Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.5, Downgrading No Longer an Option

Tuesday May 28, 2024 3:07 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today stopped signing iOS 17.5, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS. The update is no longer being signed after the May 20 release of iOS 17.5.1.

iOS 17
It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing an older version of iOS, and it typically happens a week or two after a new version of iOS comes out. When an update is no longer signed, it means it is no longer able to be installed on an iPhone per a server side software verification check.

Apple prevents users from installing older versions of iOS to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date with the latest security improvements.

iOS 17.5.1 addressed a corruption bug that could cause deleted photos to reappear on an iPhone. The update is now the only publicly released version of iOS available.

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...

• 193 comments

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...

• 56 comments

New Apple TV 4K Leaked

Friday September 25, 2026 8:16 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has uncovered an image file from Apple for an unreleased Apple TV 4K, suggesting that a new model will finally be released soon. The image is specifically for an "Apple TV 4K (4th generation)" model. Apple TV 4K (4th generation) image (on a gradient) The image reveals that the Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, with all of its...

• 192 comments

Top Rated Comments

lkrupp

31 months ago

I wanted to do the same, I figured they might un-sign it at any moment once they got back into the office from the long weekend so I installed it yesterday on a secondary device. Fortunately/unfortunately nothing seems to have happened so far.

Well then maybe you should believe Apple when they say the bug is extremely rare and affected a very small number of people. Why is it always Reddit that MacRumors gleans its reports from? I spend a lot of time on the Apple Support Communities forums and this issue was reported by maybe two or three users there. No big surge of outrage or hundreds of me-too posts like some issues, mostly crickets on this subject.

And then there’s the undisputed fact that the internet amplifies everything negative. All it takes is two or three people commiserating their similar issues to start the ball rolling, along with counting Google hits. Bingo, you have another -gate making the rounds.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

phenste

31 months ago

since nobody seems capable of saying it in a non-irritating way- good on Apple to stop signing this so quickly, the .1 update was more-than-necessary. glad they were able to provide a thorough explanation of what caused the bug and, most importantly, fix it in a relatively timely manner.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)