Watch iOS 6.0 to iOS 5.2.1

[Rod1949]

I’m searching for help to restore my Apple Watch to iOS 5.2.1. I made a mistake, I found a YouTube video that said a non developers could upgrade to Apple Watch iOS 6.0. At the time I installed 6.0 it said all you needed was IPhone iOS 12. It’s now been changed to say you need iOS 13 but too late for me. I contacted Apple and they sent me a repair shipping box so I could return my Apple Watch 4 to have the iOS restored to 5.2.1 but when they got my Watch the said they couldn’t find any problems and are just returning my unusable phone. I can’t believe Apple would design something that can’t be fixed. I’m looking for help on how to get my watch fixed before the end of September or later when iOS 13 is released. Computer people play and try stuff I don’t think that’s a secret, Apple must know that. How did I even get iOS 6.0, I’m not a developer, I can’t get iOS 13.

When I tried to discuss this on Apple forum they deleted my post because bad news isn’t allowed. On YouTube you can read that I’m not the only person that made this mistake, there are hundreds. Check out the site that got me in trouble.

. Read the commend below in the details.

 

[liftedpsd2010]

Why not just update your phone to iOS 13?

 

[benshive]

I can’t believe Apple would design something that can’t be fixed.

You installed the first version of a developer beta meant for test devices and it's been well known for awhile that there's no way to downgrade to a previous version of watchOS. It doesn't sound like Apple's to blame here. Your best bet would be to install the iOS 13 beta on your phone. I've been using it and it's been very stable.

 

[Rod1949]

Why not just update your phone to iOS 13?

 

[liftedpsd2010]

You installed the first version of a developer beta meant for test devices and it's been well known for awhile that there's no way to downgrade to a previous version of watchOS. It doesn't sound like Apple's to blame here. Your best bet would be to install the iOS 13 beta on your phone. I've been using it and it's been very stable.

it wasn’t initially well known. Cause it didn’t say iOS 13 required.

 

[Rod1949]

Because I’m just an ordinary guy, not a developer so it’s not available to me. And not being a developer I wasn’t aware you couldn’t restore to a previous Watch iOS. Not sure why Apple iOS 6.0 was out there for stupid people like me to install. Apple seems to be able to control everything so why let an version out to non-developers? They aren’t letting out iOS 13!

Sounding more and more like I don’t have a watch until the public release of iOS 13.
[doublepost=1560266920][/doublepost]

You installed the first version of a developer beta meant for test devices and it's been well known for awhile that there's no way to downgrade to a previous version of watchOS. It doesn't sound like Apple's to blame here. Your best bet would be to install the iOS 13 beta on your phone. I've been using it and it's been very stable.

But I’m not a developer so I can’t get ios 13. Not sure how I got ios 6.0

 

[benshive]

Because I’m just an ordinary guy, not a developer so it’s not available to me. And not being a developer I wasn’t aware you couldn’t restore to a previous Watch iOS. Not sure why Apple iOS 6.0 was out there for stupid people like me to install. Apple seems to be able to control everything so why let an version out to non-developers? They aren’t letting out iOS 13!

Sounding more and more like I don’t have a watch until the public release of iOS 13.

You can install iOS 13. Create a backup of your device as it is now, download the .ipsw file for your device, and restore using the file in iTunes. You'll need to have the Xcode or macOS Catalina beta installed for it to work.

 

[Thai]

Because I’m just an ordinary guy, not a developer so it’s not available to me. And not being a developer I wasn’t aware you couldn’t restore to a previous Watch iOS. Not sure why Apple iOS 6.0 was out there for stupid people like me to install. Apple seems to be able to control everything so why let an version out to non-developers? They aren’t letting out iOS 13!

Sounding more and more like I don’t have a watch until the public release of iOS 13.
[doublepost=1560266920][/doublepost]


But I’m not a developer so I can’t get ios 13. Not sure how I got ios 6.0

Why are you even blaming Apple for this? Seriously?! WTF! You went out and install a developer version of WatchOS and now crying about it.

