Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 [Update: Now Unavailable]

[thejadedmonkey]

iOS 26 is the first update I've actively avoided by Apple, but I was forced to update recently because of purchasing an Apple Watch 11. Something to consider for gift givers and receivers.

Same. I mean there have been other updates where I've held off on updating because I wasn't sure my hardware could handle a x.0 release, but the desire to update was still there.

I loath macOS 26, and I'm not even sure what new features it has to offer!

 

[FNH15]

Same. I mean there have been other updates where I've held off on updating because I wasn't sure my hardware could handle a x.0 release, but the desire to update was still there.

I loath macOS 26, and I'm not even sure what new features it has to offer!

Why, superior visual design and attention to detail, of course!
It totally doesn't feel like an alpha build of macOS and an unfinished skin over Sequoia. No, not at all.

 

[Plutonius]

I'm not upgrading so I guess that I'll live with the security flaws.

 

[tonmischa]

This is a major deviation from previous policy, where Apple has released security updates for the previous iOS version for a year or so.

For devices that would support the newer iOS, Apple has NEVER offered security updates for the previous iOS versions for longer than 4-5 months.

 

[pbridge354]

I actively use two phones for dev work. And I feel like I've gotten some good time with iOS 26 at this point. I think it performs okay, even on my 15 Pro. But overall I still prefer iOS 18. The look. The speed and bit of heaviness to the animations. It's just better. There are some things I like about iOS 26. For example I like the icons. But overall - iOS 18 is much better.

The issue is - we were all waiting for the redesign of iOS for what must have been three plus years. And so that build up combined with what was delivered made iOS 26 a disappointment. Thats the part that makes no sense. How do you spend three years and think it's okay to release such a horrible looking control center? Like - in the end they barely even changed anything. They just reskinned the os in a way thats not even good.

 

[kironin]

For devices that would support the newer iOS, Apple has NEVER offered security updates for the previous iOS versions for longer than 4-5 months.

That is BS. I've never before encountered a serious security update being hidden like this.

 

[tubemaster]

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.

iOS is pretty secure by design as opposed to something like Windows. And when did this whole “security” thing become important? I don’t remember the same rhetoric being used to get us on iOS 7 or the infamous buggy releases of 8 and 11.

 

[tubemaster]

I had to buy an old Apple Watch off Craigslist to avoid having to update my entire ecosystem!
The lengths I've gone to to protect my family from iOS 26!

I also bought a new Series 10 watch. There was the added benefit of only paying $270 for 95% of a Series 11 and still more features/sensors than an SE3.

 

[tonmischa]

That is BS.

Not sure... Are you questioning my statement or are you condemning Apple's practices?

 

[kironin]

I was enrolled in the beta developer program, rebooted, and still not seeing 18.7.3


Not allowing people to fix a known security issue is just a dxxk move.

 

[menist]

Apple updated iOS 17 in March 2025 with major a security risk update 😒. They will do the same with iOS 18 if anything comes up!

 

[Avenged110]

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

A challenge, you say? We'll just see about that, now, won't we? Joke's on them, I'm still running iOS 15.

 

[tonmischa]

Apple updated iOS 17 in March 2025 with major a security risk update

Wrong.
Latest 17 iOS was 17.7.2, which was released on Nov 19, 2024.

You are probably confusing this with iPadOS.
The latest 17 iPadOS is 17.7.10 (Aug 20, 2025), but again: Only available for devices that could not run iPadOS 18.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPadOS_17

 

[Macalicious2011]

Wow. I just woke up. Did the work around 9 hours ago right before sleep. Didn’t expect Apple to patch the workaround so soon.

 

[DrWojtek]

I was able to snag 7.3 just before they shut down the loophole thanks to this article.

 

[Macalicious2011]

I actively use two phones for dev work. And I feel like I've gotten some good time with iOS 26 at this point. I think it performs okay, even on my 15 Pro. But overall I still prefer iOS 18. The look. The speed and bit of heaviness to the animations. It's just better. There are some things I like about iOS 26. For example I like the icons. But overall - iOS 18 is much better.

