How to downgrade from iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 Beta to iOS 18 or iPadOS 18

Apple iPhone

Beta testing Apple’s next-gen software can be fun—until it isn’t. If you’ve installed iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 through Apple’s Developer or Public Beta programs and end up findin yourself battling app crashes, battery drain, or overall instability, here’s how to roll back to the latest stable version of iOS or iPadOS.

Before you begin

If you created an archived backup before upgrading to the beta, you’re in luck—you can restore your device to its pre-beta state. If not, you can still downgrade, but you’ll have to start fresh, as data added post-upgrade won’t be recoverable.

Important tip: if you’ve also updated your Apple Watch to watchOS 26, it will no longer pair with your iPhone once you’ve downgraded it. Worse, there’s no DIY downgrade path for the watch—you’ll need to contact Apple Support.

Downgrade Steps: iOS 26/iPadOS 26 to iOS 18/iPadOS 18

1.Launch Finder (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows).

2.Connect your device via USB-C or Lightning cable.

3.Put your device in recovery mode:

•iPhone XS and newer: Press Volume Up → Volume Down → hold the Side button until recovery mode appears.

•iPads with Face ID: Press Volume Up → Volume Down → hold the Top button until you see the recovery screen.

4.A popup will appear on your computer asking if you want to Restore. Click Restore to erase the device and install the latest public version of iOS/iPadOS.

5.Wait for the restore process to finish.

6.On completion, you can set up your device as new or restore an archived backup from iCloud or your Mac (if available).