iTunes Error 0xE8000013 When Activating iPhone: 6 Fixes

Some iPhone users report that they cannot activate their iPhone after updating iOS 15/14/13 because of unknown iTunes error 0xe8000013. In fact, this kind of error has already appeared when some old iPhone 5s/5c/6 users restore their iPhone via iTunes in iOS 16/15/14 operating system.

The whole error message appears to be in the form: “The iPhone could not be activated because unknown error occurred (0xE8000013). Please try again later”, which causes the activation failure of the device.

Besides of this, many iPhone users face iTunes 0xE8000013 error  when trying to sync iTunes library or installing new apps to iPhone, especially after firmware iOS software restore.

The whole error message appears to be in the form: “Some of the apps in your iTunes library were not installed on the iPhone because one or more errors occurred. For a list of apps that could not be installed, click the + below”. And after clicking“+” icon, a message pops up: “The app ‘Application Name’ was not installed on the iPhone because an unknown error occurred (0xE8000013)”.

Next, in this post, we will analyze some reasons and solutions for such kind of iTunes error 0xe8000013. In fact, whenever this error occurs, the cause of this 0xe8000013 code error and the corresponding method are similar.

Reasons of error 0xe8000013

There can be many reasons for iPhone activation error 0xe8000013 and iTunes apps could not Installed on iPhone.

➨The internet connection is unstable or slow, it requires a quite stable network when connecting the iPhone to iTunes.
➨iTunes and iOS is out of date, and the system has some glitches.
➨The iPhone doesn't have a valid SIM or IMEI and the SIM card on your device may not work with the iPhone.
➨The device has been jailbroken for a while.
➨Antivirus software or firewall is blocking access to Apple servers, or Apple server is busy, so you may get the message ”your iPhone could not be activated because the activation server cannot be reached”.
➨The Apple Mobile Device USB driver is corrupted.
➨Replaced components for your device before, such as Touch ID module, battery, memory module, causing hardware problems.

How to fix iTunes error 0xe8000013

Fortunately, here are some tips to fix this error for iPhone won't activate in iTunes, take a look and try it out.

✍Note:
If it is the hardware change that caused the iTunes unknown error when activating the iPhone and installing apps, I am afraid there is no effective solution. You can contact the Technical Team at the Apple Store. However, before that, you'd better back up your iPhone.

Content navigation:

• Fix 1. Basic tips to fix error 0xe8000013

• Fix 2. Try to hard reboot iPhone

• Fix 3. Update iTunes and iOS devices to the latest version

• Fix 4. Uninstall third-party antivirus software

• Fix 5. Update or reinstall Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

• Fix 6. Re-activate iPhone in DFU Mode with iTunes

Fix 1. Basic tips to fix error 0xe8000013

When you find that the activation server is temporarily unavailable or the app still won't install, you should try some basic tips first to fix this error.

Tip 1. Wait and try

When you activate your iPhone, Apple servers may be busy processing a lot of traffic, which may cause failure. So, wait for a while and try again.

Tip 2. Correct account

Check that your login information is correct. This may be one of the reasons iTunes cannot verify your device. Just log out and log in with the correct username and password.

Tip 3. Hi-Speed USB port

Make sure your iPhone is connected directly to a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port on your computer and not plugged into a hub, keyboard, or monitor.

Tip 4. Stable internet connection

Disable the network and enable it again to reconnect your iPhone to the computer.

Tip 5. Check SIM card

Check if your device is blocked by your carrier. Some devices are limited to carrier-provided versions, and the device needs to be unlocked before activation. You can remove the SIM card and insert it again.

After taking these tips, if the error persists, you can try the following methods one by one.

Fix 2. Hard reboot iPhone

Hard rebooting is always a good try when you have problems on your iPhone. Therefore, try to force restart your iPhone by following the instructions below.

For iPhone 6 or earlier (5S): Press the Power and Home buttons together for 10 seconds, until the Apple logo is visible.

For iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press the Power button and Volume Down button for 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone 8 or later: Press the Volume Up button, tap the Volume Down button, press and hold the Power button until you see the Apple logo.

Fix 3. Update iTunes and iOS devices to the latest version

An outdated version of iTunes may affect the update and synchronization of your device. It is essential to update to the latest version to avoid iTunes errors like 0xE8000013.

Update iTunes: Open iTunes > tap Help> click Check for Updates to see if an update is available.

Update iOS device: Go to Settings > tap on General, locate Software Update > click Download and Install option to upgrade if there is an update available.

After updating iTunes and iOS device, you can restart your computer to try to activate iPhone and install the app in iTunes.

Fix4. Uninstall third-party antivirus software

Third-party applications might be interrupting the iPhone from activating. So, you can disable or delete the security software and try to activate the iPhone. Meanwhile, moving the apps with error out from the “/iTunes/Mobile Application” folder, then restart iTunes. You can also try to delete the apps from iTunes library too.

