Update iOS 13 to iOS 14...NOT iOS15?

[Dreamliner330]

I just got a new iPhone SE2 256GB and it has iOS 13 on it (upgrading from iPhone 8 on iOS 14.7.1). I want to update it to iOS 14 to match my iPad & current phone but NOT update to iOS 15. How do I go about doing this? I do not use iCloud and have my iPhone 8 currently backed up to iTunes on PC.

On the device itself, iPhone 8 gives me the option to update to iOS 14.8 *or* iOS 15, the SE2 just shows iOS15.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Go to ipsw.me and download 14.8 for your phone then open iTunes and press option and restore. Should work fine.. Not sure how long Apple will sign 14.8 so I'd do it soon..

 

[eastworm]

Do you know what's the difference of this compare to restore in DFU mode?

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Do you know what's the difference of this compare to restore in DFU mode?

You can use DFU if you want, when it shows the restore tab just press option (key) then click on restore. It should show the 14.8 file you downloaded. You usually use DFU mode when you want to go to a lower version of iOS (if it's still being signed by Apple). As far as one being better than the other, it depends what your trying to do. Restore using iTunes works just fine for what you need.

 

[eastworm]

You can use DFU if you want, when it shows the restore tab just press option (key) then click on restore. It should show the 14.8 file you downloaded. You usually use DFU mode when you want to go to a lower version of iOS (if it's still being signed by Apple). As far as one being better than the other, it depends what your trying to do. Restore using iTunes works just fine for what you need.

I never get into DFU mode, always hold options + restore in itunes for a clean install to better version.

But i always see people mentioned about DFU mode restore, so i wonder any difference it would make, or it's the same.

 

[Dreamliner330]

^I think I read the difference between DFU and Recovery is DFU would let you load anything, but Recovery loads some iBoot loader (like a BIOS) and only lets you install NEWER OS's.

Yeah so I was looking into this and I saw 3 ways to do it. All involve the IPSW first. I don't know which is best.

Some say to do this with the phone in Recovery mode.
Some say to do this with the phone in DFU mode.
Some say to do this simply by holding shift and clicking restore in iTunes.

Turns out the SE 256GB I bought turned out to be a 128GB so I'm going to keep my iPhone 8. I'm currently on iOS 14.7.1 on my iPhone 8 & iPad Pro 10.5. I just updated them a couple weeks ago week from iOS 12.4.1 to 14.7.1 via OTA. (I am EXTREMELY hesitant to update my devices as iOS updates have affected performance so drastically in the past it caused me to buy new devices, I was forced into iOS 14 because I started having app & website issues on iOS 12).

I've heard that there might be a performance advantage to backup my devices, then to a clean install of iOS via one of the 3 above methods (I don't know which is best) instead of the OTA that I did. Then restore the backup.

Questions:

1) Should I stick to iOS 14.7.1 or update to 14.8? (I'm worried Apple performance or battery gimped 14.8 on purpose).
2) If I update, which of the 3 above methods should I choose? I must restore, but if a clean install of 14.8 is better than OTA coming from 12 last month, let me know.

Part of me thinks there would be some sort of benefit to do a new fresh install of iOS 14.8 then restore vs the OTA update, but I'm not sure. I know a fresh install of iOS14 and NO RESTORE is the absolute best, but I can't do that. I need my iMessage history.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

^I think I read the difference between DFU and Recovery is DFU would let you load anything, but Recovery loads some iBoot loader (like a BIOS) and only lets you install NEWER OS's.

Yeah so I was looking into this and I saw 3 ways to do it. All involve the IPSW first. I don't know which is best.

Some say to do this with the phone in Recovery mode.
Some say to do this with the phone in DFU mode.
Some say to do this simply by holding shift and clicking restore in iTunes.

Turns out the SE 256GB I bought turned out to be a 128GB so I'm going to keep my iPhone 8. I'm currently on iOS 14.7.1 on my iPhone 8 & iPad Pro 10.5. I just updated them a couple weeks ago week from iOS 12.4.1 to 14.7.1 via OTA. (I am EXTREMELY hesitant to update my devices as iOS updates have affected performance so drastically in the past it caused me to buy new devices, I was forced into iOS 14 because I started having app & website issues on iOS 12).

I've heard that there might be a performance advantage to backup my devices, then to a clean install of iOS via one of the 3 above methods (I don't know which is best) instead of the OTA that I did. Then restore the backup.

Questions:

1) Should I stick to iOS 14.7.1 or update to 14.8? (I'm worried Apple performance or battery gimped 14.8 on purpose).
2) If I update, which of the 3 above methods should I choose? I must restore, but if a clean install of 14.8 is better than OTA coming from 12 last month, let me know.

Part of me thinks there would be some sort of benefit to do a new fresh install of iOS 14.8 then restore vs the OTA update, but I'm not sure. I know a fresh install of iOS14 and NO RESTORE is the absolute best, but I can't do that. I need my iMessage history.

