Apple Has Made It Impossible to Downgrade From iOS 26

iOS 26 is one of Apple's biggest operating system updates in years. The new "Liquid Glass" design, while controversial, offers the first major UI overhaul since iOS 7, while new features like call screening and hold assist might change the way your make and receive phone calls.

If you have an iPhone, you may be tempted to install the new update—and, seeing as it has been out for a week and a half now, you might have updated already. If you haven't installed iOS 26, yet, however, think twice before you do, because you're going to be stuck with it: Apple has made it impossible to downgrade and return to iOS 18.

You can't go back to iOS 18

As reported by MacRumors, Apple stopped "signing" iOS 18.6.2 on Monday. When Apple signs a particular piece of software, it means you can download that software to your compatible device. Apple stops signing software shortly after it releases a new version. It's a system meant to block users from installing old software versions on their Apple devices, intended to protect those users from insecurities in operating systems that haven't been patched.

As such, now that iOS 18.6.2 is no longer being signed, there is no way to downgrade to that software version from iOS 26 if you change your mind. Though the process was tedious, previously, you could downgrade from iOS 26 by putting your iPhone in recovery mode, erasing it completely, and installing a new version of 18.6.2. Now that Apple has stopped signing 18.6.2, however, there's no way to install it, so a factory reset will only leave you with an iPhone running iOS 26, and none of your data.

You might be wondering why you can't downgrade to iOS 18.7, since that's a newer version of iOS 18 than 18.6.2. As users on the MacRumors forum point out, you need an IPSW file in order to downgrade your iPhone, but Apple hasn't provided an IPSW file with iOS 18.7, as that update is only available over the air for uses already running iOS 18. That is to say: Unless your iPhone is already running 18.6.2, you can't install iOS 18.7.

If you haven't updated your iPhone yet, you have two options. First, there's nothing forcing you to install iOS 26 on your device. You can keep running iOS 18.6.2 or iOS 18.7 as long as you want, and take advantage of any future security updates Apple provides to keep your iPhone protected. Alternately, you can go ahead and install iOS 26, with the understanding that you won't have the option to undo it—though you will be able to undo many of the UI changes, at least. And if your main concern is performance and battery life, it might be smart to wait for iOS 26.1, which is currently in beta testing.

View the full article