Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 (For Now)

[MacRumors]

Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running iOS 26.

If you have an iPhone 11 or later, Apple is no longer offering new versions of iOS 18, even though there was a security update that came out alongside iOS 26.2. Apple stopped showing new iOS 18 updates when iOS 26.2 launched, forcing iOS 18 users to upgrade to iOS 26.2 if they want to keep their devices secure.

For now, there's a way to stay on iOS 18 and continue to get security updates. On a device running iOS 18, you can turn on iOS 18 public beta updates to force new versions of iOS 18 to show up. This may not remain an option for long, but it works at the current time.

Apple's move to push users to iOS 26 is timed with a long list of security updates introduced in iOS 26.2 and iOS 18.7.3, including a WebKit vulnerability known to be actively exploited. Both updates addressed the problem, so there is no technical need for the iOS 26.2 requirement.

Jason Snell wrote an article yesterday on Apple's decision not to offer iOS 18 users further iOS 18 upgrades and speculated that it might be a bug or an error, but the reality is that Apple does this every year.

The iOS 14 to iOS 15 transition in 2021 was the first time that Apple allowed users to remain on an older version of iOS. At the time, Apple said that iOS offered "a choice between two software update versions." Users would be able to update to iOS 15 at release, or opt to continue on iOS 14 and "still get important security updates."

As promised, Apple did allow users to stay on iOS 14 and avoid the iOS 15 update, but only temporarily. Apple started pushing people to iOS 15 in January 2022 by making the iOS 15 software update option more prominent and no longer offering iOS 14 security updates for devices capable of running iOS 15.

In fact, iOS 14 updates stopped being available when Apple launched iOS 15.2, which might sound familiar because it is the exact same path that it followed with the iOS 18 to iOS 26 transition. Apple did the same thing with the iOS 16 to iOS 17 transition, and the iOS 17 to iOS 18 transition.

For a clear answer why iOS 18 security updates are no longer available on devices capable of running iOS 26, we can look to what Apple had to say in 2022 after people complained about being forced to upgrade to iOS 15. According to Apple, the option for users to stay on iOS 14 and avoid iOS 15 was always meant to be temporary. Apple provided a grace period for people to remain on iOS 14 while iOS 15 bugs were worked out, but Apple ultimately wanted users on the latest version of iOS.

In a support document published in 2021, Apple clarified that users would be able to stay on the old version of iOS "for a period of time," but not forever.

If you're using iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later, you might now see the option to choose between two software update versions. This option allows you to choose between updating to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS 15 as soon as it's released, or continuing on iOS or iPadOS 14 while still getting important security updates for a period of time.

Apple has continued with the same update policy since iOS 15, but the company's move to wean users off of iOS 18 is more visible this year due to the design changes introduced with iOS 26. Liquid Glass is a major user interface overhaul that's polarizing, and some users are unsurprisingly reluctant to update for that reason.

Article Link: Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 (For Now)

 

[eleuthero]

The messing up of touch-based multi-tasking on iPadOS 26 (only somewhat ameliorated by 26.1's partial return of SlideOver) may have something to do with the hesitance to upgrade phones too. And I know I had to spend roughly 3 hours with support because iOS 26.1 created a sync discrepancy overflow (or something like that) that generated gigabytes of data every few minutes (ended by deleting the Notes app for whatever reason). And Liquid Glass is not great, especially for people who wear glasses...

 

[cBraunDesign]

This workaround worked great for me. Updating to 18.7.3 right now.

I'm intent on avoiding iOS 26 completely and hoping that 27 will be more refined.

 

[Genelec8341]

Nice

 

[Macalicious2011]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

My 15 Pro and M1 iPad are not on OS26. I feel blessed. Everything works as it should and battery life is awesome.


I tried OS26 beta on my Ipad and downgraded after 3 days.

 

[maxoakland]

This workaround worked great for me. Updating to 18.7.3 right now.

I'm intent on avoiding iOS 26 completely and hoping that 27 will be more refined.

How’d you do it?

 

[wellander1]

But iPads can get the 18.7.3 update without doing this.

 

[skiguy45]

Wish I never updated to 26.
Liquid glass is a disaster.

