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Level 1

16 points

Want to downgrade to previous version of iOS

I have an iPhone 5 that has been pretty crippled since I installed iOS 9 about a week ago. I installed 9.0.1 but it did not fix my specific bugs (cellular data only works with MMS and nothing else, period).

My previous phone was an iPhone 4 running the last version of iOS 7 that could be put on a 4. That phone is still in my possession and has everything on it that it had when I moved my life over to the 5. The only difference between what's on that phone and what's on my new one is the new photos and texts from the last 25 days. Nothing major.

I have had this 5 for about a month. When I set it up it was running the stock version of 8 that came with it. I did a backup of my 4 and moved my data and such onto the 5 when I set it up.

Then within 2 - 3 weeks iOS 9 came out and I put that update on my phone and have had problems ever since.

I would like to revert back to the version of 8 that was on the phone when I set it up. I would also like to be able to restore my apps, contacts, etc to the phone.

My questions:

1) Since my 5 has synced with iTunes on my (Windows) laptop since having 9, can I pull my data from that backup if I restore my phone to factory settings? Or will that result in another update to 9 happening? I'd prefer to wait until the bugs are worked out before doing 9 again.

2) If that won't work, can I re-sync my old 4 with iTunes, restore the 5 which will result in 8.x.x being on it initially, and then put the data from my 4 onto my 5 again?

Or will my iCloud account be expecting my 5 to have things in a format that will only be friends with 9?

Posted on Sep 25, 2015 9:03 PM

Best reply

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Posted on Sep 25, 2015 9:12 PM

You cannot downgrade. Apple does not support downgrading iOS.

In answers to your questions.

1. If you restore your phone to factory settings that will still install iOS 9.0.1, as that is the latest version of iOS that you can run on that device. Restoring to factory loads the latest iOS.

2. Doing anything with your iPhone 4 and then restoring the iPhone 5 will not result in iOS 8x being on it initially, since you do not put old iOS on a device. It just doesn't work that way. A restore from backup, or a restore as new will result in the newest iOS for the device being installed on the device. The iPhone 4 is iOS 7x, but the iPhone 5 is iOS 9.0.1.

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26 replies

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Sep 26, 2015 11:45 AM in response to momfor3

momfor3 wrote:

Thanks. I may resort to trying that. I don't have a Mac - I use iTunes with Windows.

I think I will try to do a restore with 9 and see if somehow that might help. Concerns about voiding anything really don't exist for me, but I am admittedly clueless enough about Apple products that I'm skittish about the idea of doing anything that might brick my device. Overall my choice to go with an MVNO for the low monthly costs has been a good one (five lines for about $75/month total, and we each have individual plans that fit our personal usage habits), but once in awhile I hit a wall and wish I had support. This is one of those times. 😕

I've been gone since last night, so this is the first I've seen the thread since then. This is the first time that you mention an MVNO, which could be the source of your problem, since you purchased the device used. Do you know what carrier this device came from in the beginning? The update of iOS 9 may have loaded a different carrier file on your device which does not work with the MVNO. Since it is just your data that is suffering, it sounds as if you may need to make manual entries in the APN for data. If you go to Settings>General>About>Carrier, what do you see there? Is this MVNO a regular carrier for the iPhone, and what/how do they get their APN on the device? I would start investigating that as the issue, since you can make phone calls and your texting works.

momfor3 Author

Level 1

16 points

Sep 26, 2015 12:08 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

It's a Verizon MVNO, and the device is a Verizon-branded iPhone.

And as mentioned above, the phone was working fine - everything... data, SMS, and calls - prior to the installation of 9.

I did talk to Apple support, and am happy to report that my phone is back up and running now. I explained that the phone was operating perfectly prior to upgrading to 9, and described what was going on. She said that - as I had already figured out from the web - that iOS 9 has been giving many customers problems with their data, and she told me to restore it as a new phone and then put my stuff back on it from iTunes. So... I did that. And now I'm back in business. I did also submit a support ticket to my MVNO in the midst of all of this and told them to double-check to make sure my data was properly enabled. So... whether it was the phone restore or something being toggled by the carrier or a combination of both, I'm not sure. I just know that as of a little bit ago, my LTE was once again up and running.

So... thanks, all, for the assistance and suggestions! It was much appreciated!

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Sep 26, 2015 12:20 PM in response to momfor3

Whatever did it, I'm glad it is fixed and you are back running again. 🙂

momfor3 Author

Level 1

16 points

Sep 26, 2015 12:26 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks - it was a long week!

😁

geodog1

Level 1

0 points

Sep 26, 2015 8:44 PM in response to Edward Hargreaves

How do you restore a previous version of iOS? I have the .ipsw file for the previous iOS 8.4.1.

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Sep 26, 2015 8:55 PM in response to geodog1

If you read my very first response, you would see that you cannot. Apple is no longer signing iOS 8.4.1, so you could not use it. Even if you were to force a restore with that ipsw file, it would not pass the Apple servers for verification.

Sep 27, 2015 2:15 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

I'm a little confused here, even though my original post was deleted, I cannot understand why a person cannot downgrade to a previous version if they don't like the latest software release. All is not smooth with the current release, just look at the posts about the problems with iOS 9, so some would like to turn back the clock so to speak.

I was one of those that upgraded to iOS 9 and didn't like it. I have now gone back to 8.41 in a totally legitimate way, my IPSW is signed by Apple, when I restored my phone with the file it was verified with the Apple servers via iTunes, so I'm not really doing anything illegal, or am I ???

I don't like the version 9, it is my phone so I should be entitled to run 8.41 as its a tried and tested release. If I want to go back to Snow Leopard on my Macbook I can do so with no problems, so what is the big deal about reverting to 8.41 on my iPhone.

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Sep 27, 2015 9:33 AM in response to scotty-pro

Apple only signs the ipsw for a short time after release. There are multiple problems that occur with the attempts to downgrade iOS software. It is not the same as a computer. Backups of devices cannot be universally restored when there are differences in iOS versions. That is one of the biggest reasons you cannot revert. And Apple just does not support downgrading of iOS. It isn't about legality, it is about violation of the licensing of the iOS. That is the biggest reason, and since they write the rules, we have to abide by it. As far as any other reasons, the TOS of the forum do not allow speculation, so we cannot discuss anything that Apple has not announced. If you don't like it, then you provide feedback to Apple, since they do not participate in the forum. Feedback goes to http://www.apple.com/feedback and then click on the appropriate subject area.

Sep 29, 2015 3:38 AM in response to Edward Hargreaves

I try, but I got my phone from my husband, who got it from his work. I did not get it from Apple Store and I do not have a carrier.

:-(

Sep 22, 2016 9:07 AM in response to momfor3

If you go to iTunes you click upgrade, then go to http://www.appvv.com/ios/ , you will have to translate it, select your device and the firmware you want, sorry I'm a year late.

Sep 22, 2016 2:11 PM in response to momfor3

i have issue too with my iphone 4s :

i have updated the ios when it was presented to me until now.

it is running IOS 9.3.5 and it is extremely slow .

i tried to downgrade via the iTunes to any other versions - all the time error out.

any suggestions?

Want to downgrade to previous version of iOS