Here’s how you can downgrade your iPhone and iPad from iOS 16.4 / iPadOS 16.4 to iOS 16.3.1 / iPadOS 16.3.1.
Apple is still signing iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1, downgrade from iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 possible for a limited time
iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 are big updates when it comes to features and changes, though I believed it might not be when the first beta was released.
Moving on, a lot of users are going to upgrade to the latest update and might even find themselves ‘not liking’ it for one reason or the other. This might include performance-related issues, bad battery life in some cases, or something that might not affect everyone out there, such as an app crash or two.
If you’re one of the affected ones and want to downgrade iOS 16.4 on your iPhone or iPadOS 16.4 on your iPad back to iOS 16.3.1 or iPadOS 16.3.1, respectively, you will be pleased to learn that you have time to do it. You have time as long as Apple is signing the older iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1 firmware.
Tutorial
First and foremost, download the correct firmware file for your iPhone or iPad and save it to your desktop.
iOS 16.3.1 for iPhone IPSW files
- iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS
- iPhone 11, iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone SE 3
- iPhone SE 2
iPadOS 16.3.1 for iPad IPSW files
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th-gen, 5th-gen, 4th-gen, 3rd-gen, 2nd-gen, 1st-gen)
- 11-inch iPad Pro (4th-gen, 3rd-gen, 2nd-gen, 1st-gen)
- 10.5-inch iPad Pro
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro
- iPad (5th-gen, 6th-gen, 7th-gen, 8th-gen, 9th-gen, 10th-gen)
- iPad Air (3rd-gen, 4th-gen, 5th-gen)
- iPad mini (5th-gen, 6th-gen)
At this point, it’s a good idea to back up everything using iCloud, iTunes, or Finder. Once you are done, you also have to turn off Find My on your iPhone or iPad. You can do that by going to Settings > Apple ID > Find My > Find My iPhone. Disabling this feature requires you to enter your Apple ID password.
With the IPSW file saved to your desktop and Find My disabled, you’re ready for the downgrade. Plug your iPhone or iPad to your PC or Mac using a Lightning or USB-C cable and follow the steps below:
Step 1. Launch Finder or iTunes.
Step 2. Click on the tiny iPhone icon on the left to reveal more options.
Step 3. Click on the Restore iPhone button while holding down the left Shift key (Windows) or the left Option key (Mac).
Step 4. Select the iOS 16.3.1 or iPadOS 16.3.1 firmware file you saved to your desktop.
Once the process is complete, you can start setting up your iPhone or iPad from scratch or restore the backup you took prior to this tutorial.
About the author: Uzair has been writing about tech for a little under 10 years. Started off in the Symbian days, migrated to Android, eventually settling on iOS and Mac to make a living. Loves photography, drones, talking about the latest tech, and firmly believes that iPad is the future of computing. Served as Editor-in-Chief with Redmond Pie for five years, author at The Readers Eye and many other freelance gigs. Wccftech is now his current home.
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