How to uninstall iOS 26

How to uninstall iOS 26
By: Mashable Posted On: September 21, 2025 View: 232

It's possible, but not for the faint of heart.
 By 
Chase DiBenedetto
 on 
A close up photo of an iPhone showing the iOS 26 download screen in settings.
You can rollback to a previous iOS, but you might be risking your data. Credit: Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via Getty Images

iPhone users are still acclimating to the new iOS 26 look, which includes a massive overhaul of the iPhone's interface and the divisive Liquid Glass design.

But while many Apple heads quickly got the hang of the new icons and animations, and reveled in catchy ringtones, Apple Intelligence upgrades, and dozens of system tweaks, others felt like they had a major mistake.

"Will I regret updating to iOS 26?" one X user asked, who then responded to their own post with "Yup." "Apple iOS 26 is absolutely awful. I’ve totally ruined my phone by installing this. I couldn’t be more upset," wrote another. Even users who were into the new look expressed concern about updating as people reported more bugs, hoping to wait out the upgrade until Apple shipped its first fixes to the new operating system.

So is it possible to go back if you've already taken the plunge? The answer is complicated.

Mashable Light Speed
Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?
Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

Earlier this year, posts from iOS 26 beta testers showed people clamoring for a way to rollback the update as phones glitched and performance snags got in the way of everyday use, prompting publications and techies to publish multiple guides to resetting their devices. And, as CNET noted in its coverage, WatchOS users found they could not rollback the update at all.

For users on the new, full iOS 26 product, it may be even more complicated.

According to a MacRumors forum post, users who want to downgrade back to iOS 18 will first need to make sure they have a full device backup from the previous iOS, not a backup from iOS 26 — and come to terms with potentially losing all of their data in the process.

From there, user @orsev explained, users will go through a somewhat vexing process of downloading the previous iOS as an .ipsw file using a developer account, restoring their device in a hard reboot, and reinstalling the old iOS using an archived backup.

Tech aficionados will probably have an easier time with this, but for the average user, it may be best to just stick it out until the next major iOS 26 update. In the meantime, you might as well make those lock screens and group chats really cute.

Topics Apple iOS

Chase sits in front of a green framed window, wearing a cheetah print shirt and looking to her right. On the window's glass pane reads
Chase DiBenedetto
Social Good Reporter

Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also captures how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she's very funny.

Read this on Mashable
  Contact Us
  • Bootjack Ca.
  • info@mariposafire.com
  Follow Us
Site Map
Get Site Map
  About

MariposaFire, is a Mountain community Fire information page . We aren't endorsed or part of County Fire or any Government Entity.