The way to downgrade iOS on iPhone: Revert from iOS 26 to iOS 18

Apple updates iOS yearly with out fail, bestowing upon our iPhones a variety of recent options and safety enhancements in addition to the occasional redesign. In September 2025 iOS 26 made its debut. Most iPhone customers will transfer to the brand new platform just about right away, and the bulk are positive to like the modifications. However what if you wish to return to an older model of iOS? Is that even attainable?

On this article, we discover what choices you could have when desirous to downgrade iOS in your iPhone.

Can I downgrade from one model of iOS to a different?

The reply to this depends upon whether or not you wish to obtain from a model new model of iOS to an previous model of iOS, a beta to a non-beta model, or only a level replace inside a couple of days of it being issued. In these situations, you may downgrade, however there’s a time restrict.

In case you are hoping to downgrade from iOS 18 to iOS 17, for instance, that’s not one thing you are able to do anymore. Even if you wish to downgrade from iOS 18.6.2 to iOS 18.6 that received’t be attainable both. The rationale you may’t downgrade is that Apple is not ‘signing’ these variations of iOS, and today Apple stops signing previous variations of iOS inside days of a brand new model being issued.

However if you’re fast sufficient you would possibly be capable of downgrade from a brand new model of iOS to the earlier model, we’ll present you ways.

The way to downgrade from a brand new iOS: iOS 26 to iOS 18.6

Within the instance beneath, we downgraded from iOS 18 to iOS 17.6.1, however the course of would be the identical for downgrading from iOS 26 to the final model of iOS 18 (which was iOS 18.6.2), so long as you act shortly.

The very first thing you should do is use out if Apple continues to be signing the model of iOS you want.

To search out out whether or not Apple continues to be signing the model of iOS you want go to this web page and search for your iPhone to see which variations are nonetheless signed by Apple. Apple normally stops signing a model of iOS inside one or two weeks of the brand new replace.

In case you are fortunate and the previous model continues to be being signed it is possible for you to to downgrade. Nonetheless, you continue to could want to remain on the brand new model as a result of this course of will wipe your iPhone. The one solution to reinstall an older model of iOS is to wipe the present one out of your system.

Word that for those who restore from a backup made after the replace you may be placing the newer model of iOS again on to the system.

1. Go to IPSW.me (in your Mac) and obtain the proper model of the iOS you need that matches your iPhone mannequin. As mentioned above, it must nonetheless be signed by Apple, which is usually a very slender window certainly. The software program ought to begin downloading to your Downloads folder. (Word, it could actually take a very long time to obtain an iOS from the location).
2. In your Mac, open the Finder.
3. Plug in your iPhone.
4. You have to to show off Discover My in your system. Go to Settings and click on in your ID info. Faucet Discover My > Discover My iPhone and swap the slider to off. Enter your Apple ID password.
5. Maintain down the Possibility/Alt key and click on on Restore iPhone.
6. You must be capable of choose the model of iOS you want to set up on the iPhone out of your downloads folder.
7. Click on on Open.
8. A message will seem saying which model of iOS you’ll set up – this must be the one you could have chosen. Click on to verify this and wait whereas your iPhone is restored.
9. The cellphone will likely be wiped and the previous model of iOS put in on the iPhone. Once we did this the Finder wrongly recognized the model, however it was the one we wished.
10. You then must arrange your iPhone as a brand new system, so watch out for this for those who don’t wish to run the chance of shedding knowledge.

Foundry

With a bit of foresight you may put together your self in case you later remorse an iOS replace. One solution to get an previous model of iOS is to make a duplicate of it earlier than the brand new one arrives. For those who set up the model of iOS utilizing the Finder in your Mac (or iTunes on a PC), you may then discover that model. Within the Finder click on on Go > Library > iTunes > iPhone Software program Replace (sure, it’s nonetheless in an iTunes finder on the Mac!)

The way to downgrade from an iOS beta

If you wish to downgrade from an iOS beta the method might be easy, or tough, relying on whether or not you simply wish to begin utilizing the official model of iOS moderately than the beta.

If you wish to cease getting beta updates of iOS 26 and as an alternative use the usual model of iOS 26 then you definately simply want to show off Beta Updates so that you simply don’t obtain them in your system.

1. Open Settings in your iPhone.
2. Faucet on Basic.
3. Faucet on Software program Replace.
4. Faucet on Beta Updates.
5. Faucet on Off.
6. Faucet on Again.

Additionally it is attainable to revert from the beta model put in in your iPhone to the model of the earlier iOS. However as above, you’ll wipe your iPhone or iPad in doing so.

If you wish to obtain beta updates once more sooner or later simply return to this display screen and choose those you need.

We cowl the entire course of in our how one can take away an iOS beta out of your iPhone information.

Why can’t I downgrade to an older model of iOS?

As we mentioned above, there’s a very small window in which you’ll be able to downgrade.

When software program is made out there by Apple the corporate features a signature that confirms its authenticity. That is for safety causes, so that you simply received’t by chance set up bogus software program that claims to be iOS after which end up in a world of ache as all of your knowledge is stolen. Whereas prior to now Apple would depart the signature legitimate on earlier variations of iOS for a short while, in recent times the signature has been eliminated inside days of, and typically nearly concurrently with, the discharge of the newer model.

This isn’t a brand new state of affairs. At an Apple shareholder assembly again in 2016, the corporate’s senior vp of software program engineering, Craig Federighi, was reported as saying that Apple did “not present a solution to downgrade largely as a result of every iOS replace improves the safety of your iPhone, iPad or iPod contact. To downgrade iOS implies that your system could be much less safe, and simpler for hackers to get into.”

If the model of iOS you want to reinstall doesn’t have this signature then you definately won’t be able to put in it in your iPhone or iPad.

The easiest way to get again to a earlier model of iOS

For those who merely should have a sure model of iOS, maybe as a result of an previous app is caught on that model and hasn’t been up to date since, then there’s a considerably drastic answer. Purchase an previous iPhone.

It sounds foolish, however it’s in all probability the best means to make sure that you could have the iOS model you want. We’d advocate scouring eBay or a few of the refurbished shops like Amazon Renewed (or Again Market, MusicMagpie, or Amazon Renewed within the U.Ok.) to see if somebody is promoting an older mannequin nonetheless working the iOS you need. For sure, it is best to particularly ask the client to verify this–don’t simply assume that the iPhone will nonetheless be working the model of iOS that was present when it launched.

However keep in mind, lastly, that there’s a motive why Apple desires individuals utilizing its newest software program. Not solely does this imply you get the most recent options and design, however it must also be the most secure one out there because it has the newest updates.