 

[poematik13]

Their rapid update culture is disgusting; it only serves shareholders and means buggier, perpetually half baked product for the user.

 

[HouseLannister]

How’d you do it?

So you didn't make it to the third paragraph?

 

[I7guy]

The messing up of touch-based multi-tasking on iPadOS 26 (only somewhat ameliorated by 26.1's partial return of SlideOver) may have something to do with the hesitance to upgrade phones too. And I know I had to spend roughly 3 hours with support because iOS 26.1 created a sync discrepancy overflow (or something like that) that generated gigabytes of data every few minutes (ended by deleting the Notes app for whatever reason). And Liquid Glass is not great, especially for people who wear glasses...

I’m legally blind without my glasses and have no issues with seeing the screen with Liquid Glass.

 

[cBraunDesign]

How’d you do it?

Just tapped on the Beta Updates button at the top, chose iOS 18 Public Beta, and then went back to the main software update panel, and 18.7.3 was visible. This also appears to have rid my phone of that pesky red bubble trying to get me to upgrade.

 

[cBraunDesign]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

My 15 Pro and M1 iPad are not on OS26. I feel blessed. Everything works as it should and battery life is awesome.


I tried OS26 beta on my Ipad and downgraded after 3 days.

I installed iOS 26 on my iPad because it's the device that I use the least and don't rely on for work. I hate it. I've kept my iPhone and my Mac on the previous versions and they're stable, reliable, and better looking.

 

[ScooterComputer]

This is asinine, Apple. Absolutely, 100% fraking asinine. Worse, I'm almost 100% certain that 18.7.3 HAD BEEN available to me on my iPhone, but I wanted to give it a few days to see what got reported about it (make sure there weren't any show-stoppers) before updating… now Apple gives me a reason to not trust them AT ALL: "Eat this turd… or we'll MAKE you." This from the company that used '1984' imagery to promote itself.

 

[jz0309]

As I was planning to get a 17PM I upgraded my then 13PM to the RC version, no issues for me. And ever since getting the 17PM on launch, the only issue was having was the WiFi disconnect which was fixed in 26.01.
Zero readability/visibility issues for me, I'm quite happy with the various 26 versions on iPhone, iPad and Mac, but YMMV

 

[Nermal]

In a support document published in 2021, Apple clarified that users would be able to stay on the old version of iOS "for a period of time," but not forever.

The article, when first published, actually said something like "you can continue on iOS 14 until the release of the next major version". Then they stopped doing iOS 14 updates well before then, and subsequently updated the article.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

Anyone know how to downgrade on the mac?

 

[macaddiict]

Apple will eventually give users more choice. I'm just curious how many people will choose to leave the ecosystem before Apple gets a clue.

 

[Aslak3]

I installed iOS 26 on my iPad because it's the device that I use the least and don't rely on for work. I hate it. I've kept my iPhone and my Mac on the previous versions and they're stable, reliable, and better looking.

You should never ignore the security implications in not updating though. I dont want to go to 26 either, but if this "beta trick" doesn't work I'll be forced to, no matter how much I'm not looking forward to this new UI.

 

[unregbaron]

Liquid Glass is so unnecessary.

 

[Aslak3]

Apple will eventually give users more choice. I'm just curious how many people will choose to leave the ecosystem before Apple gets a clue.

I'm no longer enamoured with the company as I once was. I'll happily switch to something that's better and I'm making a conscious effort not to entrap myself further. iOS 26 is just the latest in a long line of miss-steps. We'll see how far the accumulated, over the last nearly 30 years, of good will and brand loyalty will go. A new CEO is overdue, maybe they can take them back to what made the business a success. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[boswald]

iOS 18, 26… it doesn’t matter. My phone runs the same on either one. 🤷‍♂️

 

[tonester1984]

I despise the new Safari. For that reason alone I will be riding the iOS 18 bus until next August when I am forced to update to 26 before 27 comes out and is another crap storm.

 

[Black_Mage]

I just fact checked this and yep it works. However, I do not want to install any updates that are classified as a beta. I use Firefox on my iPhone anyway. Do I really need 18.7.3?

 

[Black_Mage]

Deleted. I quoted the wrong person.