How to downgrade from iOS 15 beta to 14 without losing data
Some apps and their features may not work as expected in the iOS 15 test builds. This is why you might be looking for a way to upgrade from the public beta of iOS 15 to the most recent version of iOS. 14!
If you listened to us and took an archived backup before upgrading to iOS 15, you can remove iOS 15 beta and restore your iPhone or iPad without losing data. Otherwise, you can still downgrade, but you won’t be able to restore your device to its original state.
How to downgrade from iOS 15 beta to iOS 14
- 1. Open Finder on your Mac or iTunes on a Windows computer.
- 2. Connect iPhone or iPad to the computer using the Lightning cable.
- 3. Trust the iPhone from Mac and Mac from iPhone if requested.
- 4. Deactivate Find my on iPhone. (Settings -> Apple ID -> Find My -> Find My iPhone -> Disable)
- 5. Bring an iOS or iPadOS device in Recovery mode. (Increase volume -> Decrease volume -> Press and hold the side button until you see the recovery mode screen.)
Advice: Scroll through this article for tips on how to integrate other iPhone and iPad models into Recovery mode. - 6. A pop-up window will appear on your computer asking if you want to Restore, Update or To cancel. Click on Restore.
Made: This will erase your device and install the latest public version of iOS 14. (iOS 14.6 at time of writing). - 7. Click on Restore and update to confirm your selection.
- 8. Restoration of the software is verified with Apple. Once the process is complete, use the Restore option to bring the media and all your other settings back to your iPhone.
How to put iPhone in recovery mode
- iPhone 8 – iPhone 12 Pro Max: Click and release Turn up the sound, followed by Lower the volume and press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen on your device.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the Sleep / wake button and Volume down button at the same time until the iPhone enters recovery mode.
- iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold the Sleep / wake button and Home button at the same time until the device restarts in recovery mode.
Can you downgrade from iOS 15 without a computer?
No, unfortunately you cannot downgrade from iOS 15 beta to iOS 14 without the help of a Mac or Windows computer.
You need to use Finder or iTunes in the process and this software is only available on a computer.
Made: On a Windows PC, you need to install iTunes! Open it and click on your iPhone icon available at the top of the window. You can also find your iPhone in the Devices section, in the sidebar. For more details, please see this step by step guide.
Reasons for downgrading iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 beta?
The iOS 15 public beta is by far one of the most reliable iPhone test versions released by Apple in recent years.
Beta versions of iOS have been known to cause excessive battery drain, app crashes, and prevent third-party app features from working as expected.
However, iOS 15 Public Beta 2 manages the battery better than the public version iOS 14.6, known for its low battery life!
Plus, a big reason not to downgrade from iOS 15 may be the paired Apple Watch. If you updated it to watchOS 8 Public Beta, you will no longer be able to use the wrist-worn device as soon as you revert to iOS 14!
watchOS 8 needs iOS 15 to run and. Unfortunately, watchOS 8 cannot be manually downgraded to watchOS 7. The only option is to return the watch to Apple and have them install watchOS 7 for you.
Looking to downgrade from iOS 15? Why? Did you find a bug that you can’t live with? Share your comments using the comments section.
Related: You might also be interested in how to upgrade from the iOS 15 Developer Beta to the Public Beta Update Stream!