How to Downgrade from iOS 27 to iOS 26
If you upgraded to iOS 27 too soon and want to revert to iOS 26, follow our step-by-step instructions for downgrading your iOS version.
Apple's iOS 27 update made it harder to enforce Remote Supervision (aka Mobile Device Management), leading many people to want to downgrade back to iOS 26. In this guide, we'll show you how to downgrade back to iOS/iPadOS 26 while keeping most of your data intact.
iOS 27 introduced several new changes to how MDM is enforced on iPhones and iPads. Put simply, it's now possible to tap "Remove Management" and bypass MDM. On older iOS versions, it was possible to lock down this option.
If you are using Tech Lockdown's Remote Supervision feature and want to get access to the old strict enforcement technique, we recommend downgrading to iOS 26, setting up Remote Supervision, then updating to iOS 27 so that the MDM profile is properly enforced (tapping "Remove Management" is locked down).
Fortunately, if you enable Remote Supervision on iOS 26, then update to iOS 27, the enforcement carries over.
Prerequisites
What we're walking through is technically a bypass, as it's not officially supported by Apple. I'll go over some steps you can take to back up most of your iPhone's data. There are some fundamental problems you might run into, simply because you're downgrading to an older version of iOS:
- Backups made on iOS 27 can't be restored onto an iPhone with iOS 26
- Some apps have a separate process to back up their own data
The biggest problem with downgrading is the data restoration step. If you create a backup on iOS 27 and then try to restore that backup after you downgrade to 26, it won't work. That's why backing up your data involves two steps: using iCloud to back up personal Apple information and taking steps for specific apps as necessary.
You will also need to have either a Windows PC or a Mac computer, along with a data transfer cable (an official Apple cable works best).
If you're on Windows, you should also download either the Apple Devices app or iTunes ; both can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. On Mac computers, you can use the Finder application.
(1) Back Up Important Data
First, on your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, and check the Saved to iCloud tab.
The next step is to check your App Library and look for apps that might need your manual attention. Some apps, like Signal, WhatsApp, and others, require completely separate steps to back up and restore data. Carefully check through all of your apps to be sure; here are some of the most common types of apps you should check:
- Password managers
- Private messenger apps
- Authenticator or MFA apps
- Banking apps
Once you've backed everything up, you now need to prepare your iPhone to be reset:
Find My needs to be disabled on your iPhone so that you can completely reset it and restore iOS 26. You will be asked to enter your Apple account password to complete the process.
(2) Download the Firmware to your Mac or Windows PC
Next, you'll need to download the actual iOS 26 firmware to your Windows or Mac computer.
(3) Put your iPhone into Recovery Mode
Since your data is backed up and Find My is disabled, you can put your iPhone into Recovery Mode using these instructions (it can be different, depending on the model).
For most modern iPhones, you can quickly tap the volume up button, then the volume down button, and finally hold the power button until you see a screen that says "Connect to computer".
(4) Restore the 26 version to your iPhone
On Windows, open either the Apple Devices app or iTunes. On Mac, open the Finder application.
(A) Mac instructions
On Mac, you'll see a screen like this:
You should be able to choose the .ipsw firmware file you downloaded.
It will take several minutes for the restore to complete.
(B) Windows PC instructions
If your iPhone is in recovery mode, you should see a screen like the one below in iTunes:
You should now be able to select a restore file.
(5) Set up Your iPhone Again
You should now be able to set up your iPhone.
You will eventually see a screen that looks like the one below; be very careful that you choose Don't Transfer Anything:
Lastly, you should reinstall apps that you had to back up data for separately. Each app will have a different process. For most apps, it's as simple as logging in to your account again.
Your iPhone is essentially reset back to iOS 26, so if you originally supervised it with Tech Lockdown, you'll want to repeat the process. See our guide on how to enable supervised mode .
You may also want to disable updates from being automatically installed on the iPhone by going to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates, and setting this to Off.
If you're using Tech Lockdown's Config Generator , you can also enforce this using a Software Delay:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 26 be restored without using a Mac or Windows PC?
Unfortunately, no. A computer is required to restore firmware on iPhones.
What happens when iOS 26 is no longer signed by Apple?
You'll no longer be able to downgrade to iOS 26, regardless of whether the device technically supports it.