Many users who have updated their iPhone and iPad to iOS 9.3 have encountered the problem of not being able to activate the device. If, for this or any other reason, the new Apple mobile operating system does not suit you, you can easily roll back to iOS 9.2.1. This guide will show you how.
iOS 9.3 is a major update that brings with it quite a few interesting changes and bug fixes. However, despite all its advantages, iOS 9.3 is unlikely to be the best choice for all users now.
There are two reasons for this. Firstly, when installing iOS 9.3, many users have a problem with activating the system. You can fix it using these recommendations, but they, in some cases, cannot help. Secondly, the speed of iOS 9.2.1, especially on older devices, is slightly but higher than iOS 9.3.
Step 1. Download the iOS 9.2.1 firmware file for your device from this page
Step 2: Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. On Windows, this can be done by going to the Help menu -> Updates, on OS X, looking for new versions in the Updates tab in the Mac App Store.
Step 3: Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to iTunes or iCloud
Step 4. Go to the menu " Settings» -> « iCloud” and turn off the “ Find iPhone»
Step 5Turn off the password protection of your device in the " Settings» -> « Touch ID and password»
Step 6Connect your mobile device to your computer and launch iTunes
Step 7. Select your device from the top bar of iTunes
Step 8. Hold down the Shift key (Alt on OS X) and click on the " Reestablish» and select the iOS 9.2.1 firmware file downloaded in the first step
Immediately after that, the installation process on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch of the mobile operating system iOS 9.2.1 will begin. It is important to wait for the installation to complete without disconnecting the device from the computer. After the installation is completed, the system's offers to install iOS 9.3 must be rejected.
It is possible to rollback to a previous version of the operating system. Apple has traditionally left this opportunity for a while after the release of each new OS. A day after the release of the update, the company is still issuing certificates for iOS 8.4.1.
Released on September 16, the iOS 9 update is a major software release with a long list of changes and improvements. However, many iPhone and iPad owners report problems with their devices. Failures began at the stage of downloading the update, when people could not get the promised distribution due to the unavailability of Apple services.
Owners of iOS devices complain about Wi-Fi not working correctly, missing menu items in the settings, graphical artifacts when displaying the interface, and operating system freezes. Among the innovations in iOS 9 are improved power consumption algorithms, but in reality, the gadget battery loses charge too intensively.
Probably, subsequent iOS 9 updates will fix these problems, but until then it makes sense to perform the downgrade procedure - rollback to iOS 8 firmware. This is only about iOS 8.4.1 version - Apple still issues digital signatures for it. It is worth remembering that the situation can change at any time.
Requirements:
- iPhone or iPad running iOS 9.0.
- iOS 8.4.1 firmware file in IPSW format.
- iTunes 12.3 for Mac or Windows.
How to downgrade from iOS 9.0 to iOS 8.4.1:
Step 1: Download iOS 8.4.1 IPSW file from this link .
Step 2 A: Check that you have the latest version of iTunes installed. You can download iTunes 12.3.
Step 3: Make a backup of the data on the device. You can do this by going to settings in iCloud –> Backup –> Create a backup, or by connecting your iPhone or iPad to your computer and saving a backup using iTunes.
Step 4: Disable Touch ID/Password in the main settings section.
Step 5: Turn off Find My iPhone in Settings –> iCloud.
Step 6: Connect your iPhone or iPad with iOS 9.0 on board to your computer.
Step 7: Open iTunes and select the icon of your gadget in the top bar of the program.
Step 8: Hold down Shift (or Alt on OS X) on your keyboard and click the Restore button.
Step 9: In the program window, specify the iOS 8.4.1 firmware file downloaded in step 1.
Step 10: Wait for the procedure to complete, the OS recovery process will take some time. Now you can use your device with iOS 8.4.1.
Users who have installed the iOS 9.3 update on their iPhone and iPad have the option to roll back to the previous version of the OS. Traditionally, after the release of each new edition of the branded “axis”, Apple leaves this opportunity for a while. A day after the release of the cumulative update, the company is still issuing certificates for iOS 9.2.1.
Released on March 21, iOS 9.3 is a major software release with a large list of changes. The main innovation is support for the Night Shift mode, which automatically shifts the color temperature of the display to the warm end of the spectrum at night. Studies have shown that bright blue color in the evening can affect a person's circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep. Other innovations include password-protected Notes, an improved version of the Apple News app, and an updated CarPlay interface.
