The best 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 latest 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 immediately, and the bulk are certain 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’ve when eager to downgrade iOS in your iPhone.

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

The reply to this is determined by whether or not you need to obtain from a model new model of iOS to an outdated model of iOS, a beta to a non-beta model, or only a level replace inside a couple of days of it being issued.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 eventualities, you’ll be able to 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 explanation you’ll be able to’t downgrade is that Apple is now not ‘signing’ these variations of iOS, and as of late Apple stops signing outdated variations of iOS inside days of a brand new model being issued.

However in case you are fast sufficient you may be capable of downgrade from a brand new model of iOS to the earlier model, we’ll present you the way.

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

Within the instance under, we downgraded from iOS 18 to iOS 17.6.1, however the course of would be the similar 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’ll want to do is use out if Apple continues to be signing the model of iOS you want.

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

In case you are fortunate and the outdated model continues to be being signed it is possible for you to to downgrade.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 approach to reinstall an older model of iOS is to wipe the present one out of your system.

Notice that in the event you 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 right model of the iOS you need that matches your iPhone mannequin. As stated above, it must nonetheless be signed by Apple, which could be a very slim window certainly. The software program ought to begin downloading to your Downloads folder. (Notice, it may well take a very long time to obtain an iOS from the positioning).
2. In your Mac, open the Finder.
3. Plug in your iPhone.
4. You will want 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 change the slider to off. Enter your Apple ID password.
5. Maintain down the Possibility/Alt key and click on on Restore iPhone.
6. You need to 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 ought to be the one you’ve chosen. Click on to substantiate this and wait whereas your iPhone is restored.
9. The cellphone shall be wiped and the outdated model of iOS put in on the iPhone. Once we did this the Finder wrongly recognized the model, however it was the one we needed.
10. You then have to arrange your iPhone as a brand new system, so watch out for this in the event you don’t need to run the danger of shedding information.

Foundry

With a bit of foresight you’ll be able to put together your self in case you later remorse an iOS replace. One approach to get an outdated 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’ll be able to 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 best way to downgrade from an iOS beta

If you wish to downgrade from an iOS beta the method might be easy, or troublesome, relying on whether or not you simply need to begin utilizing the official model of iOS fairly 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 definitely simply want to show off Beta Updates so that you just don’t obtain them in your system.

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

It is usually 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 find out how to take away an iOS beta out of your iPhone information.

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

As we stated above, there’s a very small window in which you’ll downgrade.

When software program is made obtainable by Apple the corporate features a signature that confirms its authenticity. That is for safety causes, so that you just 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 information is stolen. Whereas previously Apple would go away the signature legitimate on earlier variations of iOS for a short while, lately the signature has been eliminated inside days of, and generally 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 approach to downgrade largely as a result of every iOS replace improves the safety of your iPhone, iPad or iPod contact. To downgrade iOS signifies that your system can 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 definitely will be unable to put in it in your iPhone or iPad.

One of the best ways 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 outdated app is caught on that model and hasn’t been up to date since, then there’s a considerably drastic resolution. Purchase an outdated iPhone.

It sounds foolish, however it’s most likely the simplest method to make sure that you’ve the iOS model you want. We’d suggest scouring eBay or among the refurbished retailers 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, you must particularly ask the client to substantiate 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 latest options and design, however it must also be the most secure one obtainable because it has the most recent updates.