iPhone 11 on 13.4: any path to 18.7.1?

[mcalict]

I have an iPhone 11 still on 13.4.
Was hoping to squeeze in an update to 18.7.1 before the window closed.
The only option provided is to update it to iOS 26, which I'd prefer to avoid right now.

I don't see any IPSW online for 18.7.1 for iPhone 11.
Plugging it into a Mac also provides no other update options.
So is there no path to iOS 18 at this point for this phone?
I presume this would be because there were no updates at any time in-between.

Thanks for any info!

 

[ZipZilla]

Nothing you can do except keep using 13.4 until iOS 26 improves.

Apple was only signing iOS 18 for a week after 26 came out

 

[fergus2019]

iPhone 11 on iOS 18.7. Currently available: 18.7.1 and up to iOS 26. Over the air.

 

[UliBaer]

iPhone 12 Pro on iOS 17.7.2:
18.7.1 available for update and alternative update to 26.0.1 OTA.

 

[winxmac]

iOS 18.6.2 was the last iPSW for iPhone models that can upgrade to iOS 26. iOS 18.6.2 was disabled after a week of iOS 18.7 and iOS 26.0 being released.

iOS 14.8 was where 2 update/upgrade paths made available, either update to iOS 14.8.1 or upgrade to iOS 15.0

You're using iOS 13.4 which can only upgrade to the latest version and you are too late to finally decide to upgrade to iOS 18.x so are only left with upgrading to iOS 26.x which is probably the last major version for iPhone 11 series.

I just don't understand why you did not update to iOS 13.7 years ago when you had the chance.

 

[FeliApple]

There’s nothing you can do. iOS 26 will absolutely obliterate it coming from the original version.

Original to final isn’t a good idea. Keep it on iOS 13.

 

[Reverend Benny]

I have an iPhone 11 still on 13.4.
Was hoping to squeeze in an update to 18.7.1 before the window closed.
The only option provided is to update it to iOS 26, which I'd prefer to avoid right now.

I don't see any IPSW online for 18.7.1 for iPhone 11.
Plugging it into a Mac also provides no other update options.
So is there no path to iOS 18 at this point for this phone?
I presume this would be because there were no updates at any time in-between.

Thanks for any info!

Reports on performance is mixed when reading on different forum, some seem fine and like it while some don't.
For some reason newer devices, especially the pro models seem have issues with iOS 26.

One idea could be to wait for iOS 26.1, that's also when most will upgrade since iOS 18 will stopp being updated for devices that can update to iOS 26.

I've played around with iOS 26 on an iPhone SE 2020 for a few minutes and it was a good experience. The SE2020 has similar HW to the iPhone 11.

 

[FeliApple]

Reports on performance is mixed when reading on different forum, some seem fine and like it while some don't.
For some reason newer devices, especially the pro models seem have issues with iOS 26.

One idea could be to wait for iOS 26.1, that's also when most will upgrade since iOS 18 will stopp being updated for devices that can update to iOS 26.

I've played around with iOS 26 on an iPhone SE 2020 for a few minutes and it was a good experience. The SE2020 has similar HW to the iPhone 11.

Reports on performance are mixed when coming from the massively updated iOS 18. Reports on battery life are universally negative, from iOS 18.

If everyone were to update from iOS 13, they would rightly call it for what it is: garbage.

Waiting for 26.1 updating from iOS 13 is the worst idea ever. Never update from the original version to the final one if you care about performance and/or battery life.

 

[adrianlondon]

So much exaggerated outrage.

iOS13? The iPhone 11 runs well on iOS 26; think of all the new stuff you're missing.

I experienced no difference in battery usage between 18 and 26. Both were better than iOS 16/17. I've no idea about iOS 13 as I don't want to run a six year old OS on my devices.

 

[FeliApple]

So much exaggerated outrage.

iOS13? The iPhone 11 runs well on iOS 26; think of all the new stuff you're missing.

