How to roll back an iPhone to a previous version of iOS. How to return the old version of iOS

For iPhone and iPad, which explains step by step what to do and how to do it. Today we have prepared instructions in a different format; they tell you what not to do. I'll tell you about an unsuccessful attempt to downgrade the iOS firmware. Beginner users of iPhones and iPads sometimes encounter a similar situation when they try to roll back the firmware version, i.e. replace higher generation iOS with outdated firmware with a lower version. It is not recommended to repeat the steps described in this article. By looking at today's case, you will learn what can sometimes happen to your tablet or phone if you try to downgrade the iOS version. This material also has another goal, which you will learn about after reading to the end.

Before we begin any actions with the firmware in the iPhone or iPad, we need to find out the firmware version currently installed on the device, for this we read “”. Before the experiment, we determined that our iPhone was running firmware 7.1.2. And now we will try to return iOS 6.1.3 firmware to the iPhone through a forced recovery. To do this, we download firmware 6. Where and how we download the firmware is described -.

After we have downloaded the iOS 6.1.3 IPSW firmware to our computer, we will need . We launch iTunes, connect our experimental iPhone to the computer using a native USB cable.

In iTunes you need to select iPhone. Then, in the “Overview” section, hold down the Shift key and click the “Restore iPhone” button.

In the window that opens, select our downloaded iOS 6.1.3 firmware and click the Open button. At first, iTunes even promises that it will erase and restore the iPhone to iOS 6.1.3 and check the restoration with Apple, here we click the Restore button.

iTunes begins to extract the software and prepares to restore the iPhone, this entire process is displayed in the program's status window. But then suddenly iTunes displays error 3194 with the following text:

Failed to restore iPhone "iPhone". An unknown error occurred (3194).

At the same time, the iTunes logo and a Lightning USB cable appear on the iPhone screen. Any attempts to reboot the phone lead us back to the cord and cable. Here's a sad story about how to roll back an iPhone back to iOS 6, unfortunately it didn't work out. After some time, iTunes detected the iPhone in recovery mode, but it turned out to be a controlled mode from which you can still exit.

In fact, when we carried out the steps to downgrade the iPhone firmware, we already knew what consequences this would lead to. But now you know what will happen if you force your iPhone or iPad to “swallow” the firmware version below the current one.

In addition to preventative and educational purposes, we needed an iPhone driven into a recovery loop, which is what we ended up with. This means that now you will learn how to get an iPhone or iPad out of Recovery Loop not only with, but also using the program. If, at your own peril and risk, you decide to enter the iPhone into and out of the Recovery Loop, then do this first.

Many users do not know how to return the old version of iOS. To do this, just follow our instructions.

1. Installation process of the old version

Before describing the installation process, it is worth saying that you must have a source file in .ipsw format. No other format will work in this case.

You can download such a file on many sites, for example, appstudio.org. To use it, you just need to follow the link, select your device, model and firmware. After this, the download of the installation file in .ipsw format will begin immediately.

Now let's start the installation.

To do this, perform the following series of actions:

Connect your Apple device to your computer using a USB cable. iTunes must be installed on your PC/laptop. If this is not the case, download it from the official website and install it.
Launch iTunes. At the top left, click on the icon for your device type to display the sections. Go to the “Overview” section and click on the “Update” button. Be sure to press and hold the “Shift” button if you have Windows and the “Option” button if you have a Mac.

A standard dialog box will appear in which you will need to indicate where the same installation file of the .ipsw format is located, which you previously downloaded from appstudio.org or any other website.

After this, the installation will begin, you will only have to follow the instructions of the conductor, if any. In most cases, everything happens very quickly, without any problems.

Advice! Before starting the update, make a backup copy just in case. If something goes wrong, you can always return everything as it was. To do this, in the same section of the iTunes program there are buttons “Create a copy now” and “Restore from a copy.”

It happens that the above procedure is interrupted at some stage or other problems occur that make installation impossible. Perhaps this is due to device glitches (Apple has a lot of them, believe me) or because it was jailbroken. In any case, you should try to install the old version of the OS using the redsn0w program.

2. Use the redsn0w program

Remember that this program will actually jailbreak your device, and after that it will no longer be subject to warranty repair.

If you have problems using your iPhone or iPad, it is better to contact support. How to do this is described in detail.

And if you are willing to take such a risk, do this:

Download the program on its official website. Launch redsn0w on your computer. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer using a cable. Select "Extras" and then "Even more".
In the window that appears, click “Restore” and then “IPSW”.

