How do I downgrade from iOS 26?

To remove the iOS beta, follow the steps below:

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer and open iTunes (or Finder on Mac).
2. Put the device into recovery mode (Volume Up → Volume Down → hold Side button)
3. Then choose Restore when prompted. This will erase the beta and install the latest official iOS version.
4. After setup, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and turn it off to avoid reinstalling the beta.

This method only works for downgrading from a beta version, not for downgrading between two official versions.

That’s because beta profiles can be removed and Apple still signs the latest public iOS, allowing you to restore to it.

Reference:

How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

[Edited by Moderator]

Follow the Support Article below. Hopefully you have a backup done beforehand on iOS 18 otherwise you may not be able to restore or face data loss.

How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

Itz_unknownBo wrote:

How to downgrade ios 26

The three usual choices are to reset and restore your backup from iOS 18 (some data loss), or reset and revert to iOS 18 without a backup (more data loss), or continue with the iOS 28 beta until release.

How to uninstall iOS or iPadOS beta software - Apple Support

Given the timing, staying on the iOS 26 beta is going to be less work, and less likely to lose local data.

Reverting will lose local data, and the longer the beta has been in use, the larger the local data loss.

Apple has an “awe dropping” event on September 9th.

inne113 wrote:

I tried to downgrade But my iMac is too old.. is there any other way to downgrade??

[Edited by Moderator]

Borrow a friends computer OR visit your closest Apple Store Genius Bar. Be advised that if you didn't make an Archive Backup on your computer before you chose to download beta software, which is intended for developers only at this time that when you restore your phone, you are going to lose ALL the data on your phone.

I think you will learn a valuable and painful lesson here......

Mylige wrote:

I want to take the Update off Of my iPhone 13 2026

I want to win the lottery and I actually have a higher chance of winning, than you do of removing iOS 26 from your iPhone. There are 8 pages of posts in this thread and on every single page is the same answer. You CANNOT downgrade. Period.

angy24 wrote:

Sadly I don’t have a computer or anything.i love iOS 26 but I would like to go back to ios18.iOS 26 sometimes lags or crashes

This is a months-old thread, and the earlier postings here are during the iOS 26 beta, which could be reverted to the then-current iOS version, iOS 18.

There is no supported downgrade for the now-released iOS 26, as you are running the current iOS version.

You can report iOS 26 bugs here: Product Feedback - Apple

sabin75 wrote:

Remove all of iOS 26

There are 7 pages of answers in this thread. On every the page, the answer is the same. You CANNOT downgrade.

According to Apple:

After a software update is installed for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS, it cannot be downgraded to the previous version.

What you can do about this:

Open Settings ➢ Accessibility ➢ Display & Text Size, then toggle Reduce Transparency = on.

Also in Settings ➢ Accessibility ➢ Motion, then toggle Reduce Motion = on.

Also in Settings ➢ Display & Brightness ➢ Liquid Glass ➢ Tinted.

When you create a custom iPhone Lock Screen, you can → change the look of the clock. ⏰

A very useful user-tip by lobsterghost1 ▶︎ Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's Here To Stay is recommended. 👍🏼

In addition, you can provide ⇢ Product Feedback.

If enough requests are made, your feedback might help with future development, like a toggle in the settings (to disable the Liquid Glass effect).

Good luck! 👋🏼😉

Mylige wrote:

I want to take the Update off Of my iPhone 13 2026

If your iPhone is compatible with later versions of iOS, when they come out, you can take iOS 26 off your iPhone 13 by updating to them. E.g., It turns out that your iPhone 13 is compatible with iOS 27 – when Apple releases it, late this year – you could update to iOS 27 at that time.

That is your only potential future option for taking iOS 26 off your phone. You cannot downgrade iOS.

aleigh176 wrote:

I don’t like it

This is not a poll, so that does not matter. The only thing that matters is:

• You can't downgrade.
• The feedback link has been provided many times, if anyone wants to let Apple know.

No. READ the information you were provided when you joined the beta program.

sabin75 wrote:

Remove all of iOS 26

Buy an iPhone XR, you will have iOS 18 with no upgrade option. Problem solved! You can sell your current phone due to the demand for those wanting iOS 26 and be money ahead with the XR purchase. It's a win-win.

Read here -

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256078119?sortBy=oldest_first

I want to downgrade my ios update because too much buffer in latest updates

It is not possible to downgrade.

Please explain "too much buffer".

That is unfortunate, because Apple does not support downgrading the iOS on the iPhone / iPad