How can I downgrade from iOS 26 to iOS 18.5?

Denisgocea wrote:

I downloaded iOS 26 and I want iOS 18.5 but I don't have a laptop

Then you should NOT have installed Beta software on your iPhone. Not only do you need a computer, but without one, it means you didn't create an Archive Backup before you unfortunately installed the Beta. You MUST use a computer and without a backup made before hand, you will lose all your data in the restore process.

You may as well live with your mistake until a stable version of iOS 26 is released in the fall.

Read this --> To Beta or Not to Beta - That is the Ques… - Apple Community

lobsterghost1 wrote:

If you had bothered to read past the first post, you'd have noticed that on every page of this thread is the answer, which is you CAN'T downgrade. Instead of wasting your time and the time of other users, please read a thread before posting the same question which has been answered beyond multiple times.

I don’t know; perhaps if you ask the same question 100 times or so the answer will be different on the 101st😏

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]

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.

Re: “Would like to go back to iOS 18 do you think you could fix it please”

If you installed the production version of iOS 26, you cannot go back, and in any case, you are talking to fellow users who have no ability even to upgrade the version of iOS on your phone.

Correct, restoring the phone does not revert it to an older version of the operating system.

Downgrading the operating system is not possible.

There are 26 pages of answers here that all tell you that what you want.....you cannot have.

How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

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

Make that iOS 18.6.2 today. The current version of the iOS is installed when you restore the phone.

19 pages of answers will tell you there is no downgrading the operating system. Perhaps next time try actually reading the responses instead of just posting a "me too" question.

azenett wrote:

How can I go back to iOS 18 from iOS 25

On just about every page, which you clearly didn't take the time to read is the same answer: You can't downgrade.

Sorry, downgrading is not supported.

gurpreet_gurii wrote:

Plea my backups 18.5?

Nope. You can't go back, regardless of when you backed up your iPhone.

Apple does not support downgrading.