Used iPhone 6s: Possible to Factory Reset w/o Upgrading to 10?

[Melrose]

Prologue: So I was looking forward to finally upgrading my 5s to a 7 this month, only to use iOS 10 and realize it's a trough of inconvenience, a brain-dead hamster of usability, and a Trump Hair of incoherent design. All around it's just a suit-wearing paraplegic Sasquatch gussied up by 1st-year cosmetology trainees.

My question is, if I buy a used 6s (with iOS 9) from eBay/CL/Amz/or wherever, is it possible to do a factory reset when I get it without upgrading to iOS 10?

I ask because if it's not possible, I'll hold off for future updates to 10 and see if Apple corrects the blatant inconsistencies with the design and function before spending money on a new iPhone.

Thanks so much!

 

[eyoungren]

As long as a version of iOS is still being signed then it's a simple matter of redirecting iTunes to a downloaded IPSW.

Once Apple STOPS signing a version though then the only recourse would be to be jailbroken and use Cydia Eraser. The success rate on Eraser is hit and miss however.

If you're stock (and you want to stay stock) then once Apple stops signing your choice is either to never restore or upgrade.

 

[silverblack]

Yes, you could at the moment. Apple is still signing iOS 9.3.5. But they will close it soon. So you better hurry up.

 

[newellj]

^^^ Yes to this. I did it over the weekend. But the window is going to close very soon, possibly within a week.

 

[Melrose]

Yes, you could at the moment. Apple is still signing iOS 9.3.5. But they will close it soon. So you better hurry up.

Hmm...that's odd - I checked and Apple is no longer signing the last release of 9. Where did you find yours where it was all good?

I'm not a iphone hacker geek, so would it also be possible, if the aforementioned is not, to download an unsigned IPSW for 9.3 and then use that, without a jailbreak?

Thanks again guys!

 

[silverblack]

I did mine on Sunday. But a quick search did not turn up any reports on Apple stop signing 9.3.5. Try it, use any of the downgrade guides for link to download the ipsw. I always do DFU restore.

 

[eyoungren]

For the record…downloading an IPSW while Apple is still signing does not mean you can upgrade/downgrade to that IPSW when Apple stops signing.

Some people think that as long as you download it while Apple is signing it you can do that. But you can't. It doesn't work that way.

You may know that, but just wanted to be clear as I've run across a few people that made this assumption.

 

[danielllb]

You could also go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content And Settings. That will erase everything but the OS and leave it on the iOS version it is currently on.

 

[Dwalls90]

Didn't read most of the thread, but if you're curious as to which firmwares Apple is signing, and thus a device can be restored to, check below:

https://ipsw.me/#!/version

 

[Melrose]

Gotcha - I did a search after your saying that and found where my searching was going wrong before - it was turning up results for 9.3.4 and older.

Welp... just got me a like-new couple month old iPhone 6s in space grey. Not today, iOS 10.

Thank you for jumping in so quick and helping me work it out.

 

[Dwalls90]

Gotcha - I did a search after your saying that and found where my searching was going wrong before - it was turning up results for 9.3.4 and older.

Welp... just got me a like-new couple month old iPhone 6s in space grey. Not today, iOS 10.

Thank you for jumping in so quick and helping me work it out.

Well, to answer your question, as of this moment, you could restore your "new" device to iOS 9, since 9.3.5 is still being signed.

 

[Mrbobb]

and realize it's a trough of inconvenience, a brain-dead hamster of usability, and a Trump Hair of incoherent design. All around it's just a suit-wearing paraplegic Sasquatch gussied up by 1st-year cosmetology trainees.

LOL! don't hold back, let us know how u feel.

Personally, I miss Jobs' era IOS6. Just switched (forced to) and for the first time ever, I have to read the @%#&^ manual to operate it.

 

[Melrose]

LOL! don't hold back, let us know how u feel.

Personally, I miss Jobs' era IOS6. Just switched (forced to) and for the first time ever, I have to read the @%#&^ manual to operate it.

I was one of the few who liked the flattened interface of iOS 7, and reading online and speaking with friends I'm now apparently in the minority on my dislike of iOS 10's new design changes. To me, it just wastes so much space with padding and margin that can't be afforded on small screens.

The new Music app, though, that's just inexcusably bad. It's bad design coupled with bad UIX.

I agree about the Jobs era; to me, iOS 10 makes it obvious that Steve is good and thoroughly gone. Up until this point, you could still see his influence on things hanging on. Not with this.