Hint: if you have no clue or not even aware that WatchOS is different from iOS beta, then don’t tinker!

 

[benshive]

But I’m not a developer so I can’t get ios 13. Not sure how I got ios 6.0

If you followed the steps in the video you linked to above you got watchOS 6 by installing the beta profile for it which makes the update available. There isn't a beta profile available for iOS 13. It needs to be installed manually through iTunes.

 

[BoneHead001]

Why are you even blaming Apple for this? Seriously?! WTF! You went out and install a developer version of WatchOS and now crying about it.

Hint: if you have no clue or not even aware that WatchOS is different from iOS beta, then don’t tinker!

Always be polite — there's no need to write to people like a rude reprobate.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Apple seems to be able to control everything so why let an version out to non-developers? They aren’t letting out iOS 13!

Pretty sure the "100% legit! Install without a Developer Account!! STEP 7 WILL ASTOUND YOU!!!" clickbait title of the video should give a hint that Apple didn't intend for this to be installed without a developer account...

However as others said, it should be possible to install iOS 13 via iTunes and that will fix the issue.

 

[highertechnology]

Hey Rod. Im sorry youre going through this.

You have 2 options.

You can take the watch to the Apple Store and Ive been told they can restore your watch to a previous version.

OR

If you have access to a PC, download a tool called 3uTools. This program will have the tools needed to upgrade your phone to IOS13 including the IPSW that they allow you to download directly within the app. The negative here is that you will be on Version 1 of developer software on your main device that is not scheduled to be released to the public until mid September.

Good Luck.

 

[EduardCD]

Hey Rod. Im sorry youre going through this.

You have 2 options.

You can take the watch to the Apple Store and Ive been told they can restore your watch to a previous version.

OR

If you have access to a PC, download a tool called 3uTools. This program will have the tools needed to upgrade your phone to IOS13 including the IPSW that they allow you to download directly within the app. The negative here is that you will be on Version 1 of developer software on your main device that is not scheduled to be released to the public until mid September.

Good Luck.

I did that and I am running IOS13 on my iPhone X, but after waiting about an hour to initialise the watch after the first pairing, I can’t do anything with my watch (series 3), only to turn it off and to change my watch face (the crown doesn’t seem to work).
After a few minutes it resets itself and the whole pairing process starts again. I mention that am using the same region and language settings both on my phone and my watch and the phone is wifi connected.
I tried to restore the watch or to set it up as a new one with the same result. I could wait for a new watchos beta to come but how will I install it on my watch?
Thank you for a possible solution.

 

[Rod1949]

Why are you even blaming Apple for this? Seriously?! WTF! You went out and install a developer version of WatchOS and now crying about it.

Hint: if you have no clue or not even aware that WatchOS is different from iOS beta, then don’t tinker!

You know why 12 year olds are better at computers than their grandparents, it’s became they aren’t afraid to play and try. How many time have you added an app to see if it was worthy? We all try things, and the information before me at the time said I only needed iOS 12 on my watch. I wasn’t expecting what happened.
[doublepost=1560281994][/doublepost]Good news everyone, Apple was able to restore iOS on my Apple Watch 4 after I stupidly installed beta iOS 6.0. I thought it was weird when I read even Apple couldn’t restore the iOS. Very happy Apple user again.

 

[mypyh4ooo]

You can install iOS 13. Create a backup of your device as it is now, download the .ipsw file for your device, and restore using the file in iTunes. You'll need to have the Xcode or macOS Catalina beta installed for it to work.

You don’t. I did it with an old version of OSX and latest version of iTunes.
[doublepost=1560285206][/doublepost]

You know why 12 year olds are better at computers than their grandparents, it’s became they aren’t afraid to play and try. How many time have you added an app to see if it was worthy? We all try things, and the information before me at the time said I only needed iOS 12 on my watch. I wasn’t expecting what happened.
[doublepost=1560281994][/doublepost]Good news everyone, Apple was able to restore iOS on my Apple Watch 4 after I stupidly installed beta iOS 6.0. I thought it was weird when I read even Apple couldn’t restore the iOS. Very happy Apple user again.

