Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Based on recent testing in 2026, the DNS bypass successfully exploits the activation flow on iOS versions 8 through 10, with a success rate of roughly 30%.

Plug the iPhone back into your Mac/Linux computer. Use a terminal utility tool (like Silver or custom SSH RAMdisk scripts) to mount the iPhone's internal storage disk.

Another avenue for achieving "extra quality" unlock is creating a Custom Firmware (CFW). This technique involves modifying the iOS file system (IPSW) before it is flashed to the device. CFW can spoof the activation process, tricking the iPhone into thinking it has already been authorized by Apple. While this method is technically complex, it offers a high degree of control and can often result in an untethered activation for A5 devices. Tools like img4tool and kernel patchers are often used in conjunction with checkm8 to mount the file system with write access to remove the Activation Record entirely.

Bypassing the on iOS 9.3.5 is a common challenge for legacy device owners. While official methods require original credentials, several technical workarounds—ranging from DNS redirects to advanced hardware-based exploits—exist for "extra quality" or higher-success bypasses. Official Removal (Recommended)

There is no magical "extra quality" software that will turn a locked iPhone 4S into a fully functioning, cellular-ready phone with the click of a button. Be safe, avoid sketchy downloads that promise the world, and rely on either official account recovery or local DNS workarounds to enjoy your classic device.

The most reliable and permanent way to remove the lock is through official channels: Previous Owner Removal

It turns the device into a media tablet hosted via a web portal. Step-by-Step Process

(Required to put the A5 chip into a pwned DFU state).

Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the iCloud lock.

: The device will load an alternative dashboard interface. From here, you can watch YouTube, browse the web, play games, and listen to music. Method 3: Official IMEI and Apple Support Routes

The “extra quality” methods leverage a bug in iOS 9’s —a race condition where the OS checks for a lock file after loading the home screen, giving the exploit just 300ms to delete the file before the OS realizes it shouldn’t be there.