Error 53 to kill iPhone and no one can fix it

The message has been appearing since the release of the iOS 9 update, and can cause permanent death for iPhone 6 and 6s models that have undergone third party repairs, reports The Sun. Apple has said that the users facing this issue must contact the company immediately. Also, it’s not a complete explanation: last spring, Daily Dot editor Mike Wehner experienced problems with his iPhone 6 Plus screen and Touch ID sensor that eventually pulled up Error 53.

Following consumer complaints, Apple acknowledged the issue and in its statement said that the Error 53 was the result of security checks performed after installing an update, especially the ones that pair the TouchID to the internal Secure Enclave chip.

The support page advised iPhone or iPad owners who had their devices serviced by people other than Apple Service Center technicians, Apple Store employees or authorized Apple service providers should “contact Apple Support about pricing information for out-of-warranty repairs”.

The security feature is an added layer that Apple has provided in order to safeguard the user’s data on it. A hacker can get past the Touch ID fingerprint by simply replacing the sensor/home button on the device. Apple confirmed the cause of the disabling Error 53 in a statement to The Guardian.

iOS users who have had their devices repaired by a third-party service may be in for an unpleasant surprise when they try to update their phone’s software. To ensure your phone stays in good working order, they will manually move the touch ID sensor from the broken glass face plate to the new face plate when repairing a cracked screen.

Error 53 is linked to iPhones or iPads with the Touch ID technology, but it seemed to be peculiar only to phones repaired by a third-party and when the devices’ operating system had been upgraded to the latest iOS 9 version. “When iOS finds an unidentified or unexpected Touch ID module, the check fails”.

Error 53 has been an object of widespread criticism, even as it incorporated critical security checks. “An unknown error occurred (53)”, reads the message that indicates a phone has been frozen.

If none of those solutions work, Apple recommends that users go to an Apple Store or another authorised service centre. However, Apple’s point behind bricking such iPhones isn’t because it wants to take up the entire repairing mantle, but because getting the Touch ID repaired by unauthorized shops may compromise the security of your iPhone’s Touch ID.