Is it possible to downgrade your iOS software?

The latest iPhone® operating system offers important security fixes and cool, updated features. But if you upgrade to the new iOS® then realize you prefer the previous version, you may wonder, can you go back to an older version of iOS? 

The answer is yes, but the downgrade process is complicated, with multiple steps, strict parameters, and potential pitfalls. We’ll walk you through them.

At Asurion, we protect the tech you love and show you how to make it work for you. Here’s everything you need to know about downgrading your iPhone’s operating system.

How to turn off iOS features you don’t like

Before you try to downgrade your iOS, here’s a question: Is there a particular feature you don’t want? If you recently upgraded to iOS 18 and don’t like the Apple Intelligence feature, which is an artificial intelligence (AI) system built into the latest versions of iOS®, iPadOS®, and macOS®, you can turn it off. 

Check out our guide for How to turn off Apple Intelligence. 

How to back up your iPhone data

Any time you make a change with your iPhone, we strongly recommend backing up your data so you won’t lose any important information like settings, photos, and contacts. Check out our guide for how to back up your phone.

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What you need to know about downgrading your iOS

If you want to revert to your old iOS, you can’t go back very far. Plus, there are a few risks we’d like to share. Here’s what you need to know: 

• You can't currently downgrade from iOS 18 because it's a beta.
• The third-party website you’d use to download an older iOS isn’t an official Apple® site and also includes questionable ads and links. 
• Apple does not recommend downgrading to a previous iOS and won’t provide support for any problems you may encounter. 
• While returning your device to a previous state during the downgrade, you risk losing data and will likely run into errors and glitches.

If you still want an earlier version after reading the warnings above, please reach out to an Asurion Expert for help.