Apple stops signing iOS 18.1.1, blocking downgrade from 18.2

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Apple on Thursday stopped signing iOS 18.1.1, preventing users from downgrading to this version of the operating system if their iPhone or iPad is already running a newer version. The move comes a week after the release of iOS 18.2, which introduced significant new features and improvements.

Apple blocks downgrade from iOS 18.2 to iOS 18.1.1

With iOS 18.1.1 no longer being signed, iPhone and iPad users can no longer revert to this version of the operating system. iOS 18.1.1 was released on November 19 and brought some important security patches.

iOS 18.2 was released on December 11 and introduced many new features, including Image Playground, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration with Siri, Camera Control enhancements, and Mail Categorization. Of course, the update also includes multiple security patches, including one that prevents malicious apps from accessing private information.

Apple’s decision to stop signing iOS 18.1.1 aligns with its commitment to user security. By encouraging users to update to the latest version, Apple aims to protect devices from potential vulnerabilities.

The inability to downgrade affects the jailbreaking community, as reverting to older iOS builds is often utilized for this purpose. While some users may be frustrated by the inability to downgrade, Apple’s policy of stopping the signing of older iOS versions is a long-standing practice aimed at maintaining the security of its ecosystem.

Users are strongly advised to update their devices to iOS 18.2 to ensure they have the most recent security patches and feature improvements. This can be done through the Settings app under General > Software Update.

It’s worth noting that Apple still lets users running iOS 17 on their devices keep receiving security patches without having to upgrade to iOS 18. However, once you upgrade to iOS 18, it’s no longer possible to downgrade to iOS 17 either. If you’re running iOS 18.3 beta, you can only downgrade to iOS 18.2.