Why Your New iPhone 14 May Not Activate Properly

Initial reports indicate that the iPhone 14 activation bug is largely restricted to iPhone 14 models that run iOS 16.0 (the software they’ll have right out of the box). Apple — on its support page — also confirmed that the issue won’t be a cause of concern for devices running the latest version of iOS (which at the time of writing this article is iOS 16.0.1). Unfortunately, most iPhone 14 devices that will reach consumers’ hands today would have been manufactured before Apple rolled out iOS 16.0.1.

Additionally, the MacRumors report also talks about a connection between the activation bug on the iPhone 14 and open Wi-Fi networks. Apparently, the activation failure largely happened after consumers attempted the process while connected to an open Wi-Fi network. It is still unclear, though, whether people who connected to a secure Wi-Fi network at their homes experienced no issues with the activation process. 

MacRumors also talks about a temporary fix to solve the issue. During the setup process, when the phone prompts users to connect to a Wi-Fi network, Apple recommends people instead select the option that says “Connect to Mac or to a PC with iTunes.” This step will take the users back to the previous screen, where they can try the Wi-Fi activation process again.