Apple Ceases Signing iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1, Preventing Downgrades for Users

Apple has recently stopped signing iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1, thereby restricting iPhone and iPad users from downgrading to these older versions of the operating system if they have already updated to a newer release.

iOS 16.4.1, which was made available to the public on April 7th, brought important bug fixes and security updates. The release addressed vulnerabilities that allowed third-party apps to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges and resolved an exploit in WebKit, the Safari engine, which could have resulted in malicious code execution.

Subsequently, on May 18th, Apple introduced iOS 16.5, offering new features and enhancements. The update included a Pride theme for the iPhone Lock Screen and a Sports tab in Apple News. Additionally, iOS 16.5 addressed bugs related to Spotlight, CarPlay, and Screen Time.

Downgrading to older iOS versions is commonly employed by individuals who jailbreak their iPhones and iPads. In December, the hacking team palera1n released a jailbreak tool based on the checkm8 exploit, compatible with iOS 15 and iOS 16, spanning from iOS 15.0 to iOS 16.4.1.

Reverting to a previous iOS build can also be beneficial for users experiencing significant bugs after updating to the latest version of iOS.

Ahead of the much-anticipated WWDC 2023, where Apple is expected to unveil the first beta of iOS 17, the company has released iOS 16.6 beta to developers and public beta users. While this update does not introduce major new features, it is likely that Apple's focus is currently directed towards iOS 17.

If users are running iOS 16.6 beta, they have the option to downgrade to iOS 16.5. However, downgrading to iOS 16.4.1 or any older versions is no longer supported.