Judging by the comparative tests, iOS 9.3 performs better than iOS 9.2.1 in terms of performance. However, some users complain about the accelerated discharge of the battery of their devices and problems with the activation of gadgets. In such cases, it makes sense to use the instructions for downgrading to the previous version of the OS. Another reason why a user may decide to downgrade is jailbreak. According to preliminary information, the upcoming exploit will not be available for the latest version of the OS, at least at first.
Note that we are talking about a return only to iOS 9.2.1 - for it, Apple still issues digital certificates. The situation can change at any moment.
Requirements:
iPhone or iPad running iOS 9.3.
iOS 9.2.1 IPSW file.
iTunes 12.3.3 for Mac or Windows.
How to downgrade from iOS 9.3 to iOS 9.2.1:
Step 1: Download iOS 9.2.1 file from Apple servers from this link.
Step 2: Check that you have iTunes 12.3.3 installed. You can download the latest version from this page.
Step 3: Back up your data. This can be done in the iPhone or iPad settings: iCloud –> Backup –> Create backup, or by connecting your mobile device to your computer and saving a backup using iTunes.
Step 4: Turn off Touch ID/Password in General settings.
Step 5: In this step, you need to turn off Find My iPhone. The option is located in Settings –> iCloud.
Step 6: Connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 9.3 to your PC.
Step 7: Open iTunes and select the icon of your gadget from the top bar of the program.
Step 8: Hold down Shift (or Alt on OS X) on your keyboard and click the Restore button.
Step 9: In the program window, point to the iOS 9.2.1 firmware file that you downloaded in step 1.
Step 10: Wait for the procedure to complete, the OS recovery process will take some time. Now you can use your device with iOS 9.2.1.
Almost everyone is familiar with updating software on mobile devices today. This operation usually does not provide for anything difficult. Owners of "apple" phones were offered a new version of iOS 10. However, this software did not impress users too much. Therefore, many are thinking about how to roll back iOS 10 to 9. What should every owner of an "apple" phone or tablet know about this operation? What scenarios are possible?
Myth or reality?
To begin with, it remains to be seen whether it is possible to roll back iOS 10 to version 9 of the software. Indeed, often after updating one or another content on a mobile phone, it is impossible to return to older versions.
Fortunately, iOS rollback on iPhone/iPad is possible. This is an operation available to all. It is recognized as official, does not require any special knowledge and skills. However, there are a few things you need to know before you rollback.
Before reset
How to rollback iOS 10 to 9? Before bringing your idea to life, you need to remember the following:
- Backups from the tenth version of the operating system are not suitable for iOS 9.
- There are several types of rollback - a "clean" version and with saving data. The second method is not recommended. It causes problems when using the Music app.
- Before performing the operation, you need to make sure that sync is enabled in iCloud. In the corresponding settings item in the "Settings" -iCloud menu, you must enable the corresponding switch. The "Library" slider also needs to be activated.
- Disable Find My iPhone. If you neglect this step, rollback will be impossible.
Perhaps this is enough. You can think about how to roll back iOS 10 to 9.
Full rollback
Let's start with the most preferred approach. This is a "clean" rollback. This method is used most often in practice. It allows you to avoid system failures and malfunctions.
How to rollback iOS10 to 9? To do this, you must follow certain instructions. It looks something like this:
- Launch iTunes on PC.
- Connect iPhone to computer. To do this, you need to use a USB cable.
- Launch iTunes. In the "Browse" menu, select the "Make a backup copy" option. Wait for the operation to complete.
- Go to ipsw.me. Select your phone model here along with the firmware.
- Wait until the appropriate software is downloaded. After the operation is completed, go to iTunes and in the "Overview" tab, click on Option (in Windows, this is the Shift button).
- Click on "Restore iPhone".
- Select the previously downloaded iOS in the window that appears.
- Complete the update by clicking on "Restore".
That's all. Now you can wait for the device to reboot. During the initialization of the OS, you can not disconnect the device from the PC. In the end, you need to select "New iPhone" and go through authorization using AppleID.
Saving settings
From now on, it’s clear how to roll back iOS 10 to 9. The instruction presented to your attention earlier implies a complete reset of settings and data. You can save them if you wish. What will be required for this?
How to roll back iOS 10 to 9 while keeping the information on the device? We will have to adhere to the previously proposed algorithm, but with some changes. While selecting the firmware, you will need to press "Shift", and then select "Update". The rest of the algorithm of actions will be exactly the same. When updating, you must unlock the gadget to successfully complete the operation.
So, now it's clear how you can roll back the operating system for "apple" phones and tablets from version 10 to version 9. No more options for the development of events are provided. You can't rollback without iTunes.
Which method to use exactly? As already mentioned, it is recommended to pay attention to the "clean" rollback. Only in this way can we confidently talk about normal work with iOS in the future.