Indicate in the dialog box where the installation file (.ipsw format) is located. A window with a question may appear, click “Yes” on it. This is a request to perform an OS rollback on the connected device.
Enable DFU mode on the connected device. Read how to do this. In short, you need to hold down the power button until iTunes asks you to restore the device.
Next you will need to specify the path to the SHSH certificates. Without going into details, let's say that we are talking about special digital signatures of Apple firmware. You can get them using the iFaith program. After downloading and launching it, click “OK” in the welcome window and the “Show Available SHSH Caches on Server” button next. In the next window on the right, select your device model and click “Show Available Blobs”. Then click "Fetch the latest SHSH blobs Apple is actively signing". In the next window, check the box next to the type of firmware you downloaded and the “Download selected blob(s)” button. In redsn0w, simply provide the path to these files.

At the end you will see a message stating that the restoration was successful (“restore successful”).

If you upgraded to iOS 10 but then changed your mind, there is an option to roll back to iOS 9.3.2. There are two main ways to do this. One of them requires a backup copy, and the second, fortunately, does not. Apple signs iOS 9.3.2 for now and no other previous versions. Therefore, iOS 9.3.2 is the oldest version that you can restore to your device.

Method 1: No backup

You will lose all your text messages, but all other settings and applications will remain after the rollback.

Download the appropriate IPSW file for your iPhone or iPad.
Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. If not, download and install it.
Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer and then click on the device icon that appears.
In the Summary section, click the Check for Updates button while holding down the Shift key (Windows) or Option key (Mac).
Now find and select the IPSW file you downloaded earlier.
Your device will be updated to iOS 9.3.2.

Next time you're tempted to download the beta, either make a full backup first or resist the urge.

Method 2: Using a previously made backup

Apple doesn't approve of downgrading to previous versions of iOS, and for good reason. However, such a possibility exists. Currently, Apple's servers are still signing iOS 9.3.2. You cannot roll back beyond this version. Therefore, the problem may occur if your backup was made for an earlier iOS firmware. So, let's be clear: to roll back, you can only use the backup that was created when your device was running iOS 9.3.2.

The key is that you should always have a full, up-to-date backup. The best way to create a password-protected copy is through iTunes. You can also do this through iCloud to get another opportunity to restore your contacts, images and other things.

Step 1: Prepare IPSW

To reinstall iOS 9.3.2, you will need the appropriate ipsw file for your iPhone or iPad model. Outdated versions will not work because... they are not “signed”, i.e. not approved by Apple servers.

For Mac users who have the ipsw file stored on their hard drive, you need to go to the following path: youruserfolder/Library/iTunes/, and then find it in the iPhone Software Updates or iPad Software Updates folder.

If you don't have the latest version of the file, whether you're a PC or Mac user, you can easily find it by searching for "ipsw download". Next, you need to select and download the file corresponding to your device. A search will bring up a variety of sites, including https://ipsw.me/, which will tell you which versions are currently up to date.

Step 2. Rollback procedure

Keep in mind that if you are reading this article after the final version of iOS 10 has officially released, you have very little time to rollback. Based on the experience of recent years, you only have a week after the original release date (not after the date you upgraded), after which downgrade will be impossible, except for jailbroken smartphones.

So let's get started. Disable the Find My iPhone/iPad feature on your device if it was enabled. You'll find it by going to Settings > iCloud. Then connect your iPhone or iPad to your PC or Mac. Launch iTunes. Click on the device icon in the iTunes interface and select Summary. Now, hold down the Alt/Option key on a Mac or Shift on a PC and click on the Restore iPhone button. Next, find and open the IPSW file, after which the computer will reinstall iOS 9.3.2 on your iPad or iPhone. Or should...

Go to Recovery mode

If iTunes reports that your device is already running the latest version of iOS, you may need to use Recovery mode. Turn off the device's power completely, connect one end of the sync cable to your computer, and then hold down the Home button on your iPhone/iPad while connecting the other end of the cable to it. When the Connect to iTunes screen appears, release the Home button.

iTunes will tell you that your device is now in Recovery mode. Next, hold down the Option key (Shift for PCs), click on Restore, find the iOS 9.3.2.ipsw file and install it on your device.

Restoring from a backup

If the above procedure is successful, you will get an almost clean iPhone with nothing on it. Now it's time to apply the backup you created earlier. In iTunes, click the Restore iPhone button and select the appropriate backup. The process may take about an hour, but your smartphone will return exactly to the state it was in when the copy was created.

