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Why can’t I seem to update an old, but still supported, iOS when I can for macOS?

M

madhatmac

macrumors member
Original poster
If I’m running an old but still supported macOS on my Mac - lets say macOS 15 - I can still update it to the next iteration of macOS 15 when an update comes out.

If I’m running an old but still supported iOS on my iPhone - let’s say iOS 18 - why can’t I update that to the next iteration of iOS 18 when it gets an update? Why is the only option to jump to iOS 26?

Is there a reasoning behind that?

Thank you
 
OK, no worries. I was just wondering if there were a technical or software limitation. Sounds like they have decided on a different approach to iOS than to macOS for some reason then.
 
madhatmac said:
If I’m running an old but still supported macOS on my Mac - lets say macOS 15 - I can still update it to the next iteration of macOS 15 when an update comes out.

If I’m running an old but still supported iOS on my iPhone - let’s say iOS 18 - why can’t I update that to the next iteration of iOS 18 when it gets an update? Why is the only option to jump to iOS 26?

Is there a reasoning behind that?

Thank you
Click to expand...
madhatmac said:
OK, no worries. I was just wondering if there were a technical or software limitation. Sounds like they have decided on a different approach to iOS than to macOS for some reason then.
Click to expand...
When it comes to iOS, Apple always prefers that customers are on the latest version of iOS. To that end, a long time ago, they introduced digital signing. If a version of iOS is not signed for your particular device, then iOS will not allow you to update to it.

Whenever Apple releases a newer version of iOS they will maintain the signing of the previous version for about 2-3 weeks and then will unsign it for different devices. Since your device is capable of running iOS 26, then Apple unsigning the last version of iOS 18 means you are forced to either stay where you are or upgrade to iOS 26.

This is how Apple forces you to update. The time to have updated to the next version of iOS 18 was when Apple actually released it.
 
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eyoungren said:
Whenever Apple releases a newer version of iOS they will maintain the signing of the previous version for about 2-3 weeks and then will unsign it for different devices. Since your device is capable of running iOS 26, then Apple unsigning the last version of iOS 18 means you are forced to either stay where you are or upgrade to iOS 26.
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Thank you. That makes sense. I wonder why they have a different approach for macOS and iOS. I've been a long time Mac user but have just got an iPhone for the first time 🙂
 
madhatmac said:
Thank you. That makes sense. I wonder why they have a different approach for macOS and iOS. I've been a long time Mac user but have just got an iPhone for the first time 🙂
Click to expand...
My understanding is that they are beginning to take that stance with MacOS, but don't quote me on that.

In the case of iOS though, I have long speculated that it's for purposes of tech support. If you take your device to an Apple store, the genius that helps you can be fairly confident about which version your device may be running. It means Apple isn't supporting the same devices with wildly varying versions of iOS. That makes it easier to diagnose and fix whatever issue you may be having. It's also a reason, I believe, that they ask you to update your device before helping you.

Lastly, I believe it also 'looks good' to be able to claim 'X' percentage of devices are on the new version of iOS. How people got there (or got pushed to get there) doesn't really matter.
 
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eyoungren said:
My understanding is that they are beginning to take that stance with MacOS, but don't quote me on that.

In the case of iOS though, I have long speculated that it's for purposes of tech support. If you take your device to an Apple store, the genius that helps you can be fairly confident about which version your device may be running. It means Apple isn't supporting the same devices with wildly varying versions of iOS. That makes it easier to diagnose and fix whatever issue you may be having. It's also a reason, I believe, that they ask you to update your device before helping you.

Lastly, I believe it also 'looks good' to be able to claim 'X' percentage of devices are on the new version of iOS. How people got there (or got pushed to get there) doesn't really matter.
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OK, thanks. That makes sense.

My iPhone is a few years old. It can update to iOS 26 but you hear those stories of someone updating an old phone to a new iOS and it slows it down so that it's almost unusable. I thought I'd play it safe and try to just update to the latest iOS 18 but that isn't an option like you say.

Would my iOS 18 still be getting all the security updates? It won't go past 18.7.1 but I believe the latest is 18.7.7.
 
madhatmac said:
Would my iOS 18 still be getting all the security updates? It won't go past 18.7.1 but I believe the latest is 18.7.7.
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No, you’re certainly missing security updates. You can see the list on the iOS 18 versions you can’t install here.

Apple wants phones capable of iOS 26 to run iOS 26 - period. They’ll let you continue updating the prior version for a little while but by the .2 version or so, it’s time to update if you don’t want to be at risk for new security vulnerabilities.

FWIW I’ve not had any problems with iOS 26 on an iPhone 12.
 
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FreakinEurekan said:
No, you’re certainly missing security updates. You can see the list on the iOS 18 versions you can’t install here.

Apple wants phones capable of iOS 26 to run iOS 26 - period. They’ll let you continue updating the prior version for a little while but by the .2 version or so, it’s time to update if you don’t want to be at risk for new security vulnerabilities.

FWIW I’ve not had any problems with iOS 26 on an iPhone 12.
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Thanks for the info. I've got an iPhone 11. Maybe I will update to iOS 26, then, and see how I go.
 
madhatmac said:
OK, thanks. That makes sense.

My iPhone is a few years old. It can update to iOS 26 but you hear those stories of someone updating an old phone to a new iOS and it slows it down so that it's almost unusable. I thought I'd play it safe and try to just update to the latest iOS 18 but that isn't an option like you say.