After updating to a new version of IOS, you may notice that you do not like the firmware. In this case, there is a great way out - to roll back the software to the optimal, in your opinion, version. That is, if you have upgraded to, for example, IOS 10, then you can safely install IOS 8 on your device using the instructions below.
When to rollback iOS
The reasons for installing an older version of the operating system may be the following circumstances:
- With new firmware versions, the design changes, and not all users may like the new design.
- The most common reason is the appearance of freezes and glitches. Such problems happen for two reasons: either the new firmware version became available to users in a too raw form, with errors in the code and shortcomings, or the device that was updated was outdated for the loads created by the new IOS version.
Please note that it is not possible to roll back any device for any version, you can view detailed information about which device to which firmware version can be rolled back to the following site - http://appstudio.org/shsh . All data is arranged in a table format.
How to Rollback iOS to a Specific Version on an Apple Device
Before starting the process, you need to prepare the following things:
- iTunes installed on your computer and updated to the latest version.
- An IPSW version of the software of your choice downloaded to an easily accessible folder. You can download it from trusted Internet sites that distribute IOS firmware for free, for example, at the following link - http://appstudio.org/ios. Download the firmware strictly for your device model, otherwise there will be problems during installation.
- A USB adapter that will connect your device to your computer.
If all of the above conditions are met by you, then the next step is to prepare the device itself for the rollback process.
Saving important data
Please note that when you roll back a device, all data, applications, and media files are permanently erased from it, so you should take care of them. There is an option that allows you to delete files from the device, it will be discussed later in the article, but it is no less stable. You can save everything you need using a backup created as follows:
Disable password
Another important point is to disable the password and Touch ID, if it is supported and enabled on your device.
Deactivate Find My iPhone
Before any actions with the firmware of the device, you must turn off the Find My iPhone function, because, otherwise, iTunes simply will not allow you to perform any actions:
Firmware rollback
If all the previous preparatory work has been carried out, then you can proceed to the rollback itself. It doesn't matter which device you're downgrading from, or which version of IOS you'll be migrating from and to.
- Connect your device to your computer with a USB adapter.
- Log in to the system.
- Go to the settings of your device by clicking on the icon in the form of a phone or tablet.
- Hold down the Shift button on your keyboard if you're using Windows, or the Option button if you're using Mac OS. Without releasing the key, click on the "Restore" button.
- A window with folders will open, you need to specify the path to the firmware that you downloaded earlier.
- Wait while iTunes extracts the software from the firmware and installs it. The process can last from five minutes to half an hour, do not disconnect the device from the computer and do not interrupt the process in any way, otherwise the device may enter the endless recovery mode.
Rollback without data loss
This rollback option also exists, it allows you to rollback without losing data on the device. To do this, in paragraph 4 of the "Firmware Rollback" section, you need to click on the "Restore" button, and the "Update" button. All other steps are exactly the same. The only thing worth considering is that performing a full recovery, that is, resetting the system and installing it from scratch, is safer, since the chance that any elements will remain from the previous version is much lower.
Video tutorial: How to roll back iOS version
Third party rollback programs
If for some reason the iTunes method does not suit you, then you can use the third-party RedSnow program. It is distributed free of charge for both Windows and Mac OS on the official website of the developer - http://redsnow.ru.
- After downloading and opening the program, select the Extras section.
- Click the Even More button.
- In the menu that opens, go to the Restore block.
- Press the IPSW button to specify the path to the pre-downloaded firmware.
- In the notification that appears, you will be asked whether to cancel the modem upgrade or not. Click on the "Yes" option.
- A window will open in which you will be warned that now the device will need to be put into recovery mode, close it.
- Connect the device to the computer using a USB adapter and enter it into DFU Mode. How to do this is described step by step in the program itself.
- If you have not performed such rollback operations with this program before, then click on the Remote button so that it automatically finds the necessary hashes on its servers.
- Done, now it remains to wait for the end of the process. The device will automatically update to the version you downloaded and turn on, after which you will have to go through the initial setup process.
Is it possible to rollback individual applications
If the purpose of your system rollback is to install older versions of applications, then you should not carry it out, since there is a better option - use the special App Admin program. You can download it directly from the App Store for free. Thanks to this application, you can view all available versions of applications installed on your phone and roll back to them. To use the program, just select the applications to roll back and enter a unique version number to which you want to roll back the selected application.
So, installing an older version of the software is possible on all devices from Apple, but you can not roll back to any version, but only to those that have the SHSH signature. The process can be performed both through the official iTunes application and through third-party programs. The main thing is to download the correct firmware version and not interrupt the update process until it is fully completed.
