With iOS 17.1 now available, Apple stopped signing iOS 17.0.3. With that, you can no longer downgrade to older iOS 17 build versions – but if you are experiencing any bug or unreliability, an iOS 16 version is still available — iOS 16.7.2 — for devices that are compatible with iOS 16.
With iOS 17.1, released last month, Apple brought a few delayed features from the original iOS 17 release, such as AirDrop with Cellular Data, NameDrop for Apple Watch, and several Apple Music tweaks, including the ability to favorite songs, artists, and albums. This update also fixed some issues with Screen Time, keyboard responsiveness, and even a burn-in-like software bug.
iOS 17.0.3, for example, focused on improving iPhone 15 performance, as Apple had confirmed these phones were overheating. In addition, the company said at that time that Instagram, Uber, and Asphalt 9 were a few apps that also caused the new iPhones to overheat.
One of the reasons why Apple stops signing older versions of iOS, such as iOS 17.0.3, is to prevent people from jailbreaking their iPhones and iPads. Although there’s no sign of any jailbreak tools for iOS 17 being developed for the new iPhones, it’s also a way to push users to stay up-to-date with Apple’s operating systems. That said, you can still downgrade to iOS 16 if you want.
Here’s how to downgrade from iOS 17.0.3 to iOS 16
Since Apple is not offering iOS 17 to several iPhone models, such as the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, the company is still releasing minor software updates to these older smartphones. Currently, iPhones that can run iOS 16 can support up to version 16.7.2, which you can use to downgrade from a device running iOS 16.
To do that, you must use a Mac or PC. It’s important to note that this isn’t the first time Apple has offered an older version for users to downgrade. Last year, when the company released iOS 16, users could stay a little longer in iOS 15 by getting bug fixes and security patches.
It’s important to note that if you’re experiencing any unreliability or issue, you can always try the public or developer beta as well. Apple is currently testing iOS 17.2.
