Errors 

Error 3194 in iTunes: causes and fix

Most owners of Apple mobile devices have at least once in their lives encountered any errors in iTunes that occur when updating the gadget's firmware or restoring it. in iTunes - one of the most common. If it appears when you try to restore your device or update the operating system, you don’t need to immediately rush to the service center, since you can fix this situation yourself absolutely free of charge and without leaving your home.

First of all, it is worth noting that no one is immune from the appearance of the code “3194”. during recovery it occurs on any device, and this does not mean that the device is damaged or the user is doing something wrong. Often errors occur due to the operation of programs on the computer that are responsible for security. The cause could also be incorrect router settings or problems related to Apple servers.

iTunes Error 3194: General Information

This error can occur in a variety of cases. Most often it is associated with the operation of the operating system or programs, but these are not the only reasons.

Error 3194 in iTunes occurs in the following cases:

  • Restoring the device.
  • Operating system update.

In the event that an error appears during recovery, the user will see a warning on his computer screen that the gadget could not be restored because an unknown error with code “3194” occurred.

When updating, a similar message pops up saying that the operating system could not be updated.

Reasons for the error

In order to understand the reasons why error 3194 appeared in iTunes, it is necessary to consider the entire process of restoring the device step by step.

  1. The program downloads the firmware file from the company's servers.
  2. The archive with the firmware is unpacked.
  3. The device is put into recovery mode.
  4. The device update is being checked. At this moment, iTunes sends a request to the update server in order to sign the firmware file with a special unique certificate.
  5. Once the firmware is signed, the recovery process begins. At this point, the device display shows the company logo, as well as a status bar showing the progress.

If, after sending a request to sign the firmware with a certificate, no response is received from the update server, the same error occurs. iOS is not updated.

Categories of error causes

The reasons fall into two categories:

  • Software.
  • Hardware.

In order to diagnose the cause, you need to monitor the moment at which it occurs.

If the error appears before the logo and status bar appear on the screen or at the moment it begins to fill, then the reason is software.

If the error appears already during the firmware process itself, which usually happens 75 percent, then the reason is hardware.

Software reasons

If the error turns out to be software, then the reasons for its occurrence are:

  • Outdated version of iTunes on your computer.
  • Address filtering, antivirus or firewall.
  • The hosts file contains redirection of program requests to third-party servers.

Hardware reasons

It must be said that error 3194 occurs not only due to problems with software. If it appears at the moment when it is approximately 75 percent full, then we can say with full confidence that the reason lies in the hardware - a malfunction of the device’s modem or its power supply.

Bug fix

So, the user sees the code “3194” - an iTunes error. How to fix it? The method depends on the causes of occurrence. If there is a hardware failure, then you need to contact a service center. It is unlikely that you will be able to repair the device yourself.

If the reason lies in the software, then you can fix it yourself.

Sometimes the error appears due to an outdated version of iTunes. In order to fix the problem, you need to update the program to the latest version. This should only be done through the official website.

If the problem is related to the hosts file, then you need to check it. If it contains extra lines, they must be removed. To do this, you need to find the file on the system drive, open it through a text editor and delete all lines that look like “xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx gs.apple.com”. After this, it is recommended to restart the computer.

If the reason is due to address filtering, antivirus or firewall, then it is difficult to clearly determine the cause of the error. You need to do the following:

  • Completely disable security software. This is done only during recovery.
  • Disable TCP/IP filtering in the router settings.
  • Remove the router or router from the chain connecting the computer to the Internet. This means that you need to connect the computer directly if access is wired.

Does iTunes get error 3194 on all versions of the operating system? iOS versions 7 and lower are affected more often than newer ones.

Thus, using the methods described above, you can easily fix it.