Apple stops signing iOS 16.4.1 following iOS 16.5 release

Apple recently stopped signing iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1 following the release of iOS 16.5 to the public a few days ago. This means that iPhone and iPad users can no longer downgrade to this version of the operating system if they’re already running a newer version of iOS.

iOS 16.4.1 no longer signed by Apple

iOS 16.4.1 was released to the public on Friday, April 7, with “important bug fixes and security updates.” One of the patched exploits allowed third-party apps to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, while a second exploit found in WebKit – the Safari engine – could also lead to malicious code execution.

iOS 16.5 came a month after iOS 16.4.1, on May 18, with some new features and enhancements. The update adds a new Pride theme for the iPhone Lock Screen, as well as a Sports tab in Apple News. Bugs related to Spotlight, CarPlay, and Screen Time have also been fixed with iOS 16.5.

Reverting to older iOS builds is a technique often used by those who jailbreak their iPhones and iPads. Back in December, the hacker team palera1n released the first jailbreak tool based on the checkm8 exploit compatible with iOS 15 and iOS 16. The tool works with all versions from iOS 15.0 to iOS 16.4.1.

Restoring an Apple device to a previous version of iOS can also sometimes be helpful for users who experience significant bugs after upgrading to the latest version of iOS.

iOS 16.6 beta and downgrade options

Days before WWDC 2023, when the company is expected to announce the first beta of iOS 17, Apple has released iOS 16.6 beta to developers and public beta users. The update doesn’t add any major new features, as the company is probably focused on iOS 17 at this point.

If your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 16.6 beta, you can downgrade to iOS 16.5. However, downgrading to iOS 16.4.1 or older versions is not allowed.