 2015

If you fancy taking a risk, you can hard reboot the phone. Press and hold the home button and the lock button together until the screen goes black and wait until you see the Apple logo. Then release.

This has worked for me before when my phone has errored out of an update. Warning though - if the update is half-unpacked or something wacky, this might nuke your phone. You may be able to restore from a backup though.

I am not an Apple Genius, I am not your Apple Genius.
posted by Happy Dave at 8:04 AM on September 25, 2015

Press and hold the home button and the lock button together until the screen goes black and wait until you see the Apple logo. Then release.

This has worked for me before when my phone has errored out of an update. Warning though - if the update is half-unpacked or something wacky, this might nuke your phone.

Really? I've never heard that -- I've done the hard reset multiple times. My phone (5s) seems glitchy and gets hung up on various things. But the hard reset always works and when I turn it back on everything functions normally.
posted by JenMarie at 9:12 AM on September 25, 2015

I was talking specifically about resetting after an issue with an over-the-air update. Mostly out of an abundance of caution.
posted by Happy Dave at 11:50 AM on September 25, 2015