How to Downgrade from iOS 16 to iOS 15 Without Losing Data

Jun. 17, 2022

Before you start the process to install iOS 15 and remove theiOS 16 beta from your supported iPhone model, remember to check off these points:

Recovery Mode has long been a reliable troubleshooting tool that allows you to diagnose and fix issues on your iPhone. Moreover, it also lets you wipe a software beta profile and downgrade from beta to the latest stable version of iOS. So, let’s see how it works:

1. First, use a USB-A to Lightning or USB-C to Lightning cable toconnect your iPhoneto your Mac or Windows PC.

2. Now, launchFinder(Mac) andiTunes(Free, Windows) on your computer.

3. Next,put your iPhone into recovery mode. Press and quickly release the “Volume Up” button. Then, press and quickly release the “Volume Down” button. After that, hold down the power button until you see the recovery mode screen.

4. Once you do that, you will see a pop-up message reading,“There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored”on your computer screen. From the pop-up, click “Restore” to erase your iPhone and install the latest public release of iOS 15, i.e iOS 15.5.

5. Next, another pop-up will show up on the screen asking you to confirm the action. Click on “Restore and Update” to proceed.

6. Finally, agree to Apple’s terms and conditions, and the Finder will start downloading the latest iOS 15.5 update files.

7. That’s pretty much it! Now, you need to wait patiently until the restore process is complete. Once you have successfully restored your device, restore the most recent iOS 15 backup, which you made before installing the iOS 16 beta.

Even though we have focused on moving back to iOS 15 from iOS 16 in this guide, you can follow the same steps to downgrade from iPadOS 16 to iPadOS 15. Here’s how it goes:

Remove iOS 16 Beta Without Losing Data on iPhone

That’s pretty much all you have to do to get rid of iOS 16 beta and move back to the stable iOS 15 build. Ever since Apple rolled out the iOS 16 developer beta, we have been testing Apple’s latest OS update to explore the new features. Barring common issues like random freezing, app crashes, and battery drain, we haven’t noticed any major problems in the iOS 16 developer beta. So it’s more or less been a smooth ride until now. What about you? What’s your reason to downgrade back to iOS 15? Do let us know in the comments below.

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.