Apple this week stopped signing iOS 17.3 following the release of iOS 17.3.1 a few days ago. This means that iPhone and iPad users can no longer downgrade to this version of the operating system if they’re already running a newer version of iOS.
Apple stops signing iOS 17.3
iOS 17.3 was released on January 22 with some new features, including Stolen Device Protection for iPhone users. When this feature is enabled, the device requires Face ID or Touch ID authentication for things like changing the Apple ID password and turning off Find My. iOS 17.3 also introduced collaborative Apple Music playlists.
Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as home or work, and helps protect your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone is ever stolen.
As for iOS 17.3.1, the update was released to the public on February 8 with a fix for a bug that, according to Apple, unexpectedly duplicates or overlaps text while typing.
Downgrading is no longer possible
Reverting to older iOS builds is a technique often used by those who jailbreak their iPhones and iPads. Restoring an Apple device to a previous version of iOS can also sometimes be helpful for users who experience significant bugs after upgrading to the latest version of iOS.
If your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 17.4 beta, you can still downgrade to iOS 17.3.1. However, downgrading to older versions of the operating system is no longer possible.
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