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How to downgrade from the iOS 11 public beta to iOS 10.3.3 the easy way

Published Jun 27th, 2017 6:07PM EDT
How to Downgrade iOS 11 Public Beta
Image: Apple

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Ok, so you jumped on the iOS 11 public beta earlier this week to try some of the brand new features coming to iPhones and iPads this fall for yourself. But in the process, you’ve discovered that the beta has various bugs that you can’t live with. What do you do? The answer is simple: Downgrade to iOS 10.3.3.

Hopefully you backed up your data before installing iOS 11 (which you always should!), as you will need that backup to restore your iPhone or iPad once the downgrade is complete.

What you need to do first in order to downgrade the iPhone or iPad in question is download the iOS 10.3.3 install file on your computer. Each device has a different install file, so you’ll have to choose the one that corresponds to your iPhone or iPad. To do so, go to Apple’s beta program at this link.

After the download is complete, connect your iOS device to a computer running the latest version of iTunes. Put the phone into recovery mode by holding down the Power button and the Home button on any model other than the iPhone 7. The iPhone 7 has a different combination: Power and volume down.

Keep holding them until iTunes tells you the phone is in Recovery Mode. Choose the Restore option by holding down the Option key (on Mac) or Shift key (on Windows) when clicking it. Choose the installation file you downloaded before, and let iTunes do its thing.

Once that’s complete, you’ll have to configure your device and restore the most recent backup. If you need more help, check out 9to5Mac’s video that shows the entire procedure in action:

Now, if you didn’t save a backup before installing iOS 11 public beta, you can try going for a downgrade that keeps the data on your phone. The procedure is similar, but slightly different — check out this link.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.