Apple earlier this month released iOS & iPadOS 17.3.1 to the general public with bug fixes and improvements for iPhones and iPads.
Following the company’s standard practice of attempting to force users onto only the latest firmware, Apple has ended the signing window for iOS & iPadOS 17.3, which means it’s no longer possible to downgrade to this firmware version from a newer release.
In effect, this means that users can no longer download the iOS or iPadOS 17.3 firmware and use the Shift + Click option in iTunes for Windows or the Option + Click option in Finder for macOS to manually designate the iOS or iPadOS 17.3 firmware file to restore to.
Firmware downgrades are typically used by jailbreakers or jailbreak hopefuls who want to stay on the lowest possible firmware to be vulnerable to the exploits that make jailbreaks possible, but it’s worth noting that even non-jailbreakers sometimes use firmware downgrades.
Perhaps the most common reason for someone who isn’t purposely trying to reduce their firmware version for security vulnerabilities to downgrade their device’s firmware is to return to a tried-and-true firmware after a software update introduces glitches that affect the user experience.
Albeit rare, this has happened a bevy of times in the past, including the following instances:
- iOS 16.0 over-prompting users on clipboard access when pasting copied content into another app
- iOS 14.7 breaking the Apple Watch’s ability to be unlocked with the host iPhone’s Touch ID sensor
- iOS & iPadOS 13.2 imposing incredibly aggressive background management on backgrounded apps
At iDownloadBlog, we think that users should be able to run whatever version of iOS or iPadOS that they want on their device without the manufacturer forcing them to update. One can only hope that future government regulations help nudge Apple in this direction.
If you’re ever curious what version(s) of iOS or iPadOS are being signed for your device, then you can head over to the handy online IPSW.me utility to find out that information for your specific device. You can also use our Downloads page to acquire any firmware file you desire for your device.
Are you upset that iOS & iPadOS 17.3 is no longer being signed? Let us know why or why not in the comments section down below.