How to Unlock iPhone 3G Firmware 2.2 with YellowsnOw?

by Harshad on January 2, 2009

Dev team has given an awesome new year gift to all iPhone 3G users by releasing much awaited software, yellowsn0w. One month back, Apple team released new firmware 2.2 for iPhone, but there was no unlocking software available for iPhone 3G. Many iPhone 3G users had to wait for Dev Team’s unlocking software so that they can update their iPhones to firmware 2.2.

As Dev team said on their blog, this software unlock works with baseband 02.28.00, which comes with latest firmware 2.2. To update your iPhone 3G, you should have latest version of iTunes and QuickPwn.You can download them from following links.

Download iTunes

Download QuickPwn 2.2 for Windows and Mac

Here’s a quick tutorial to unlock iPhone 3G Firmware 2.2.

Note:

Before we move ahead with tutorial, please upgrade your iPhone 3G to firmware 2.2 i.e. 02.28.00 baseband modem firmware. Another important thing is your iPhone must have jailbroken with QuickPwn.

Firstly, you will need to install yellowsnOw. Follow the given steps.

Open Cydia installer from iPhone.
Select ‘Manage’ from bottom and select ‘Sources’.
Go to ‘Edit’, press ‘Add’ option from left top.
Insert this URL [http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/] and select ‘Add Source’
Press ‘Return to Cydia’.
Now select ‘Done’ from right top.

If everything goes smoothly, you should see yellowsn0w package in Cydia. Now, get ready to unlock iPhone 3G firmware with yellowsnOw.

Launch Cydia again and select http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/ from ‘Entered by User’.
Select yellowsnOw from the list of packages and install it.
After successful completion of installation process, select ‘Return to Cydia’.
Restart iPhone using ‘Power’ button.
Voila! Your iPhone 3G is unlocked.

If you find any problem with yellowsnOw, you can uninstall it or try to remove it from Cydia and reboot iPhone. After that you’ll have service with locked carrier. Still have problem with it? Well, just mention it in the comment section below and we will try to find a solution.

Enjoy your iPhone 3G with firmware 2.2. Cheers!

Update: Dev team has released Yellowsn0w 0.9.1 Beta. You can download it from following links using Cydia and Installer respectively.

Cydia source: http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/

Installer Repo: http://i.yellowsn0w.com/

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My good friend Chetan has written a wonderful post on how to iPhone 3G with yellowsnOw. He has unlocked iPhone 3G successfully with same tools mentioned above in the tutorial. Check his tutorial if you find any problem while unlocking iPhone 3G.

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Disclaimer:

Use this tutorial at your own risk. We will not be responsible for any damage of your iPhone. YellowsnOw is in beta and available for non-commercial use. Hence, it may or may not work on your iPhone.

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{ 40 comments }

Hafiz51 January 27, 2009 at 3:59 am

Hi i have the iphone 3g 8gb in the uk all you said above worked properly first time and i unlocked to t mobile no problems then when i switched it off and turned it back on the lock came back on and the phone was locked to 02 again which is a real bugger so if you can help me why it keeps gettin locked to 02 then that would be great and can you email as i may not refer to this page and now whenever i remove or reinstall Yellowsn0w theres a problem it be unlocked

Harshad January 27, 2009 at 6:25 pm

@Hafiz51 Try to unlock you iphone 3G using 0.9.6 beta yellowsn0w. I hope it will fix your problem.

Sachin January 28, 2009 at 11:51 am

Hi Harshad
I tried to put this url in cydia http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com but didnt got the download page of Yellowsn0w. I was connected through wifi but not sucessful please help me out with the same.

Harshad January 28, 2009 at 3:54 pm

@Sachin Your problem looks weird to me. Please check your WiFi router settings again. Don’t use WiFi connection for any other purpose while unlocking your iPhone.

Sachin February 15, 2009 at 5:40 pm

Hi Harshad
Recently i have updated new version of iphone firmware and my phone got locked. i jailbreaked the whole process and downloaded yellosn0w but still im not getting my network. i have read somewhere that with these new upadte its impossible to jailbreak. please do help me up.

Harshad February 15, 2009 at 7:23 pm

Please tell me all the details of your iPhone such as current firmware version, tools that you use for jailbreak, network provider etc.

Sachin February 16, 2009 at 9:13 am

Hi Harshad
My modem firmware is 02.30.03
version 2.2.1 (5H11)
and i have used QuickPwn-225-2 to jailbreak.
My network provider is airtel mumbai.
The phone is originated fro cupertino USA
please let me know if u want additional info

Sachin February 16, 2009 at 9:16 am

my yellowsn0w version is 0.9.7

Harshad February 16, 2009 at 10:07 pm: I think you should downgrade your iPhone to previous firmware.

Sachin February 17, 2009 at 9:24 am

but how should i downgrade it
can u tell me full step to do so

Harshad February 17, 2009 at 8:36 pm: Simply install the previous firmware with appropriate tools and follow the same methods. Backup your iPhone before downgrading it.

