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Apple stops signing iOS 26.1, here’s what that means

Avatar for Marcus Mendes  | Dec 19 2025 - 12:45 pm PT
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If you’re running iOS 26.2 and had been thinking about downgrading, you missed your chance. Here are the details.

Downgrading to iOS 26.1 now impossible

As spotted by MacRumors, Apple no longer signs iOS 26.1, which means that it is now impossible to downgrade from iOS 26.2.

Apple usually stops signing older iOS versions once newer releases are deemed stable enough, and especially when they address serious security flaws present in earlier builds.

Recently, iOS 26.2 fixed two critical zero-day exploits. With these vulnerabilities now public knowledge, attackers may increasingly target users still running the older version.

By preventing downgrades, Apple is effectively preventing users from going back to an increasingly more vulnerable system version.

To learn more about what else is new on iOS 26.2, follow this link.

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iOS 26.2

iOS 26.2
iOS 26.1

iOS 26.1

Author

Avatar for Marcus Mendes Marcus Mendes

Marcus Mendes is a Brazilian tech podcaster and journalist who has been closely following Apple since the mid-2000s.

He began covering Apple news in Brazilian media in 2012 and later broadened his focus to the wider tech industry, hosting a daily podcast for seven years.