Can I restore an iOS 18 backup to an iPhone running iOS 26?

Hi everyone,

I have an iPhone that was previously running iOS 18, and I made a full backup of it using Finder on my Mac.

Now I’ve updated (or plan to update) my iPhone to iOS 26, and I’d like to know if it’s possible to restore that iOS 18 backup after performing a clean install or using the “Restore iPhone…” button in Finder.

Specifically:

• Will Finder allow me to select and restore the iOS 18 backup onto an iPhone running iOS 26?
• Has anyone successfully done this across such a large version gap?
• Are there any known compatibility issues or data loss risks I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance for any information or first-hand experience!