If you have installed the iOS 26 Developer Beta on your iPhone or iPad, and after trying out its features, you want to return to the stable iOS 18.5, then this guide is for you.
iOS 26 Developer Beta is buggy and comes with performance and battery issues, which is understandable as it is a beta after all. Device and app crashes, poor battery life, and iPhone overheating are all part and parcel of the beta testing experience.
The good news is that it is quite easy to downgrade from iOS 26 beta to iOS 18.5, and you can do it in a few easy steps. Here’s the full guide for you.
Before you begin:
Keep in mind that you cannot use iTunes/Finder backups that you created with iOS 26 to restore your backup on iOS 18.5. You can only restore backups you made when you are on iOS 18.5 or lower, or restore iCloud Backups after the downgrade has completed.
If you have installed watchOS 26 beta on your Apple Watch, you will no longer be able to use it with your iPhone that is running iOS 18. You cannot downgrade watchOS 26 back to watchOS 11, as Apple does not allow software downgrades for watchOS.
Downgrade iOS 26 Beta to iOS 18.5
Step 1. On your Mac, launch Finder. On Windows, launch iTunes.
Step 2. Connect your iOS device to your computer using a USB-C or Lightning cable.
Step 3. Put your device in recovery mode:
- Press and release the Volume Up button.
- Then press and release the Volume Down button.
- Now press and hold the Side button until the Recovery Mode screen appears.
Step 4. Go to the Summary page and click on the ‘Restore iPhone’ option. A dialog box can also appear on your computer’s screen. If it does, click on the Restore option.
Step 5. Let Finder or iTunes install iOS 18.5 on your device. Do not unplug your device during this process.
Once you have followed these instructions, you will be able to restore your iTunes/Finder backup or iCloud backup on your device.