Was this done in store?

 

[Rod1949]

No, not repaired in Store, I had to ship it back to the repair depot. Very quick turnaround. 1 week from my 1st call. They sent me a shipping box, I sent the watch back within an hour but because of the weekend Apple didn’t get it until Monday morning and I got it back noon on Tuesday. Amazing because I live in central B.C. and the repair depot is in Ontario 3,000 miles away and more than one connection.

 

[Thai]

No, not repaired in Store, I had to ship it back to the repair depot. Very quick turnaround. 1 week from my 1st call. They sent me a shipping box, I sent the watch back within an hour but because of the weekend Apple didn’t get it until Monday morning and I got it back noon on Tuesday. Amazing because I live in central B.C. and the repair depot is in Ontario 3,000 miles away and more than one connection.

I am confused........in your original post you said this:

I contacted Apple and they sent me a repair shipping box so I could return my Apple Watch 4 to have the iOS restored to 5.2.1 but when they got my Watch the said they couldn’t find any problems and are just returning my unusable phone.

So, how many times did you send to Apple repair shop??? And it's been less than 1 day since you posted the two posts.

 

[victormorenos]

I did that and I am running IOS13 on my iPhone X, but after waiting about an hour to initialise the watch after the first pairing, I can’t do anything with my watch (series 3), only to turn it off and to change my watch face (the crown doesn’t seem to work).
After a few minutes it resets itself and the whole pairing process starts again. I mention that am using the same region and language settings both on my phone and my watch and the phone is wifi connected.
I tried to restore the watch or to set it up as a new one with the same result. I could wait for a new watchos beta to come but how will I install it on my watch?
Thank you for a possible solution.

Same here...

 

[Rod1949]

I am confused........in your original post you said this:



So, how many times did you send to Apple repair shop??? And it's been less than 1 day since you posted the two posts.

Yes confusing to me too. I sent my Watch to the repair depot and I kept checking the Apple support log and the FedEx tracking. I saw it got to Apple Monday morning and they were inspecting my watch, a couple hours later the log said “Couldn’t duplicate issue”, “Original product shipped”. So when I saw that I called Apple and got a Senior Apple Care advisor. I explained my problem that I had installed 6.0 and needed 5.2.1 restored and he explained how this was difficult and checked with someone else and came back on the phone and said it was too late to get my watch because it was already on its way back to me. He said to wait until I got my Watch and then call back and he would see what could be done and hopefully I wouldn’t have to send the watch back again. So from the repair comment and what the Adviser said I assumed it wasn’t repaired but when I got it back they had restored the iOS to 5.2.1.

 

[Thai]

Yes confusing to me too. I sent my Watch to the repair depot and I kept checking the Apple support log and the FedEx tracking. I saw it got to Apple Monday morning and they were inspecting my watch, a couple hours later the log said “Couldn’t duplicate issue”, “Original product shipped”. So when I saw that I called Apple and got a Senior Apple Care advisor. I explained my problem that I had installed 6.0 and needed 5.2.1 restored and he explained how this was difficult and checked with someone else and came back on the phone and said it was too late to get my watch because it was already on its way back to me. He said to wait until I got my Watch and then call back and he would see what could be done and hopefully I wouldn’t have to send the watch back again. So from the repair comment and what the Adviser said I assumed it wasn’t repaired but when I got it back they had restored the iOS to 5.2.1.

View attachment 842467

So, you still have a poor view of Apple? Still blame them for your troubles?

 

[Rod1949]

No I’m happy, the message just caused me some unnecessary anguish. I realize I caused the problem. I do think Apple shouldn’t have released Apple Watch to non developers who didn’t have access to iOS 13. We know Apple can restrict anything they want, just look at the ECG app.