Apple makes sure to update iOS every year, bestowing our iPhones with a host of new features and security improvements, as well as the occasional redesign. In September 2023, iOS 17 was unveiled. Most iPhone users will immediately switch to the new platform, and the majority will surely love the changes. But what if you want to go back to an older version of iOS? Here is our guide on how to downgrade an iPhone from iOS 17 to iOS 16…
Can I switch from one iOS version to another?
The answer depends on whether you want to download a brand new iOS version to an old iOS version, a beta version to a non-beta version, or just a point update within a few days of release. In these scenarios, you can downgrade, but there is a time limit.
For example, if you were hoping to downgrade from iOS 16 to iOS 15, that's no longer something you can do. Also, if you want to downgrade from iOS 16.6 to iOS 16.5 or from iOS 16.6.1 to iOS 16.6, this will not be possible either. The reason you can't downgrade is because Apple no longer 'signs' these iOS versions, and nowadays Apple stops signing older iOS versions within a few days of a new version being released.
But if you're fast enough, you can downgrade from a new iOS version to a previous version, we'll show you how.
How to downgrade iPhone from iOS 17 to iOS 16? (iOS 17 to iOS 16.6.1)
In this example, we will explain how we downgraded from iOS 17 to iOS 16, which is currently the final version of iOS 16.6.1 that Apple is still signing. We made this downgrade a few days after the release of iOS 17, while Apple was still signing iOS 16.6.1. In theory, the same process should work for any update, as long as Apple still signs the previous version. So, before starting this process, check if the old version is still signed (if more than a few days have passed since the new version was released, it is probably no longer possible to downgrade).
An alternative way to get the old iOS version is to grab a copy before the new one arrives. If you install the iOS version using Finder on your Mac (iTunes on PC), you can find that version. In the Finder, click Go > Library > iTunes > iPhone Software Update (yes, it's still in an iTunes finder on the Mac!)
If you are lucky and the old version is still signed, you can still choose to stay with the new version because this process will wipe your iPhone. The only way to reinstall an older iOS version is to delete the current version from your device. This also means that if you restore from a backup made after the update, you will be restoring the newer iOS version to the device.
- Go to IPSW.me and download the correct version of iOS you want for your iPhone model. It still needs to be signed by Apple, which is a really narrow window these days. The software should start downloading to your Downloads folder. (Note: It took us so long to download iOS 16.6.1 from this site because we assume many other people have also downloaded it).
- Open Finder on your Mac.
- Plug in your iPhone.
- You'll need to turn off Find My on your device. Go to Settings and click on your credentials. Tap Find > Find My iPhone and turn off the slider. Enter your Apple ID password.
- Hold down the Option/Alt key and click Restore iPhone.
- You should be able to select the iOS version you want to install on the iPhone from your Downloads folder.
- Click Open.
- A message will appear telling you which iOS version to install – this should be the version you selected. Click to confirm this and wait while your iPhone is restored.
- The phone will be wiped and the old iOS version will be installed on the iPhone. When we did this, Finder mistakenly identified the version, but that was the version we wanted.
- Next, you need to set up your iPhone as a new device, so pay attention to this if you don't want to risk losing data.
Downgrading from an iOS beta
If you are part of the Apple Beta Software Program, it is also possible to revert to the version of iOS that was before the beta version installed on your iPhone. But as above, you can erase your iPhone or iPad while doing this.
Another option once the full version is released is to exit the Beta program so that you no longer receive beta updates on your iPhone. You will then be able to install the full iOS version.
To stop receiving beta updates, follow these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
- Tap Beta Updates.
- Tap Off.
If you want to receive beta updates again in the future, return to this screen and select the ones you want. We have come to the end of our guide on how to downgrade iPhone from iOS 17 to iOS 16.
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