Fix 5. Update or reinstall Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

Driver failing to launch can also lead to this error 0xe8000013. The solution is to update or reinstall the driver. Follow these steps below to update Apple USB Driver on your computer.

Step 1. First, disconnect the iPhone from PC, make sure your iPhone is Unlock and Home screen.

Step 2. Connect back your iPhone to the PC. Right-click the Start button, choose Device Manager.

Step 4. Expand the Portable Devices section, locate your connected iPhone, right-click and select Update driver, choose Search automatically for updated driver software.

Note: You can also choose Uninstall Device to uninstall the driver and then reinstall the driver.

Fix 6. Re-activate iPhone in DFU Mode with iTunes

Some users reported that they tried to update, downgrade and put their iPhone in recovery mode to fix the error, but failed. So, the last method you can try to reactivate iPhone in DFU mode using iTunes.

✍Note:
Compared to Recovery Mode, DFU (Device Firmware Update) recovery is deeper and it will wipe all existing data on the device. Please make sure you have backed up your iPhone.

Step 1. Make sure that your iTunes is the latest version and running on your computer.

Step 2. Plug into the iPhone, put your iPhone in DFU Mode.

For iPhone 8 and later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up and Down button together, press and hold the Side/Power button for 10 seconds until the screen goes black. Keep holding the Side/Power button and press the Volume Down button for 5 seconds, then release the Side/Power button but keep holding the Volume Down button until iTunes appears enter DFU mode, click Restore.

For iPhone 7 and 7 plus: Press and hold the Power/Sleep button, the Volume Down button together for 8–10 seconds. Release the Power/Sleep button but keep holding the Volume Down button when you see iTunes appears enter DFU mode.

For iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold the Power/Sleep button, the Home button together for 8–10 seconds, release the Power/Sleep button but keep holding the Home button until iTunes appears enter DFU mode.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to restore the iPhone in iTunes.

If you successfully enter DFU mode, your device screen will be completely blank, otherwise you will need to try again.

Recommended: Backup/sync/restore your iPhone once and for all

iTunes is the most common data sync and backup/restore tool, enabling you to work with photos, songs, videos, local files of applications, and more. However, as we have seen, iTunes is also the software that is most prone to error codes, like error 0xe8000015, 0xe800000a, 0xe8000014, etc, and often fails to recognize the device. This may result in unforeseen data loss.

Therefore, you can use other third-party tools to backup, transfer and restore your iPhone to keep your data safer. Here we recommend FoneTool software. It is a professional iOS data management tool that supports backup and transfer all kinds of data.

Compared with iTunes and other tools, FoneTool has many advantages:
① No data loss: Unlike the iTunes, when restoring custom backup to iPhone, you won’t lose your data on the targeted device.
② Different backup ways: It can not only fully backup your iPhone, but also selectively backup files, including photos, videos, music, contacts, and messages, etc.
③ Wide compatibility: It is fully compatible with all iPhone models from iPhone 4/5/5s/6 to iPhone 15/14/13/12 and the latest iOS 17/16.

Download FoneTool on your computer to see how to backup your iPhone.

Step 1. Click Phone Backup on the main interface > Select Selective Backup and click Get Started.

Step 2. Preview and select the desired data, click OK to confirm.

Step 3. Choose the storage path, click Start Backup to start backing up.

Step 4. If you need, unplug your iPhone and then connect your target iPhone to computer, go to the My Backups screen, click the Restore option, and then your data would be transferred to the target iPhone. And this restoring process will not delete your data.

Besides the powerful backup function, FoneTool also provides you with iPhone to PC, PC to iPhone and iPhone to iPhone options to migrate data from iPhone to external hard drive or computer.

Conclusion

That’s all the solutions for this iTunes-related bugs. If you fail to activate iPhone on iOS 17/16/15 and install the app in iTunes and get this iTunes error 0xE80000013, you can try the above methods to fix it. Hope these methods can help you. Besides, it is recommended that you can back up iPhone data to PC in advance to avoid any unexpected iTunes issues.

FAQs

1. Can a specific iOS version cause iTunes error 0xe8000013?

While specific iOS versions may contribute to connectivity issues, iTunes error 0xe8000013 is usually related to hardware or software conflicts rather than the iOS version.

2. Can a faulty USB cable cause iTunes error 0xe8000013?

Yes, using a damaged or faulty USB cable can lead to connectivity problems between your iOS device and iTunes, resulting in error 0xe8000013.

3. If all else fails, should I contact Apple Support for help with iTunes error 0xe8000013?

Yes, if you've tried all troubleshooting steps and continue to experience iTunes error 0xe8000013, reaching out to Apple Support can provide additional assistance and guidance tailored to your specific situation.