Apple today stopped signing iOS 26.6.2, which means iPhone users can no longer downgrade to non-iOS 27 system versions. Here’s why.
Apple no longer signing iOS 26.6.2 installs
When a user tries to install a version of iOS on their iPhone, part of the process involves checking with Apple’s servers to make sure that version is still authorized for installation. This is what’s referred to as signing, and it works for both upgrading or downgrading to any iOS version.
Because iOS updates often patch known security vulnerabilities, Apple keeps a rather short list of signed iOS versions. This prevents users from installing or downgrading to older versions that may contain flaws that could be exploited by attackers.
Today, as spotted by Aaron Perris on X, Apple stopped signing iOS 26.6.2. This means that users running iOS 27 can no longer downgrade to iOS 26.6.2, essentially closing the window on official downgrades to iOS 26.
It is worth noting that although Apple released iOS 26.7 last week, the company currently doesn’t officially offer a restore image for it, unlike iPadOS 26.7.
In practice, this means that iPhone users who are still running an earlier version of iOS 26 can install iOS 26.7 as an over-the-air update, but those already on iOS 27 cannot officially use it to downgrade.
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