This is the heavy artillery. For an exclusive permanent bypass on iOS 9.3.5, you need to modify the device's hardware serial numbers.
The iPhone 4s has a separate baseband chip (MDM6610) and an NAND chip. Using a tool like PurpleRestore (internal Apple diagnostic tool leaked) or Medusa (commercial box), you can force the device into a factory state where the iCloud lock is tied to the SN and IMEI.
The Process (For technicians only):
Why "iOS 9.3.5 Exclusive"? Newer iPhones encrypt the SN/BB pairing. The iPhone 4s does not. This method works perfectly on 9.3.5 because Apple no longer actively blacklists old 4s serials unless reported stolen.
Cost: This is not free. Medusa boxes cost $100+, but many repair shops offer this as a $30 "Exclusive 4s unlock."
Most online tutorials for DNS bypass refer to the old "Apple.cn" or "iFri23" servers. For iOS 9.3.5 specifically, 99% of those domains are dead. However, there is an exclusive active server maintained by the legacy jailbreak community.
Requirements:
Steps:
Limitations: This method acts as a "tether" bypass. You cannot use iMessage, FaceTime, or push notifications. If the device reboots or loses power, you must repeat the process. However, for getting a locked iPhone 4s to act as an iPod or a basic dialer via VoIP apps, this remains the exclusive go-to.
The iPhone 4s running iOS 9.3.5 is the last truly hackable iPhone. The combination of the checkm8 bootrom exploit and the absence of the Secure Enclave makes this device unique. If you manage to perform this exclusive bypass, you aren't just unlocking a phone—you are preserving a piece of smartphone history.
Remember: Only do this on a device you own. If you lost your receipt, try contacting Apple Support with the original box and serial number. But if Apple refuses to help (as they often do for decade-old devices), the tools mentioned above are your only way to see the Home screen again.
Do not pay for software. Do not trust YouTube links. Download Sliver from the official GitHub repository of LukeZGD. Stay safe, and keep that 4s alive.
Keywords used: iphone 4s activation lock bypass ios 935 exclusive, checkm8, sliver, tethered bypass, A5 chip, pwned DFU, iOS 9.3.5.
The silver iPhone 4s sat on the marble counter of a private villa in Mykonos, next to a half-empty flute of Dom Pérignon. It looked like a relic from another era—tiny screen, chamfered edges that had gone slightly blunt—but to Lena, it was the only thing that mattered. iphone 4s activation lock bypass ios 935 exclusive
She was a “lifestyle curator” for the ultra-rich, a title she’d invented to justify her six-figure fee. Her job wasn't just to book tables at Noma or secure front-row seats at Paris Fashion Week. It was to access the unspoken things: the private member clubs that didn't exist on paper, the after-after-parties, the encrypted RSVPs.
And all those keys lived on that iPhone 4s.
Last night, after a particularly reckless boat party with a tech mogul from Singapore, she’d tried to reset the phone. Now, a cruel, cheerful screen greeted her:
"Activation Lock. This iPhone is linked to an Apple ID."
The mogul’s ID. He was already on a private jet to Dubai, unreachable. Without that phone, she couldn't prove her access. No access meant no lifestyle. No lifestyle meant she was just another girl in a rented Zara dress.
The villa’s entertainment system hummed with deep house. Her current client, a retired NBA star, was downstairs in the home theater waiting for the "exclusive VIP link" to a secret Daft Punk reunion stream. She had thirty minutes.
Lena didn't panic. She worked.
She grabbed her MacBook, tethering it to the villa’s Starlink. The 4s was stuck on iOS 9.3.5—ancient, unstable, but famous in underground circles for having one final backdoor.
She opened a Telegram channel called "Legacy Vault," a dark corner of the internet where nostalgia met criminal intent. After three rapid-fire crypto payments (total: $900), she downloaded a bootlace tool—a piece of software that pretended to be an old iTunes update but actually injected a custom ramdisk.
The process was ugly. No sleek UI. Just terminal commands and a spinning beachball of death.
