You can no longer downgrade from iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 to iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 on your iPhone and iPad.
Apple is No Longer Signing iOS 17.6.1, Downgrade from iOS 18 No Longer Possible, But iOS 17.7 is Still an Option
It was only a matter of time Apple would stop signing iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1. Today, Apple has done exactly that. But, what does it mean and should you be concerned?
When Apple stops signing a firmware, it means you can no longer downgrade to it if you have newer software installed. In this case, if you have iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 installed, you can’t downgrade to iOS 17.6.1 or iPadOS 17.6.1 anymore.
However, that is not an issue at all, since Apple is still signing iOS 17.7 and iPadOS 17.7. If you want to downgrade from iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, you can still do that, just not to iOS 17.6.1 or iPadOS 17.6.1. I have done a detailed tutorial on it here.
Apple plans to keep iOS 17.7 and iPadOS 17.7 in place for a considerable time, and will even deliver security updates from time to time. But, there will come a time when Apple will force you to upgrade to iOS 18 or iPadOS 18.
If you are already enjoying your time on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, and don’t wish to downgrade back at all, then there’s nothing to worry about. Apple stops signing firmware from time to time and has been doing so since the release of the original iPhone.
Given the amount of features iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 bring to the table, I will be surprised if you decide to stick with iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 for no solid reason. You get a ton of great changes including the ability to customize Control Center, change the color of app icons, Apple Intelligence in future updates and so on.
Do keep in mind iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will improve with time. Early days can be buggy in certain areas, but after several key updates, things start to smooth out and it’s supersonic flying after that.
If you are staying on iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 due to those early bugs, I fully support that decision. There have been bugs found, such as the recent touch-screen one on the iPhone. But, some M4 iPad Pro users definitely got the worst of it.
