How can I downgrade from iOS 26 to iOS 18.5?

Dessalh wrote:

this resolution is not viable if the person who posted the question doesnt have a computer with a backup made using iTunes prior to beta install <3

if a person restores their phone basically erasing it and setting it back up using icloud backup they’re still going to have the beta even if they turn off beta before erasing the phone.

You didn't quote the response to the person your responded to. I wouldn't know who has or doesn't have a computer without context. Perhaps use the quote button the next time you respond to someone, which will include their post and then your response below just as I have done with my reply to you. But to confirm, you are correct that a computer is required and if they don't have one, they cannot revert back to the public release of iOS.

Dessalh wrote:

this offer is not available to the person who posted the question they don’t have a computer. <3

if a person restores their phone basically erasing it and setting it back up they’re still going to have the beta even if they turn off beta before erasing the phone.

Then they will have to ride through the beta, or borrow access to a Mac or PC to revert.

Highlights added:

I appreciate the article; it’s very insightful. I can see where much of the information came from our consumer documents. it’s refreshing when people properly use them.

unfortunately, consumers don’t take it seriously when they install beta <3 Your article is on point, “leap before you look.”

I find it incredibly irritating when people use the beta and don’t provide feedback. I feel consumers don't understand how important that feedback really is. And when we do receive questions about how to reinstall non-beta iOS, it reveals they did not read anything!

Answering calls all day from people who don’t like the new iOS and want to ‘go back’ to the ‘older’ version can become very draining.

Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t allow downgrading to older iOS versions once they’ve stopped signing them. That means you can’t directly downgrade from iOS 26 to iOS 18.5 unless Apple is still signing iOS 18.5 (which is highly unlikely).

What you can do:

Check signing status – go to ipsw.me

and see if iOS 18.5 is still being signed for your device.

Download IPSW file – if it’s signed, download the iOS 18.5 IPSW file for your device.

Restore via Finder/iTunes – connect your iPhone to your computer, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), hold Shift (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click “Restore iPhone,” then select the downloaded IPSW file.

If it’s unsigned – you won’t be able to downgrade through official means. The only alternatives are advanced methods like jailbreaks or SHSH blob saving, but those are complex and limited.

So in short: unless Apple is signing iOS 18.5 for your device, downgrading isn’t possible.

[Edited by Moderator]

Brooklynnhill wrote:

I need to get iOS 18 back from iOS 26 without using a computer

NOPE. Not Possible. And if you didn't make an archive backup of your iPhone on a computer before you installed iOS 26 Beta, you're going to lose the data on your phone. At this point, the official release of iOS 26 is coming soon. You should just stick it out at this time.

meetrajsinh18 wrote:

I can convert ios 26 to ios 18.6

If you are currently enrolled in the beta programme and wish to return to using the current production version, this support page provides the necessary information to remove the beta from your iPhone:

How to uninstall iOS beta software - Apple Support

Be aware that restoring an earlier version of iOS will completely reset and erase your iPhone. Assuming that you have a pre-existing iCloud or iTunes backup of your iPhone that has not been updated since installing the iOS 26 beta, your locally stored data and files can be restored after returning your iPhone to iOS 18.6.x; if you don't have a pre-existing backup, all locally stored data will be irretrievably lost:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

An iCloud or iTunes backup can only be restored to a device running the same or later version of iOS than created (or last updated) the backup. As such a backup created or updated by iOS 26 cannot be restored to a device running iOS 18.x.

Brooklynnhill wrote:

I need to get iOS 18 back from iOS 26 without using a computer

Then you "need" something that you can't have. Is there an Apple Store nearby that might be able to help you reset your iPhone?

I'm guessing that if you are unaware of the need to use a computer to downgrade from the iOS 26 beta back to iOS 18, that you also didn't bother to make an archived backup of your data before you installed the beta. That means that you are going to lose all of your data, with the possible exception of data synchronized to iCloud.

aadil79 wrote:

Mara I phone 13 pro ma galti se ios26 update hogaya ha please 18 ios vapas lana please

There is no downgrade.

Resetting to revert to iOS 18.6.2 means no local data is preserved.

Resetting and restoring means some local data — that which has changed since the beta was installed — is lost.

If there are no backups created immediately prior to the installation of the beta, all local data is lost.

iCloud data is probably still available, and apps can be re-downloaded, independent of the reset.

Here is: How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

But I’d likely stay with the iOS 26 beta through its upcoming release, as that probably avoids data loss.

Apple is having an announcement on September 9th.

lacreshia25 wrote:

How to go back to iOS 18 5

There is no downgrade.

Resetting to revert to iOS 18.6.2 means no local data is preserved.

Resetting and restoring means some local data — that which has changed since the beta was installed — is lost.

If there are no backups created immediately prior to the installation of the beta, all local data is lost.

iCloud data is probably still available, and apps can be re-downloaded, independent of the reset.

Here is: How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

But I’d likely stay with the iOS 26 beta through its upcoming release, as that probably avoids data loss.

Apple is having an announcement on September 9th.

lacreshia25 wrote:

How to go back to iOS 18 5

At this point you are better off waiting for the release version, although you can certainly read the information that has been provided here many times. I am sure you could not have missed it, but if you tried you can follow up what did not work for you.

There is no way to go back to iOS 18.5, the latest version that can be restored to is iOS 18.6.2.

Gabrielwalker23 wrote:

I want to downgrade from iOS 26 to iOS 18.5

There is no downgrade to iOS 18.6.2.

Resetting to revert to iOS 18.6.2 means no local data is preserved.

Resetting and restoring means some local data — that which has changed since the beta was installed — is lost.

If there are no backups created immediately prior to the installation of the beta, all local data is lost.

iCloud data is probably still available, and apps can be re-downloaded, independent of the reset.

Here is: How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

Or you can stay with the iOS 26 beta through its upcoming iOS 26 release, as that probably avoids data loss.

Apple is having an announcement on September 9th.

khethokuhle128 wrote:

I didn’t want to set this ios 26

That’s not a question.

If you installed the beta, you can reset and revert, or can continue until iOS 26 is released.

Continuing is the only way to avoid local data loss.

Reset and revert is described repeatedly in this thread, and here again are the details:

There is no downgrade to iOS 18.6.2.

Resetting to revert to iOS 18.6.2 means no local data is preserved.

Resetting and restoring means some local data — that which has changed since the beta was installed — is lost.

If there are no backups created immediately prior to the installation of the beta, all local data is lost.

iCloud data is probably still available, and apps can be re-downloaded, independent of the reset.

Here is: How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

Or you can stay with the iOS 26 beta through its upcoming iOS 26 release, as that probably avoids data loss.

Apple is having an announcement on September 9th.

khethokuhle128 wrote:

I didn’t want to set this ios 26

If you didn't want it, WHY did you download it? At this point, you'd be better off waiting until the official release which is likely coming soon.

i did this recently and had to go to the Apple Store and have my device restored that’s pretty much the only way or you can wait for the next update 18.6.2 and it’ll be gone and also make sure you turn off the beta updates

zuleida96 wrote:

Go back iOS 18.5

That's what this entire thread is about and on every page is how you can do that. Read the thread you just posted to as opposed to expecting people wo provide an answer, which has been posted over and over and over.

That said, if you didn't make an archive backup on your computer before you installed Beta software on your iPhone, going back means you will lose all your local data, which isn't synced with iCloud. You'd be better off waiting until iOS 26 is officially released, which will likely be coming in the next couple weeks. Or be prepared to lose your data. Your choice, of course.