Would my iOS 18 still be getting all the security updates? It won't go past 18.7.1 but I believe the latest is 18.7.7.
Click to expand...
I tend to feel as though those stories are hyperbole, or quick reactions made before re-indexing has finished. I’m running iOS 26 on my iPhone 11 and 14, and they both run fine.
 
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Apple like playing the security card to serve their purposes (much like the privacy card)

iOS 18.7.7 exists for certain iPhones, if it’s patched & good enough for some it’s good enough for everyone.

They’re unifying their OS’s so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that when Intel/rosetta are dropped that they will try this move. The Neo is the test bed of macOS on iPhone hardware, macOS will be brought up to the same restrictive levels as iOS (for security of course)
 
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I have the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and am on the latest version of iOS 26. I've also had no issues. The very first time with iOS 26, I had one day of shortened battery use, but as with @Bungaree.Chubbins I suspect it was either re-indexing or some other post-install processes that were running. I got my normal daily battery use back after that.
 
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vanishing said:
Apple like playing the security card to serve their purposes (much like the privacy card)

iOS 18.7.7 exists for certain iPhones, if it’s patched & good enough for some it’s good enough for everyone.

They’re unifying their OS’s so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that when Intel/rosetta are dropped that they will try this move. The Neo is the test bed of macOS on iPhone hardware, macOS will be brought up to the same restrictive levels as iOS (for security of course)
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Agree.

Fortunately, being about 17 years behind the current model Mac, I can see where it's going before getting there myself. This message typed in on a 2009 Mac Pro running Sonoma.
 
eyoungren said:
Agree.

Fortunately, being about 17 years behind the current model Mac, I can see where it's going before getting there myself. This message typed in on a 2009 Mac Pro running Sonoma.
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I never got to use Sonoma very much. My MacBook port can’t with it installed, and it was a very nice jump from Catalina! The public betas for Sequoia started coming out a little while after I got it and I upgraded straight away. I kinda regretted doing that, as Sequoia didn’t feel as stable and polished to me.
 
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Bungaree.Chubbins said:
I kinda regretted doing that, as Sequoia didn’t feel as stable and polished to me.
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I've kind of gotten that sense based on posts over in the OCLP subreddit on Reddit. Considering what I will need to do to upgrade to Sequoia and that general sense of things, I don't believe there is any benefit to it.

I have however, used Tahoe (on an M2) and aside from a few things I'm okay with that OS. But right now, OCLP is not compatible with Tahoe - I'd just end up messing up my system.

So, I wait. May be a while though as I've heard that all the major OCLP devs quit. No idea if that is true or not.
 
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One is a phone the other is a computer. The phone's life span is significantly shorter then the computer's. That's all there is to that. Apple is wanting us consumers to buy phones on a faster cadence then their Macs, so they enforce artificial boundaries.
 
eyoungren said:
I've kind of gotten that sense based on posts over in the OCLP subreddit on Reddit. Considering what I will need to do to upgrade to Sequoia and that general sense of things, I don't believe there is any benefit to it.

I have however, used Tahoe (on an M2) and aside from a few things I'm okay with that OS. But right now, OCLP is not compatible with Tahoe - I'd just end up messing up my system.

So, I wait. May be a while though as I've heard that all the major OCLP devs quit. No idea if that is true or not.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I had far fewer issues upgrading to Tahoe. Even the public betas were good!

Sounds like a good call. Don't want to mess up a working system!
 
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eyoungren said:
Apple always prefers that customers are on the latest version of iOS. To that end, a long time ago, they introduced digital signing.
Click to expand...
Minor nitpick: Digital signing exists for all variants of Apple's OSes. It is mainly a way to verify that the OS you just installed has not been tampered with.
But you are correct: Apple revokes the signing certificates only on iOS, not macOS.

eyoungren said:
My understanding is that they are beginning to take that stance with MacOS, but don't quote me on that.
Click to expand...
There are no indications for that - yet. You can freely upgrade and downgrade the macOS without any* restrictions.

*) Minimum and maximum OS are determined by the date of introduction and age, respectively, but maximum OS can be circumvented by using OCLP on Intel Macs - as you know ;-)
 
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vanishing said:
Apple like playing the security card to serve their purposes (much like the privacy card)
Click to expand...

Apple offers the opportunity to use the latest version. More than offer, as you point out, they want you to do so. They maintain the new versions with backward hardare/softare compatibility, up to a point (certian changes to hardware like port advances and 32 versus 64 bit software, etc create caps). It's better for security. Per several other comments, the latest version should work just fine on the poster's phone.

What you call "serve their purposes" serves mine, too. I don't want them wasting money and talented staff on that because a small minority stay on an old OS out of ignorance. Worse is wasting money enabling the stubborn "WHAAAAA, I dont like it!!!" babies. And it's not just the OS. There is a ripple effect on apps and software maintaining bacward compatibility as they update their code.
 
FreakinEurekan said:
News today; Apple is issuing a patch to iOS 18 for devices that support iOS 26:

9to5mac.com

Apple confirms iOS 18 update to fix DarkSword exploit for iOS 26 holdouts - 9to5Mac

According to Wired, Apple will release an iOS 18 update on Wednesday morning to patch vulnerabilities exploited by the DarkSword hack.
9to5mac.com 9to5mac.com
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Thank you. I have just updated to iOS 18.7.7 🙂

I wonder what made them make an exception to normal practices. Maybe a vast number of iOS 18 users on phones capable of iOS 26?
 
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