Apple Has Made It Impossible to Downgrade IOS 26.
iOS 26 is one of the biggest updates to Apple’s operating system in years. The new ” Liquid Glass ” design, while controversial, offers the first major user interface update since iOS 7, and new features like call screening and hold assist could radically change the way you make and receive calls.
If you have an iPhone, you might be tempted to install the new update, and given that it was released a week and a half ago, you might already have. However, if you haven’t installed iOS 26 yet, think twice before doing so, as you’ll be stuck with it forever: Apple has made it impossible to downgrade and revert to iOS 18.
You won’t be able to go back to iOS 18.
As MacRumors reports , Apple stopped signing iOS 18.6.2 on Monday. Apple signing certain software means you can download it to a compatible device. Apple stops signing software shortly after a new version is released. This system is designed to prevent older versions of software from being installed on Apple devices and protect users from vulnerabilities in operating systems that haven’t yet been patched.
So, now that iOS 18.6.2 is no longer signed, there’s no way to revert to this software version from iOS 26 if you change your mind. While this process was tedious, it was previously possible to revert to the previous version from iOS 26 by putting your iPhone into recovery mode, completely erasing its data, and installing the new 18.6.2. However, now that Apple has stopped signing 18.6.2, it’s impossible to install it, so a factory reset will leave you with just an iPhone running iOS 26 without any data.
You might be wondering why you can’t downgrade to iOS 18.7, which is a newer version of iOS 18 than 18.6.2. As noted by users on the MacRumors forum , downgrading an iPhone requires an IPSW file, but Apple hasn’t provided an IPSW file with iOS 18.7 because the update is only available over-the-air for users already on iOS 18. In other words, if your iPhone isn’t running 18.6.2, you won’t be able to install iOS 18.7.
If you haven’t updated your iPhone yet, you have two options. First, you’re not forced to install iOS 26. You can use iOS 18.6.2 or iOS 18.7 for as long as you want and benefit from future security updates Apple will provide to protect your iPhone. Alternatively, you can install iOS 26, understanding that you won’t be able to cancel the update , though you’ll at least be able to undo many of the user interface changes . If performance and battery life are your primary concerns, it might be worth waiting for iOS 26.1, which is currently in beta.