Apple has stopped signing iOS 18.6.2, which now prevents iPhone and iPad users from downgrading once they install iOS 26. This is a routine part of Apple’s software cycle, where older versions are phased out to push adoption of the latest release.
While iOS 18.7 is still being signed for now, iOS 18.6.2 can no longer be installed through Finder, iTunes, or recovery mode. This means that users who upgraded to iOS 26 cannot roll back to the earlier version, though a limited downgrade path to iOS 18.7 is still possible at the time of writing. Apple typically removes these options in stages, closing signing windows shortly after a major release to unify the user base.
The decision impacts different groups of users in different ways. For most, it ensures devices stay up to date with Apple’s newest features, security fixes, and the redesigned Liquid Glass interface in iOS 26. However, for power users, jailbreak developers, or those who encounter battery drain and app glitches after upgrading, the loss of downgrade options limits flexibility.
iOS 18.7, which arrived just before iOS 26, included its own stability and security improvements, and may be preferred by those not ready to commit to the latest overhaul. But that option will not remain indefinitely. Apple almost always stops signing the last major point update once its successor gains stability, meaning iOS 26 will soon become the only path forward.
For anyone hesitant about early adoption, this reinforces how narrow Apple’s downgrade windows really are. Users who rely on stability above all else may want to wait for the upcoming iOS 26.1 update, which is expected to address early issues such as the camera glitch affecting iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Once Apple ends signing for iOS 18.7, all devices will be locked into the iOS 26 cycle for the long term.
For those who use an iPad and are unhappy with Liquid Glass design changes, the same applies to iPadOS 18.6.2 as users cannot downgrade from iPadOS 26 anymore.
