How to uninstall an iOS beta version from your iPhone.
Macworld
Beta testers have been exploring the features in iOS 17 for some time now, having raced to install the beta on their iPhones as soon as it became available. Testing the beta of iOS 17 gave testers a glimpse of what was to come in iOS 17 and bragging rights when it came to exploring the new features.
With the release of iOS 17, you may be considering leaving behind the glitches and embracing the reliable features. Some may choose to stay in the beta testing phase as Apple finalizes the new iOS 17 features, but using a beta version can come with more drawbacks than advantages. If the unstable iOS 17 beta becomes more problematic than advantageous, here’s how to remove it and install the complete version of iOS 17.
The ease of this procedure depends on the stage of beta testing you are in. During the pre-release testing of iOS 17 beta, downgrading to iOS 16 required resetting your iPhone and reinstalling iOS 16. This could be done by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, but it would not revert to an older version of iOS. After restarting, the iPhone would still be running the iOS 17 beta. As a result, beta testers had to reset the iPhone and install the iOS 16 operating system, which could only be done with Finder (or iTunes on Windows). The steps for this process are outlined below.
But with the release of iOS 17, you have the option to simply update from the beta version. Here’s how:
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Navigate to the General tab in your iPhone’s Settings.
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Click on Beta Updates and change it to Off.
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Press the “Back” button. If you have the beta version installed, you will be notified that iOS 17.0 is current. However, at the bottom of the screen, you will also see the option to update to iOS 17.0.
- Tap Update Now.
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Please refer to the following details for instructions on how to opt out of the beta program and discontinue receiving beta updates. This may be necessary now that the full version is available.
In a separate article, we explain the steps for downgrading an iPhone to a previous version of iOS.
How to uninstall iOS 17 beta and revert to iOS 16.
When Apple starts the development of iOS 18 beta, developers will have to follow these steps to switch back to iOS 17.
Reset the iPhone and re-download the pre-beta version of iOS using the Finder.
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In most cases, transitioning from the beta version to a complete version of iOS should be a straightforward process and the following steps should suffice. However, during the initial phases of the beta, you may encounter excessive glitches in the software. In such cases, it may be more effective to reset your iPhone to its original settings before proceeding with the steps detailed below.
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Obtain the appropriate iOS version for your iPhone from IPSW.me. It must be currently authorized by Apple, limiting your selection to the latest complete version of iOS.
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Launch the Finder application on your Mac, or open iTunes if you are using a PC.
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Connect your iPhone.
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If you have not already done so, you must disable Find My on your device. Navigate to Settings and select your ID information. Tap on Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle the switch to the off position. Then, enter your Apple ID password.
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Press and hold the Option/Alt key and then click on the Restore iPhone option. This will give you the ability to choose which version of iOS you want to install on your iPhone by navigating to the downloaded file in your folder and selecting Open.
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A notification will display indicating the version of iOS that will be installed. Select to confirm and then wait for your iPhone to finish restoring.
Your iPhone will be configured as a new device, therefore you will either require a backup or sync the desired data onto your iPhone. We will provide instructions on what to do next.
Recover your iPhone by utilizing a backup from iCloud.
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After resetting your iPhone and reinstalling the official version of iOS, you can proceed with restoring it from a previous backup before your beta experience, if you have one. Please keep in mind that if the backup was created after installing the beta, it will also reinstall the beta during this step.
You could potentially find and utilize an earlier backup or one from another device – simply tap on the backup to see which version of iOS it is.
If you do not possess a functional backup, you may still have access to a significant portion of your data by utilizing services such as iCloud Photo, Messages in iCloud, and iTunes Match or Apple Music. Our guide on how to backup an iPhone or iPad outlines the content that is and is not included in the backup.
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“From the Welcome screen on your iPhone, swipe upwards.”
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Choose your language and then pick your country or geographic location.
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Select “Manual Setup”.
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Continue following the steps until you reach the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen. Then, select From iCloud Backup.
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Sign in to your Apple ID and patiently wait for your device to complete the sign-in process.
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Select an older iCloud backup before downloading the beta. If the backup is not visible, click on “Show More Backups” to locate it. If unsure, tap on the device to view the iOS version the backup was created in.
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Please be patient as the process of restoring from iCloud may take some time.
If the previous solution does not resolve the issue, try using Recovery Mode to reset the iPhone.
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If the simple approach mentioned above is unsuccessful, you may need to utilize Recovery Mode to reset your iPhone to its factory settings in order to reinstall iOS 16. This is necessary if you have been running the iOS 17 beta on your device.
To accomplish this, you will need to access the Finder on a Mac or iTunes on a PC.
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Connect your iPhone to your Mac (or PC).
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To enter Recovery Mode on your iPhone, press and hold the up and down volume buttons simultaneously. Then, continue holding the side button until you see an image of a cable and laptop on the screen (this may take some time).
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After your iPhone enters Recovery Mode, click on Restore on your Mac or PC and simultaneously hold down the Option/Alt key. This will enable you to find the iOS 16 version that you downloaded from IPSW.me, following the previous instructions.
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Please be patient as your iPhone is reset and the previous version of iOS is reinstalled.
How to opt out of the beta program.
If you do not wish to participate in the iOS beta program, you have the option to remove your device from it. This will prevent you from receiving any Beta updates and prevent any temptation to install them.
To opt out of the iOS 17 beta program, please follow these instructions on your iPhone:
Please discontinue your participation in the iOS beta program.
- Sign in.
- Click Leave Program.
If you change your mind and wish to rejoin the beta program, such as when the iOS 18 public beta is released, you can visit the Apple Beta Software Program website and register your device again. Learn more about becoming a beta tester here: How to participate in Apple’s beta program and test out new software.
How to stop receiving iOS Beta updates.
There is no need for you to exit the beta program. Instead, you can disable Beta Updates to avoid receiving them on your device.
After iOS 17 is officially released, Apple will still release beta updates while working on new features. However, if your iPhone is already running the stable version of the new operating system, you may not want to continue receiving beta updates. Fortunately, it is simple to stop receiving these updates and stick with the final version.
- Open Settings.
- Tap on General.
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Select the option for Software Update.
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Click on Beta Updates.
- Tap on Off.
- Tap on Back.
In the future, you will only receive software updates from Apple every six weeks when they are available to the general public. You can still view beta updates, but your iPhone will not automatically download them unless you re-enable Beta Updates by following the steps mentioned above.
How to delete a Beta Profile
Before iOS 16.3, the method for deleting an iOS beta was not the same.
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Go to the Settings application.
- Tap General.
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Select VPN and Device Management.
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Choose the iOS Beta Software Profile that is displayed.
- Tap Remove Profile.
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Please input your device password.
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Press the button again to confirm the removal.
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The iPhone must now reboot.
We also discuss the process of removing macOS beta from a Mac.
