Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.4.1 update for iPhones as a swift hotfix to squash some lingering bugs. As of today, April 16, 2026, the Cupertino giant has officially "unsigned" iOS 26.4, making it impossible for users on iOS 26.4.1 to downgrade.
Apple Stops Signing iOS 26.4 to Disable Downgrades
Spotted by MacRumours, Apple has now stopped signing iOS 26.4 indefinitely. When Apple "unsigns" a version of iOS, it means the company's servers will no longer provide the digital handshake required to install that specific software.
So, if you've already jumped to iOS 26.4.1 or are currently testing the iOS 26.5 Public Beta 2 update, you are now locked into the current update. There is no going back to iOS 26.4, even if you encounter performance hiccups or battery drain.
While this might frustrate those who prefer having a "rollback" safety net, it's a calculated move for security purposes. Apple historically moves fast to kill older versions to prevent threat actors from exploiting known flaws in older and more vulnerable iOS versions. Back in February 2026, Apple also unsigned iOS 16.2, followed by iOS 12.5.7, iOS 15.8.5, iOS 16.7.12 and iOS 18.7.3.
We've seen the necessity of such a safeguard, as how bad actors recently enabled DarkSword attack in iOS 18 and a kernel-level exploit in iOS 15 also made rounds on the internet. Hence, to maintain system integrity and security sanctity, Apple has blocked iOS 26.4 downgrades.