When I went from 14.7.1 to 14.8 my Air2 and my X both took a hit to the battery when iOS15 dropped (didn't want to go to iOS15) I downloaded the 14.8 file for both devices then connected each device to iTunes and used option/restore and choose the 14.8 file. After the restore I used my iTunes encrypted backup to setup the devices and they work great now.. Just takes a bit of time

 

[Dreamliner330]

When I went from 14.7.1 to 14.8 my Air2 and my X both took a hit to the battery when iOS15 dropped (didn't want to go to iOS15) I downloaded the 14.8 file for both devices then connected each device to iTunes and used option/restore and choose the 14.8 file. After the restore I used my iTunes encrypted backup to setup the devices and they work great now.. Just takes a bit of time

So just iTunes backup, then do the "option" (mac) / "shift" (PC) method, then restore the backup? Same end result as DFU or Recovery? Now that you've restored, any performance issues between iOS 14.7.1 & iOS 14.8?

 

[BugeyeSTI]

So just iTunes backup, then do the "option" (mac) / "shift" (PC) method, then restore the backup? Same end result as DFU or Recovery? Now that you've restored, any performance issues between iOS 14.7.1 & iOS 14.8?

First you need to download 14.8 then connect your SE to iTunes, click on your device, hit and hold option key and then click on restore and choose the 14.8 download from the list. After it's done restoring it will ask if you want to set up your SE as new or restore your settings from your backup. As far as differences, the battery wasn't good on 14.8 when I updated to it but after I did the restore I just outlined, it works great.. You should read this thread to help you decide. Once you update to 14.8 you can't go back

iOS 14.8 ― Bug Fixes, Changes, and Improvements

iOS 14.8 Release Date ― September 13, 2021 Build Number ― 18H17 Darwin Kernel Version ― This update provides important security updates and is recommended for all users. iOS 14.7 Release Notes New Features & Changes New Issues Remaining Issues Resolved Issues Additional Notes Developers...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Dreamliner330]

Global

Before I saw this I ended up choosing GSM and it worked. Now I'm looking at both them on ipsw.me and they both have identical filenames, filesizes, MD5sum & SHA1sum.

Would it have let me put GSM on if I was supposed to do Global? Should I redo it? How do you know which one to do?

 

[Dreamliner330]

I just checked, both versions on ipsw.me point to the exact same file.

Anyhow. I did the fresh install via iTunes to 14.8 on the iPad & iPhone, then did the restore and now am just letting it redownload all the apps.

Hopefully the iPhone 8 & iPad Pro 10.5 last another 1-2 years on iOS 14.8. Thanks for all your help!

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I just checked, both versions on ipsw.me point to the exact same file.

Anyhow. I did the fresh install via iTunes to 14.8 on the iPad & iPhone, then did the restore and now am just letting it redownload all the apps.

Hopefully the iPhone 8 & iPad Pro 10.5 last another 1-2 years on iOS 14.8. Thanks for all your help!

No problem, keep this thread posted on how 14.8 is working for you

 

[Dreamliner330]

No problem, keep this thread posted on how 14.8 is working for you

Ya know, the very first thing I nicked was how frustrating it is that Apple took away the text selection magnifying glass. I’ve gotten more used to it but text selection is still much worse. I understand the brought this back in iOS 15, just crazy they’d take it away at all.

14.8 works well on my iPad Pro 10.5. But the app reloads on the iPhone 8 are just as bad if not worse on 14.8. 2GB of memory just isn’t enough.

I ended up getting a really good deal on an iPhone SE (2020) 256GB. It came with 14.8 and they have 3GB of memory.

The SE really is significantly quicker. iOS 14.8 didn’t cripple the iPhone 8 like iOS 7 did to the iPhone 5, but 2GB was really showing limits.

I do wish the brand new update they came out a couple days ago to 14.8.1 was available to reload via iTunes. I’m sure this SE ended up on 14.8 via OTA updates.

I wonder if a bunch of OTA updates + factory reset is 100% completely identical to the very last bit to a iTunes restore via the earlier method.

I do think the 8 was smoother via iTunes.

My goal now is to make it with current devices and software to the iPhone 15, at least.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Ya know, the very first thing I nicked was how frustrating it is that Apple took away the text selection magnifying glass. I’ve gotten more used to it but text selection is still much worse. I understand the brought this back in iOS 15, just crazy they’d take it away at all.

14.8 works well on my iPad Pro 10.5. But the app reloads on the iPhone 8 are just as bad if not worse on 14.8. 2GB of memory just isn’t enough.

I ended up getting a really good deal on an iPhone SE (2020) 256GB. It came with 14.8 and they have 3GB of memory.

The SE really is significantly quicker. iOS 14.8 didn’t cripple the iPhone 8 like iOS 7 did to the iPhone 5, but 2GB was really showing limits.

I do wish the brand new update they came out a couple days ago to 14.8.1 was available to reload via iTunes. I’m sure this SE ended up on 14.8 via OTA updates.

I wonder if a bunch of OTA updates + factory reset is 100% completely identical to the very last bit to a iTunes restore via the earlier method.

I do think the 8 was smoother via iTunes.

My goal now is to make it with current devices and software to the iPhone 15, at least.

I went OTA for iPadOS 14.8.1 and everything seems fine on my Air2. iOS15.1 has been really good on my X but the changes in iPadOS15 didn't interest me for the iPad. I'm going to keep my Air2 on the latest version on iOS14 until it dies or I replace it with something new..