Discontinued: Apple blocks downgrades from iOS 26 to iOS 18
It is Apple's custom that downgrades to older versions are no longer possible after a short time. Anyone who has updated to iOS 26 can no longer go back.
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Exactly one week after the release of iOS 26, Apple has switched off the option to downgrade from the latest version of the iPhone operating system to iOS 18.6.2. Anyone who tries to downgrade now will receive an error message. Those who are not happy with the new Liquid Glass design are now unable to return to the old design in iOS 18.
Stopping the signing of older versions is a common process when Apple releases updates. It is a security measure to prevent potentially buggy and insecure old versions from being reinstalled. When an installation is attempted, a comparison is made via Apple's servers to confirm the authenticity of the software based on its digital signature. Apple can also use this to counteract so-called jailbreaks, as gaps in older operating system versions are often used for this purpose.
iOS 18.7 only for certain older devices
However, returning to older iOS versions is anything but convenient, even if the option is available. Users must download the older version in the form of an IPSW file on a Mac or PC and then install it on the device via USB cable. During beta phases, the downgrade is a kind of last resort if massive problems occur with the beta. However, users can then only revert to a backup of the data that they made before updating to the beta.
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Together with iOS 18.6.2, the signatures of iPadOS 18.6.2 and tvOS 18.6 were also removed from circulation. Apple usually waits a week before taking this step.
iOS 18.7 will continue to be signed. However, this version is only available for certain older devices and is used to provide them with security updates. If you have a device that supports iOS 26, you will not find a suitable IPSW file with iOS 18.7 to downgrade.
(mki)
