Jun 13, 2010  4. Click on your ipod click restore let it find its updates and what not and that should work that did it for me If this doesn't work force your ipod into recovery mode by doing a reset holding power on off key and home key until screen turns black, then to put it into recovery mode hold the home button and plug it in and just wait until the. IPod Software Update Server. Having trouble connecting to Apple's iPod software update server? The server could not be contacted. Try this link: http://www.

1. The Ipod Software Update Server Could Not Be Contacted Machines
2. The Ipod Software Update Server Could Not Be Contacted Mac Os
3. The Iphone Software Update Server Could Not Be Contacted Mac

Solution 1 - Check Network Connection

The first thing that you should think of is your network connection. Open a webpage on your browser to see if it works. Afterwards, connect to the iTunes Store.

1. If your computer is unable to connect to network, turn off Wi-Fi connection and re-start your Wi-Fi router several minutes later.

2. There is no problem with Wi-Fi connection but the error message still shows up when you connect to iTunes Store. Dig out effective solutions to possible iTunes errors (1671, -50, -23, -1...).

3. In case your iTunes Store can be opened but it displays a blank white page, change to a stronger Wi-Fi network or identify & remove layered service provider software.

Solution 2 - Update or Restore your iPhone without iTunes

You can't successfully update or restore your iPhone unless you resort to iTunes when you forget your password, your iPhone is locked or iPhone is in recovery mode. Otherwise, you can choose to update/restore your iPhone without iTunes like the below OTA method:

Step 1: Unplug your iPhone from your Mac/Windows computer.

Step 2: Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi network connection. You're not suggested to use cellular data or personal hotpot, cuz they're not strong enough or stable. Then, open your iPhone and enable Wi-Fi thereon.

Step 3: Head to Settings on your iPhone > tap General > click Software Update.

Step 4: Press 'Download and Install' to update your iPhone if it's available. Now the job is done and you just need to wait.

Solution 3 - Download the Firmware Manually

If the above solutions can't settle your iPhone software update server not be contacted error, download the IPSW firmware file from IPSW official website based on your product, platform and version to manually update your iPhone with that firmware file. Follow the detailed steps below to download the latest firmware and update you iPhone device.

Step 1: Open IPSW firmware official webpage, where you download the proper IPSW firmware file on your computer based on your iPhone model and IPSW version.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to computer via a USB cable > click 'Summary' option after iTunes successfully recognizes your iPhone.

Step 3: Press 'Shift' (for Windows) or 'Option' (for Mac), followed by a click on 'Restore iPhone' tab.

Now leave the rest to iTunes to finish the software update process. Patiently wait and your iPhone will be updated a few minutes later.

The Ipod Software Update Server Could Not Be Contacted Machines

Solution 4 - Edit or Reset Your Hosts File

Your hosts file might be the one to blame for iPhone update server error. If so, edit or reset your hosts file on your Mac/PC.

For Mac users:

1. Open Finder > tap Applications > click Utilities > select Terminal from the menu bar.

2. Type the following command and hit Enter to open the hosts file: sudo nano /private/etc/hosts

3. Enter your user password after it pops up. It's normal that there is nothing displayed in the Terminal window when you type the password.

4. Apply the arrow keys on your keyboard to move through the hosts file.

5. Put a number sign (#) and a space character (-) to the beginning of the line if apple.com appears at any line.

6. Press Control-O to save the hosts file > click Enter on the filename pop-up window.

7. Press Control-X to exit.

For Windows users:

To fix iPhone Software Update Server could not be contacted error via resetting hosts file on Windows, go to support.microsoft to learn the detailed way to reset your hosts file back to the default on Windows 10/8/7.

It happened to one of our readers who recently when upgraded the version of iTunes on his computer, and when he tried to load iTunes store it kept on connecting mode but did not load the iTunes store even after an hour and more waiting time and when he tried to update the iOS software version on his ipad he could not as he faced the following error message saying – iPad Software update server could not be contacted.

Following errors are seen by the following apple device users

iPhone:

“iTunes could not contact the iPhone software update server because you are not connected to the Internet. Make sure your Internet connection is active and try again.”

iPad:

“iTunes could not contact the iPad software update server because you are not connected to the Internet. Make sure your Internet connection is active and try again.”

iPod:

“iTunes could not contact the iPod software update server because you are not connected to the Internet. Make sure your Internet connection is active and try again.”

Now after searching for the solutions on internet and apple forums, he found out the installing and reinstalling the iTunes software could fix the problem for him but it did not. If you are facing the same or some similar problem like this, you can follow some of the solutions we have mentioned below.

Turn Off Windows Firewall or Allow iTunes If Its Blocked

For some users iTunes was some how blocked to access internet which could have caused this problem for some users, in such case you will need to allow iTunes if is blocked in windows firewall or if it does not solve the problem then you can try disabling the firewall temporarily but we don’t recommend you to do the same.

To check the firewall settings go to Start >> Control Panel in windows and locate or search firewall and under firewall settings.

Turn On Automatic Detect Network Settings

Some times for some users iTunes cannot detect the settings how does your computer connect to internet, in cases you are using some proxy server or some indirect way to connect to internet. To correct this go to Start >> Control Panel in windows and locate or search Internet Options and under internet options click Connections Tab >> LAN Connections – check the option which says Automatic Detect Network

Reset Windows Sockets Network Connection Settings

For some users resetting the network related windows sockets settings fixed the problem, but this method only work when you run a command in administrator mode and then restart your computer and try again in iTunes.

1. First make sure that iTunes is not running and then go to command prompt through Start >> Run prompt or press Windows + R key and then type the following command in run prompt and press Enter key or ok button.

The Ipod Software Update Server Could Not Be Contacted Mac Os

Once you run this command, you will need to restart your PC and then run iTunes again and now it should get connected after some minutes and everything will work fine and you will be able to open iTunes store and can also connect to ipad, iphone or ipod touch server for upgrading iOS.

Related iPhone Problems and Solutions

Fix – Apple Mobile Device Service Not Started

The Iphone Software Update Server Could Not Be Contacted Mac

Fix – iTunes Gets Stuck In Accessing iTunes Store