The issue is - we were all waiting for the redesign of iOS for what must have been three plus years. And so that build up combined with what was delivered made iOS 26 a disappointment. Thats the part that makes no sense. How do you spend three years and think it's okay to release such a horrible looking control center? Like - in the end they barely even changed anything. They just reskinned the os in a way thats not even good.

Ios26 is the windows vista of iOS version.

Hopefully the next version in 2026 will be lighter, faster and less wasteful on resources.

Remember all of this bloat compared with xp?

What they took from us 😭😢💔

 

[upthetoffees]

Liquid Glass is so unnecessary.

The whole thing is just so microsoft. Apple needs a big wake up call.
Note how they are not boasting adoption figures for this IOS as they did for other versions. They know liquid glass (and other issues) is a disaster, just how to rollback from it.. and stick it under the rug, which is where it belongs.

 

[Wolf1701]

Hide the update and then remove the beta when the article was published? Leave those who don't want to switch to that sort of beta version 26 without security?

Well done Apple, something to be proud of.

 

[nickelro]

I hope I caught the last train, as last evening I was able to do 18.7.3 on my 16PM, but this morning was not able to do the same on the 14PM in my household (it says 18.7.2 is up to date).

 

[Radeon85]

Ios26 is the windows vista of iOS version.

Hopefully the next version in 2026 will be lighter, faster and less wasteful on resources.

Remember all of this bloat compared with xp?

View attachment 2589442
View attachment 2589443


What they took from us 😭😢💔
View attachment 2589444

Vista was a very nice OS, but people just didn't have the necessary hardware to run it properly especially coming from XP. Even OEMs shipped systems that were so underpowered they couldn't run the desktop smoothly. On top of that, they shipped systems with so little RAM it had no chance of running the OS without thrashing the old mechanical drives, plus OEMs had so much bloat installed that used what little RAM there was. Vista never stood a chance, the new driver model didn't help either.

Windows 7 was essentially the same OS but only a little lighter on resources. By the time that OS came out, people had the necessary power to run it, even low-end systems by the time 7 was out could have run Vista very smoothly, and by then pretty much all new hardware was compatible with the new driver model, so that complaint was pretty much gone.

 

[ypl]

Hide the update and then remove the beta when the article was published? Leave those who don't want to switch to that sort of beta version 26 without security?

Well done Apple, something to be proud of.

Still worth to stay at iOS public beta to avoid accidental iOS 26 upgrade.

 

[nickelro]

Still worth to stay at iOS public beta to avoid accidental iOS 26 upgrade.

Yes, I remained on the 18 Public Beta channel just to get rid of the annoying daily "update to 26" notifications..

 

[t0pher]

18.7.3 available for my iPad Pro m1, currently on 18.7.1

Had some issues with websites on both my iPhone 15 & MacBook running os 26 so decided to leave 1 device on an older os.

Wish I had left them all on the older os.

 

[Macalicious2011]

18.7.3 available for my iPad Pro m1.

Had some issues with websites on both my iPhone 15 & MacBook running os 26 so decided to leave 1 device on an older os.

Wish I had left them all on the older os.

View attachment 2589455

I haven't even updated my m1 MBP to tahoe. My important apps work fine.

Last time I updated OS on my mac I got burnt. One of my apps stopped working, software vendor didn't want to update the software and instead told me to buy the latest version which is more expense and bloated.

Lessoned learned: Just because you can uodate os, doesn't mean they you should. Unlike the era of windows 95 and xp, you can't downgrade as easily.

 

[ypl]

Yes, I remained on the 18 Public Beta channel just to get rid of the annoying daily "update to 26" notifications..

Expect Apple to “fix” the no-26-on-beta-channel feature after reading our comments by Monday. Seems like they are actively observing and reacting to discussions on this forum lol.
They won’t stop trying to shove iOS26 upgrade down my throat.