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Apple Stops Signing iOS 18.3.1

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Apple today stopped signing iOS 18.3.1, so iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 18.3.2 are no longer able to downgrade to the prior version of iOS 18. Apple released iOS 18.3.2 on March 10.

iOS 18
It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing older versions of iOS after releasing an update. Software that is not signed cannot be installed on an iPhone due to a server-side verification check, and it keeps iPhone users from installing outdated versions of iOS. iPhone models compatible with iOS 18 are only eligible to download and run iOS 18.3.2 at this time.

By preventing customers from installing older versions of iOS or downgrading, Apple ensures that devices have the latest security improvements.

iOS 18.3.2 introduced important security fixes, addressing a vulnerability that may have been actively exploited.

Top Rated Comments

M
mxrider88
14 months ago
It’s a good way to force users to use the latest bugs without chance to go back
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reeneman Avatar
Reeneman
14 months ago

MR always does article when Apple stops signing an iOS version. Why? If MR article said Apple will stop signing tomorrow, for example., people could revert to last version.
They probably won’t know it 1 day before :)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
brucemr
14 months ago
MR always does article when Apple stops signing an iOS version. Why? If MR article said Apple will stop signing tomorrow, for example., people could revert to last version.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Populus Avatar
Populus
14 months ago
Oh. Great. This morning I was planning to install 18.3.1 because the Mail App push feature doesn’t work on 18.3.2, and now Apple stops signing it? Damn… I guess they are forcing me to stay on the much less secure 18.0.1

Apple, could you stop this nonsense of releasing updates that introduce new bugs, break other features, and then blocking us from being able to downgrade to a version that worked better? This is getting a bit frustrating…
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FishyFish Avatar
FishyFish
14 months ago
I miss iOS 18.3.1. Good times, good times.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reeneman Avatar
Reeneman
14 months ago

YouTuber Aaron Zollo has said that when Apple stops signing an iOS version it means another is on the way very soon. The logic seems to be that Apple wants people to have at least one recent older version in case they have problems with the current one and want to step down to a previous version. With Apple not signing 18.3.1, there is no older version of iOS (at least, not of iOS 18). Zollo’s argument seems to be that 18.3.2 is about to become the older version that people can downgrade to if they have problems with an as-yet-to-be-released version.

It seems too soon for 18.4 to be that new version soon to be released to the public. So maybe 18.3.3?

What do y’all think? Does Zollo’s logic make sense? Have you noticed a pattern where a new iOS version comes out within days of a previous version no longer being signed?
No big science behind that.
New version is released for a reason: new features, bugfixes and most important: security fixes.
Give the people a couple of days to roll back to the old version when there are any huge issues.
Then stop signing the old version because people should not jump on the old version with most likely known security issues once again.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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