iPhone Field Test mode permanently in iOS 7

Question

I have seen 2 different methods of putting your iPhone in Field Test mode permanently in iOS 7, a short one and a long one.

The short way:

1. Open your phone app and dial *3001#12345#* (I recommend putting this in your Notepad so can copy and paste it. You will need it several times.)
2. Press and hold the power button until the slide to close appears.
3. Hold the home to kill the Field Test mode app (In iOS 7 it will restart, in iOS 6 it is now permanent.)
4. Repeat step 2 and 3 a couple of times.
5. Tap the home button to close Field Test mode.
6. Repeat steps 1–3 (With a little bit of luck it will work the first time here. I am usually able to get it the first time here. If not keep repeating.)
7. When it works you will see the Field Test mode actually close and NOT restart. When this happens it is now permanent.

The long way:

1. Open your phone app and dial *3001#12345#*.
2. Press and hold the power button until the slide to close appears.
3. Slide the slide bar to turn your phone off.
4. Turn your phone back on.
5. It should now be permanent.

Sources:

• http://forums.imore.com/guides-how-articles/271233-guide-signal-strength-changing-dots-decibels.html
• http://forums.imore.com/iphone-5s/263849-numbers-instead-signal-dots.html#post2092268

Has anyone found any other ways to put your phone in Field Test mode permanently with iOS 7?

Answer 1

For iphone6 and ios8.1.1 once I was in field test mode I had to hold down power and home buttons - hard reset the phone to get the #'s to stay - all other methods the bars/dots came back

Answer 2

I'm not exactly sure as I haven't tried this on iOS 7, but according to one of the users in this post, your second way should make it permanent on iOS 7:

" Step 4: Press down on the Home button until the app closes and you return to your home screen. (NOTE: User bladepwns reports that on iOS 7, this does not return you to the home screen. He reports that powering OFF your phone while in FIELD TEST mode will accomplish the same thing.) "

If it doesn't work, perhaps it's a phone difference? Or maybe you need to try it a few more times before it stays.

Answer 3

For keeping it in iOS 7:

1. Open field test
2. Hold the power button until the slider appears
3. Let go of the power button then hold the home button
4. You should be returned to the home screen as you have just force quit the app

Answer 4

Actually, if you go into field test, go to slide to power off, hold the home button, then return to the phone app, press the home button, then tap the Numerical Signal Strength, you should be able to switch back and forth between Numerical Signal Strength and Bar Signal Strength.