Sachin February 18, 2009 at 10:59 am

what are the appropriate tools. can u elaborate please and how to install previous firmware

Harshad February 19, 2009 at 11:55 am

Downgrade it to firmware version 2.2 and follow the above tutorial.

Sachin February 20, 2009 at 6:12 pm

but how should i downgrade yaar i dont know can you please help me on that

Harshad February 20, 2009 at 9:57 pm: LOL. Use the tools that are mentioned above and just install firmware version 2.2.

Sachin March 4, 2009 at 4:49 pm

Hi Harshad
I downgraded the firmware but still no success. please do let me know how should i unlock it

Harshad March 4, 2009 at 5:44 pm: Well, there is no unlock method available for firmware 02.30.03. So, I would recommend you to wait for next Apple update.

kingway124 January 29, 2009 at 6:53 pm

i installed the yellowsn0w n everything is ok but it cant make phone calls. pls help me. thx very much

Harshad January 31, 2009 at 12:45 am: Try to remove SIM card from iPhone and insert it again after 2 mins. Restart iPhone once and then check whether it is allowing you to make phone calls.

jimbobbaldwin February 6, 2009 at 10:13 pm

worked no problems!!!
dev team are amazing for all us iphone owners :d!!!!

Trushar February 12, 2009 at 3:03 pm

Hi, i have locked my iphone 3g, which is now unlocked & m trying to update apt9.yellowsn0w.com. but still i have no network coming. please assist

Harshad February 12, 2009 at 4:51 pm: Turn the Airplane Mode in settings On and Off for few times and then wait for sometime. iPhone will automatically detect your network.

GaMi February 14, 2009 at 11:38 pm

hi, i followed all the steps but when i put in a sim card other than o2, and flick between airplane mode on and off, it says invalid sim.

What do i do??

Harshad February 15, 2009 at 10:48 am

Reset your network settings and switch OFF the iPhone. After that insert SIM card and switch it ON. Wait for one or two minutes
Turn on Airplane mode for sometime and then turn it off. Remove your SIM card with iPhone ON, insert it again.

Do let me know if it works for you.

GaMi February 15, 2009 at 6:48 pm

well it still doesn’t pick up the sim card, it says sim card invalid then disapears n simply no signal.
I’v got the 16gb iphone does that make any difference to wht i should do?

Harshad February 15, 2009 at 7:27 pm: AFAIK, It has nothing to with the memory size of iPhone.
Try to downgrade your phone and then upgrade it with new tools. And, don’t forget to inform me about all the details of your iPhone 3G like network provider, firmware version etc.

safsax February 19, 2009 at 6:36 am

Hello,
Hrllo,
I have unlocked my iphone and I have some problems , sometimes when i turn it on ( unlock it ) i see the airplane mode and then in a few seconds it behins searching for network and than it comes back, if somebody calls me in this period the phone is turned ofg, i don ‘t know how often it does that but i saw it a couple of times,also it gets stuck very often.
Thanks in advance

Thanks in advance!

Harshad February 19, 2009 at 12:01 pm: Yellowsnow has some networking issues and many people having the same problems. So, I would recommend you to wait for next firmware update from Apple.

MZM5 February 19, 2009 at 10:46 am

Hi,
I had an unlocked and jailbroken iphone 3g that worked fine with my t-mobile sim until I started downloading some apps from installer when it got stuck on the apple logo. I restored through the itunes, not knowing that this will lock it. Now I have a version 2.2.1 and firmware 02.30.03. Please help me unlock this! Thanks,

Harshad February 19, 2009 at 11:59 am

Follow the tutorial given on iclarified.. http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=2538

MZM5 February 19, 2009 at 10:17 pm

Hey, thanks for the reply, but that tutorial is for a different baseband (modem firmware). My firmware is 02.30.03, Please HELP!

Harshad February 20, 2009 at 10:11 pm: Well, I’ve no idea about it. Show your iPhone at any Apple service center.

jeabznyn March 6, 2009 at 12:13 pm

I have a 2.2.1 (jailbroken)

I download yellow snow

did everything…

im using a t mobile sim card…

its say invalid?

do i have to call tmobile?

Harshad March 6, 2009 at 9:09 pm: Show your iPhone at Apple center.

hl March 12, 2009 at 6:36 pm

Everything else is fine but nothing really – I get stuck at the point where I’m supposed to install yellowsn0w. it tells me repository is not found and it’s not supported. Before I start the process it asks me which kind of a user I am – hacker, developer, etc. Does this affect the fact that I can’t make this work?!

Harshad March 12, 2009 at 9:33 pm: You can choose any of the user options. There is absolutely no problem with that. There is a possibility of repository was not available at the time of installation. So recheck it after few mins.

azri April 20, 2009 at 4:30 pm

how to downgrade modem firmware to 02.28.00?send me an email.thanks.my firmware is 2.2

immy August 4, 2009 at 9:31 pm

hi,
i have done all as you have instrutced above with the same software versions. its just not getting unlocked.installed cydia & yellowsn0w twice, quickpwn twice. changed UK SIM t-mobile & orange it just not picking up any signals.any help will be really appreciated, thanks in advance.