How to Resolve the iTunes Error Code 3194

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In general, upgrading your iPhone to a new version of the operating system or restoring from a backup is a fairly simple process. Just follow a few steps and in a few minutes, your device will be working again. But in some cases, you may find a 3194 error in iTunes or on your devices. In this case, you won’t be able to update or restore your iPhone or iPad. How to fix the 3194 error is not obvious, but this article provides step-by-step instructions.

What causes error code 3194 in iTunes?

This error occurs because iTunes can’t connect to Apple’s servers to download and install updates, or when you restore your iOS device to a previous state. The most common reasons for this behavior are

Poor Internet connection: If your Internet connection is not working properly, you may get this error because, without a working Internet connection, iTunes will not be able to complete the update or restore process on your iOS device.

Network Blocked: If your network is blocked or you are behind a proxy server, some incoming connections may be blocked and iTunes may not be able to connect to Apple servers because the incoming/outgoing connections or ports used by iTunes are blocked. These blockages may also be caused by anti-virus software or a strict firewall policy on your computer or network.

Having a jailbroken iOS device: If your iOS device is jailbroken or you have changed something in the firmware, you may get this error. The problem with jailbreaking is that it sometimes blocks the connection to Apple’s servers on your device, which prevents you from updating or restoring your device. Also, if you are using an outdated version of iOS, you are more likely to get this error.

Apple domains/IP addresses are blacklisted in the hosts file: If you use iTunes on Windows or Mac, your Hosts file may have been modified by malware or a virus that has blacklisted Apple’s domain/IP address in the Hosts file. Once a domain or IP address is blacklisted in the Hosts file, your computer won’t be able to connect to that domain or IP address. Another possibility is that if you hacked your iOS device, the Apple domain/IP address might have been blacklisted in the hosts file, which blocks access to Apple servers on your device and it cannot perform recovery or update.

You can try the following solutions to get rid of this error. Since the solutions depend on the cause of the problem, not all of them will work for you, but any of them will work. So try all of these solutions and see which one works for you.

How to solve iTunes error code 3194?



Disable the Windows Defender firewall

The 3194 error can be caused by firewalls that prevent iTunes from connecting to Apple’s update server. So, disabling the Windows Defender firewall can also fix the 3194 error.

1. Open Cortana by pressing the Windows + Q key combination.
2. Enter the keyword “firewall” in the search box.
3. Select “Windows Defender Firewall” to open the control panel applet.
4. Click Enable or Disable Windows Defender Firewall to open the options.
5. There, select both Disable Windows Defender Firewall options and click OK.
6. Users can re-enable the firewall after restoring iOS by selecting the Enable Windows Defender firewall settings option.

Editing the Hosts file

Error 3194 often occurs for users who have hacked their phones. Unlocking the iPhone changes the way iTunes connects to Apple’s activation server when users try to restore iOS.

Therefore, editing the hosts file can often fix error 3194. To edit the hosts file, follow the instructions below.

1. First, close iTunes if it is running.
2. Click the File Explorer button on the Windows 10 taskbar.
3. Then open this path in File Explorer: C: -> Windows -> System32 -> Drivers -> etc.
4. Right-click on the hosts file and select Open with.
5. Select to open the hosts with Notepad. Click OK to open the hosts.
6. Users who see 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com at the bottom of the text file should type # just before 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com.
7. If there is no 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com line at the end of the text file, enter 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com at the end of the file instead.
8. Click File -> Save in Notepad, then close the text editor.
9. Restart Windows after editing the Hosts file.

Disable antivirus software

Keep in mind that third-party antivirus software may include additional firewalls. Therefore, some users may also need to disable third-party antivirus software.

1. To disable antivirus software, right-click the icon in the taskbar.
2. This opens a context menu from which the user can usually select an option to stop, disable, close, or otherwise deactivate.
3. For example, Avast users can right-click the antivirus program icon in the taskbar and select Avast Shield Controls -> Disable for 1 hour.

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