downgrading from iso 6

First of all it's iOS, not ISO. An ISO image is an archive file of an optical disk.

Secondly, Apple warned you that you wouldn't be able to downgrade:

"Devices updated to iOS 6 beta can not be restored to earlier versions of iOS. Registered development devices will be able to upgrade to future beta releases and the final iOS 6 software."

Finally, there probably will be some hack method of reverting back either via DFU and a restore or TinyUmbrella, but I haven't seen any guides yet.

I've been upgrading and downgrading for the last 2 hours trying to figure out why my registered development iPad 3 wifi+LTE refuses to activate (thinking it is somehow user error). My phone upgraded without issue. Weird. Anyway, your question.

Connect your phone to your computer with iTunes running. You'll see the phone in the sidebar as usual. HOLD the Sleep and Home buttons at the same time. When the screen cuts black, release the sleep button while CONTINUING TO HOLD DOWN the Home button. You will know it worked when the phone shows the Connect To iTunes screen. You will then be prompted by iTunes that a phone was discovered in Recovery Mode. From there it's a matter of just selecting Download and Restore. It may automate a download of 5.1.1 from Apple. Then you just wait.

Hope that helps.

fixed issue need to go into setting and erase all data then start with a fresh ipad or ipod after that connection works and restore all info from ICLOUD problem fixed

Do NOT do what evid is suggesting!

I don't know what is wrong with you for suggesting full restore to unsuspecting DIY troubleshooters but I just lost 5 years worth of iPhone data never to be retrieved again!!!!

Sorry to hear about your hardship. The thread pertains to downgrading from the THEN beta iOS 6, back to the released 5.1.1. The benefit of such a move being: having a working phone, where otherwise an iOS 6 beta install that is unauthorized or glitchy to the point of failing activation could render the phone useless.

I don't know your particular circumstance, but now that iOS 6 is released, you must add "find and download the old iOS 5 software," then follow my directions above. As for losing 5 years of data, all purchased apps, music, movies and shows are in your itunes in the cloud and can be redownloaded, and depending on your icloud settings the last 1000 or so photos taken are safe in your photostream and your contacts would be backed up as well. Video you shot is likely gone, as are text messages. I can understand your frustration, and that is why I have my phone back up to iCloud. I know others who still use iTunes to manage their phone data back ups, and either method works. After my directions above, the phone will prompt you to treat it as a new phone, or select an iTunes or iCloud backup for restoration.

I apologize for neglecting to mention the importance of backing up your data. It's second nature to me, like locking my home when I leave.

As for the advice I gave, it IS correct, and it WILL solve people's problems with their devices.

As for what's "wrong with me," ... a lot, I'm sure. Giving bad advice, however, isn't on the list. I'd go further and say anyone with the legitimate means of running beta iOS software is NOT an "unsuspecting DIY troubleshooter." There's a reason it is restricted from the general public. Only experts or the extremely technically proficient venture into this territory.

If you are the general public, and you became disappointed after upgrading to the final iOS 6 software because of poor mapping performance or the removal of YouTube, and decided you wanted to go back to iOS 5, searched google or the support forums and happened upon this thread, then I of course sympathize. The only silver lining I can offer you is that THIS will probably make you diligent with your data backup routines in the future. We've all lost data before, and it often takes losing that data to really learn the value of an up-to-date backup.

Sorry to hear your troubles. Best of luck!

No, I was not trying to downgrade just because I was missing something as irrelevant as YouTube. I was trying to downgrade because 5 years of text messages disappeared yesterday, 36 hours after wireless upgrading to iOS 6 and a call to Apple did not help at all.

Backups sound great. I backup to iTunes all the time but guess what, my MacBook's hard drive failed just 10 days ago. So no, I did not happen to back up my iPhone in the past few days, nor did the wireless upgrade to iOS 6 prompt an option for any type (cloud or otherwise) of backup, like I'm so accustomed to seeing. This is, after all, my 5th iOS upgrade and I never had any type of problem like this.

A hard drive failure did not sting because I had backups of imporant files such as photos, documents and music. That backup was only days old when my hd failed so I lost nothing. But because I didn't have an official "time machine" backup, not one stinking copy of a tiny little file of 0's and 1's that could help me restore my iPhone to some day - any day - before today exists anywhere.

And yes, in my upset state of not being able to see any text messages I ever sent or received I came upon this thread as a way to downgrade to 5.1.1 because I know that I did not delete them but rather I'm confidant that some database error/file format reading exists in the new OS that makes them suddenly invisible.

Apple used to make great and easy to use products but when someone clicks Restore to be met with a "you will have the option to... old settings, documents...." and expects that statement to actually be true, the complexity and falseness falls extremely short of any expectations of Apple.

But hey, I'm just some brainless lemming who wirelessly upgraded to the new iOS because Apple had me think that 1 - it was a superior operating system and 2 - it would go without causing any lost data like my previous 4 OS upgrades did.