Alex Ruben
How To Downgrade iPhone iOS 26 Beta to iOS 18.5 Safely in 2025
Right, so if you’re stuck on the iOS 26 Beta and it’s being buggy or just not what you expected, downgrading back to the more stable iOS 18.5 is the move. It’s not exactly a walk in the park — Apple doesn’t make this super obvious, and sometimes you run into snags like errors or the device refusing to cooperate. But done right, it’s pretty straightforward. Plus, you get a more predictable experience without beta quirks, glitches, or battery drain quirks. Just remember: this process wipes everything, so backups are critical unless you enjoy restoring from scratch.
How to Downgrade iPhone from iOS 26 Beta to iOS 18.5
Preparation is key — make sure you’re ready before deleting everything
- Your iPhone should be charged to at least 50%, because of course, Apple wants you to fight with a dead device.
- Download the latest version of iTunes on Windows or Mac — found at Apple’s iTunes download page. On Mac, you might actually just use Finder if you’re on macOS Catalina or later.
- Get a solid internet connection — this isn’t the time for flaky Wi-Fi or slow downloads.
- Back up your data, seriously. Downgrading wipes everything. You could use iCloud or do a local backup via iTunes.
Disable Screen Time Restrictions — because those can block your restores
This helps avoid any weird privacy face-palms later on. Some beta versions activate restrictions that mess with recovery mode or restore functions.
- Open Settings, tap on Screen Time.
- Scroll down to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Toggle the switch off — it’s usually at the bottom.
Not sure why it helps, but blocking restrictions sometimes stops iTunes from doing its thing. On some setups, this failed the first time, then worked after a quick reboot. Weird, but true.
Turn off Automatic and Beta Updates too — don’t want the device trying to dash back to beta
- Back to Settings, then tap General.
- Select Software Update.
- Disable Automatic Updates.
- Now, tap on Beta Updates and pick Off.
This prevents your iPhone from trying to install newer beta versions immediately after the downgrade. It’s like telling it to stay on the old, stable track.
Erase everything — this is the nuclear option, but necessary to go back to iOS 18.5
- Head to Settings, then General.
- Choose Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap on Erase All Content and Settings. This will wipe your device clean, so make sure backups are done.
- Confirm with Erase iPhone. If prompted, enter your Apple ID password to disable Activation Lock.
- Wait for the device to reset itself — it’ll restart with a blank slate.
Be prepared for this to take a few minutes. It feels nerve-wracking, but it’s normal.
Download the right iOS 18.5 firmware — aiming for the correct build for your device
- Now, head over to the IPSW website. Find your iPhone model — they have a dropdown to help; just pick your exact device model (like iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 12, etc.).
- Download the iOS 18.5 firmware file (the IPSW file). Make sure it’s signed and matches your device; otherwise, it won’t restore properly. You can check signing status at IPSW.me — Apple tends to stop signing older firmware pretty quickly, so this isn’t foolproof if the window’s closed.
Now, restore the firmware using iTunes or Finder — this is the key step
- Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB, then open iTunes (on Windows or older macOS) or use Finder (on newer Macs with macOS Catalina and up).
- Select your device in iTunes/Finder. Usually, it shows up on the sidebar or as a small icon.
- Hold down Shift (Windows) or Option (Mac), then click on Restore iPhone. If you don’t hold shift/option, it will just try to update or restore using the latest firmware, which isn’t what you want.
- When the file selection window pops up, navigate to where you downloaded the IPSW file and select it.
- Let iTunes/Finder do its magic. You may see some progress bars and alerts — just be patient. The device might reboot a couple of times, especially if you’re going back to an older iOS.
Sometimes it’ll show errors, like 4013 or 9. Don’t panic. Usually, trying a different USB port or cable can fix this. Also, ensure your firmware is valid and signed.
Extra Tips & Common Cozy Woes
- Update iTunes. Older versions can screw up the restore process.
- If errors pop up, try a different USB port or unplug other peripherals. Sometimes Windows or macOS just doesn’t want to cooperate.
- Make sure your device stays connected, doesn’t go to sleep, or get disconnected midway. That could cause more errors, and then it’s back to square one.
Wrap-up — what you’ve achieved
Once this is all done, your iPhone should boot into iOS 18.5, pretty much as new — minus any beta bugs. It’s a good way to regain stability or solve performance issues. Remember, Apple signs only specific versions, so you gotta act quickly if you want to downgrade, or you might be stuck on whatever firmware you last installed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I downgrade to any older iOS version?
Not really — only the versions Apple is still signing. Once they stop, you’re out of luck unless you have saved SHSH blobs or are jailbroken.
Will this wipe my data?
Yup — downgrading erases everything, so backups are your best friend. Restoring from backup afterward depends if your backup was made before or after the downgrade.
What if I hit errors during the restore?
Try restarting iTunes or your Mac/PC, changing the USB port, or re-downloading the IPSW file. Sometimes the files get corrupted, or the connection hiccups. The key is patience and multiple attempts — it’s kind of a pain, but it works.
Summary
- Make sure to back up everything — losses are guaranteed otherwise.
- Disable restrictions and automatic updates to keep things smooth.
- Download the correct IPSW file for your model from IPSW.me.
- Use shift/option + restore in iTunes/Finder and select your firmware.
- Expect some patience and maybe a couple of retries if errors pop up.
Wrap-up
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Downgrading isn’t exactly fun, but it can save a lot of headaches if beta OSes aren’t playing nice. Just keep your backups handy, and everything should be OK. Good luck, and fingers crossed this helps!