I experienced no difference in battery usage between 18 and 26. Both were better than iOS 16/17. I've no idea about iOS 13 as I don't want to run a six year old OS on my devices.

If you are going to update to the final version and obliterate the device, you might as well just buy a newer one.

The iPhone 11’s days are counted anyway.

 

[Reverend Benny]

I have an iPhone 11 still on 13.4.
Was hoping to squeeze in an update to 18.7.1 before the window closed.
The only option provided is to update it to iOS 26, which I'd prefer to avoid right now.

I don't see any IPSW online for 18.7.1 for iPhone 11.
Plugging it into a Mac also provides no other update options.
So is there no path to iOS 18 at this point for this phone?
I presume this would be because there were no updates at any time in-between.

Thanks for any info!

Since you were thinking about updating to 18.7 i found a test that compares that version (and a few versions prior to 18) to iOS 26.0.1.

Now these tests should be taken with a pinch of salt, but it gives some idea of what to expect. Its not a massive difference when you look at the comparisson from iOS 15 to iOS 26 on some devices such as the iPhone 11.

 

[mcalict]

iOS 18.6.2 was the last iPSW for iPhone models that can upgrade to iOS 26. iOS 18.6.2 was disabled after a week of iOS 18.7 and iOS 26.0 being released.

iOS 14.8 was where 2 update/upgrade paths made available, either update to iOS 14.8.1 or upgrade to iOS 15.0

You're using iOS 13.4 which can only upgrade to the latest version and you are too late to finally decide to upgrade to iOS 18.x so are only left with upgrading to iOS 26.x which is probably the last major version for iPhone 11 series.

I just don't understand why you did not update to iOS 13.7 years ago when you had the chance.

This is probably the correct answer. I forgot about that nuance to the upgrade path.

As for why I did not update the iOS 13.7 years ago... Gosh - why so judgmental? The answer -- I didn't have the phone then. It was recently acquired, still on iOS 13. Thanks for info -- seriously, and for the benefit of the doubt /s

 

[mcalict]

So much exaggerated outrage.

^ This. Curiously, no-one asked how the phone came to be this way. So many assumptions and judgments. It's no wonder the country is at each other's throats. And this was a question about a phone.

 

[mcalict]

iPhone 12 Pro on iOS 17.7.2:
18.7.1 available for update and alternative update to 26.0.1 OTA.

Do you see that option? I don't.
What YOUR phone shows is irrelevant to this one and the upgrade path it's been on.

 

[adrianlondon]

I think your only chance would be to google the procedure for installing an unsigned 18.6 IPSW file (probably an old beta one from ipswbeta dot dev) and then upgrading using the OTA 18.7 option which should then be available.

However, and I know many people don't like it, I think iOS 26 is fine. Even on my base iPhone 11.

 

[UliBaer]

Do you see that option? I don't.
What YOUR phone shows is irrelevant to this one and the upgrade path it's been on.

I see that option on MY phone:



...but since it's irrelevant to YOU, I'm absolutely sorry for trying to help you and will never do that again!

 

[adrianlondon]

iOS 18.7 is only available as an upgrade to those already running iOS 18.

If you're running iOS 17 or lower (or iOS 26 already, of course) then you'll only be offered the latest for your current release (if one exists) or the latest iOS 26 one - if your phone supports it.

 

[fergus2019]

So much exaggerated outrage.

iOS13? The iPhone 11 runs well on iOS 26; think of all the new stuff you're missing.

I experienced no difference in battery usage between 18 and 26. Both were better than iOS 16/17. I've no idea about iOS 13 as I don't want to run a six year old OS on my devices.

It works at 26 ios. I have an iPhone 11 with a new battery. I updated to the latest beta and the release version of iOS 26 twice, and both times the phone gave a maximum of 5 hours of screen-on time. Now on iOS 18.7, I get at least 10 hours of screen-on time. And on weekends, when I'm at home and only on my home Wi-Fi, I get 22 hours and 17 minutes of screen-on time, with a power consumption of ~145%. iOS 26 can't currently achieve this result on an iPhone 11.