If you don't have any copies, you'll have to sync your music, videos, and other content from iTunes or iCloud. You can then go to the App Store with your Apple ID and download everything you've previously purchased.

Apple technology is subject to fewer changes than devices running Android. On iOS, you cannot work with files downloaded from the network, greatly change the interface, or install software from third-party sources bypassing the App Store.

It’s even more difficult to configure the operating system - the developers do not allow you to roll back iOS at any time (for example, to the legendary firmware version 10.3.3). And yet the rollback function is available, albeit in a greatly reduced version and with a lot of nuances. Which ones? Find out more below!

Is it possible to rollback iOS?

The procedure for rolling back the iOS operating system is possible on any Apple device - Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. Of course, you shouldn’t count on returning to iOS 7, 8 or 9 on smartphones - the rollback works under the conditions that are pre-set by the developers. So, for example, if it becomes possible to test a beta version of iOS, then the opportunity to rollback will certainly appear, but until the first stable version following the beta.

Possible problems

The range of possible technical errors is vast. There may be problems with activating the device after an incorrect (the instructions described in the next chapter exclude such problems) rollback, difficulties associated with using biometric scanners, launching the camera and saving photos, playing music and even activating the mobile network. There are situations that are much worse, when, due to the wrong algorithm of actions, neither smartphones, nor tablets, nor smart watches would turn on again without contacting the service center.

The only way to avoid encountering such irreparable errors is to not deviate from the instructions, use firmware files from trusted sources, do not improvise, and in no case interfere with devices connected to the PC via USB (if the wire comes loose, the recovery process will be disrupted, and serious consequences will follow).

Working methods

It is always worth starting the process of returning to the old version of the iOS operating system from the website, a kind of database where independent developers have created a real cult of admirers of Apple technology. Firstly, we have put together a whole collection of instructions and answers to frequently asked questions. So, for example, anyone can find out whether it is possible to install JailBreak on iOS 11.4, whether it is worth downloading 12 Beta, how to disable all service notifications and change the wallpaper.

And secondly, we took care of saving the ten latest official updates to the iOS operating system, and marked those versions that can actually be rolled back to with special green checkmarks. And here it is important to understand that the set of versions available for rollback is strictly limited and depends on Apple’s actions.

For example, if iOS Beta 12 appears specifically for developers, then they will be allowed to roll back to 11. If beta 13 appears, then to stable 12 and so on. Of course, there is no way to install iOS 8, 9, 10 via IPSW.ME (or even third-party methods). Therefore, if you want to roll back from beta to something stable, there is a way:

Preparing the device

Before restoring, it is important to disable the “Find iPhone” mode on any device suitable for the rollback:

And one more thing - without the Find iPhone (iPad, iPod, etc.) function, any Apple equipment is at serious risk, and therefore you should not delay the recovery mode, it is better to get down to business right away. And, after returning to the desired version of iOS, immediately activate the function back.

Recovery Mode

If there are no problems with the save firmware, backup and settings, then it’s time to get to the point:

Rolling back iOS is possible - the main thing is to carefully understand the instructions described above and, most importantly, not to use firmware downloaded from unverified sources.

On September 19, Apple released the final version of iOS 11. Millions of iPhone, iPod and iPad users immediately began updating over the air, and today everyone decided whether it was worth staying on the new version of the system or whether it was better to wait for the time being on the more stable iOS 10.

At the time of publication of this instruction, Apple continues to sign the iOS version 10.3.3, so the rollback procedure is still possible. If you decide to return to the top ten, try not to hesitate - then it may be too late.

What needs to be done before downgrading from iOS 11 to iOS 10?

The process of preparing an iOS device is quite simple and allows you to restore all data immediately after installing iOS 10, but with one condition - you must have a backup copy in iTunes or iCloud created under iOS 10.

If you downgrade the firmware, you cannot restore data from a backup copy from a newer version of iOS.

Head to the menu Settings -> Touch ID & Password and turn off the corresponding slider. Rollback is possible only when protection is disabled.

How to downgrade from iOS 11 to iOS 10. Step-by-step instructions

1. Hold down the Power key and turn off your iOS device. For iPhone 7: Hold the Volume Down button while holding down the Home button.

2. Hold down the Home key and connect your smartphone using a USB cable to a computer or Mac with iTunes installed. Hold down the Home key until you see the iTunes icon.

3. The iTunes app should recognize your device and offer three options: Cancel, Update, or Restore. Select “Cancel”.

4. Download the firmware image specific to your device.