At 23 minutes to showtime, the screen flickered. The activation lock dissolved like a bad dream, replaced by the vintage "Slide to Unlock" text.
She was in.
Scrolling through the cold, dormant springboard, she found the folder labeled "Kappa." Inside: a calendar of private concerts in Mallorca, a PDF of a Speakeasy in a Tokyo sewer, and the holy grail—the dynamic QR code for the Daft Punk stream, refreshing every 60 seconds. This is the heavy artillery
Lena air-dropped the code to the NBA star's phone downstairs. The bass from the home theater immediately doubled.
She poured the last of the champagne, held the little 4s up to the Aegean sunset, and smiled. The party wasn't just saved. It was exclusive again.
Because in the world of high-end entertainment, it wasn't about having the newest device.
It was about knowing how to unlock the old one.
Bypassing the Activation Lock (or the final 9.3.6) is complex because modern software tools often target newer devices with different hardware vulnerabilities. For this specific model, methods typically require external hardware or specific server-side tricks. Technical Bypass Methods
These methods are "exclusive" because they target the specific
in the iPhone 4s, which is not compatible with the widely used Arduino + USB Host Shield Method
: This is the most reliable community-vetted method for the iPhone 4s. It involves using an Arduino Uno USB Host Shield to run a specific checkm8-a5 exploit. This allows you to delete
from the system files, effectively skipping the activation screen. Raspberry Pi Pico
: A more modern and often cheaper alternative to the Arduino setup. It can be used to put the iPhone 4s into a "pwned DFU" mode, allowing for data extraction or file system access to bypass the lock. Private Server / DNS Bypass
: A temporary "soft" bypass where you change your Wi-Fi DNS settings to point to a custom server (like 78.109.17.60
). This doesn't unlock the phone but lets you access a web-based interface for apps like YouTube and Maps while still technically locked. Official & Software Solutions
If you cannot use external hardware, these are the standard paths: Why "iOS 9
Review Title: A Mixed Bag of Tricks—Useful for Repurposing, but Not a Full Unlock
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
I recently dug an old iPhone 4s out of a drawer, intending to give it to my kid as a music player. Unfortunately, it was stuck on the "Hello" screen with an Activation Lock, and it was running the maximum supported software for that device, iOS 9.3.5. I stumbled upon a tool claiming to be an "exclusive" solution for this specific scenario. Here is my experience:
The Process: The setup was a bit technical. It required putting the phone into DFU mode and using a modified version of a bypass tool (often leveraging the "merruk" or "doulCi" exploits from back in the day). It wasn't a simple "one-click" solution; I had to follow specific terminal commands and edit some host files on my PC to redirect the activation server.
The Result: To my surprise, the phone actually booted up past the activation screen. I got to the home screen, which felt like a major victory. I could use the camera, play music, and even connect to Wi-Fi.
The Limitations (The Catch): However, this is far from a perfect unlock, which is why I can't give it 5 stars.
The Verdict: If you have an old iPhone 4s running iOS 9.3.5 that is essentially electronic waste, this "exclusive" bypass method is a decent way to recycle it into a dedicated iPod Touch or GPS device. It breathes new life into the hardware.
However, if you are looking to use this as a daily driver phone or need full iCloud functionality, this will not work for you. It is a "semi-bypass" at best—great for repurposing hardware, but definitely not a security exploit for thieves.
Pros:
Cons:
Online tutorials, YouTube videos, or paid services claiming an exclusive or untethered bypass for iPhone 4s on iOS 9.3.5 often involve:
For iPhone 4s on 9.3.5, some legacy methods still function with technical work:
Because that is the last version the iPhone 4s ever received. Users stuck on that version cannot upgrade to a newer, more secure iOS. This means they cannot use the "iCloud Bypass via iOS 15 loopholes" that exist for newer phones.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational and legacy device recovery purposes only. Bypassing Activation Lock on a device you do not legally own may violate laws and Apple’s terms of service. Always ensure you are the legitimate owner.