Apple released iOS 11.2.5 with HomePod support, Siri News and other improvements and bug fixes. However, as we reported earlier, Russ Cox of Google who has been credited with a kernel exploit that has been patched has announced that he plans to release the exploit, which has raised hopes of iOS 11.2.2 – iOS 11.2 jailbreak.
If you had upgraded to iOS 11.2.5 but are interested in a jailbreak, then you may want to downgrade iOS 11.2.5 to iOS 11.2.2 as soon as possible before Apple stops signing iOS 11.2.2 firmware file.
Important points
- You will be able to downgrade back only to iOS 11.2.2. You cannot downgrade to the previous versions as Apple has stopped signing the older iOS firmware files.
- One of the golden rules of jailbreaking is to stay where you’re and avoid updating your device to the latest iOS software update to improve your chances of jailbreaking your iOS device. So we wouldn’t recommend to upgrade to iOS 11.2.2 just yet if you’re on iOS 11.1.2 or lower.
Check real-time signing status
To find out if Apple is still signing the firmware file, check this website. Green rows with a tick mean that Apple is still signing the firmware file, and you can downgrade from iOS 11.2.5 to iOS 11.2.2.
METHOD 1
This is a riskier method, but it allows you to downgrade from iOS 11.2.5 to iOS 11.2.2 without losing data. It is also a much faster method than the second method which involves wiping your data and restoring it.
How to Downgrade iOS 11.2.5 to iOS 11.2.2 Without Losing Data
- Turn off Find my iPhone via the Settings app (Settings > iCloud > Find my iPhone).
- Download the iOS 11.2.2 firmware file for your device from our iOS firmware file download page for your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
Note: If you’re downloading the firmware file using Safari then ensure that auto unzip feature is disabled or use Chrome or Firefox. Alternatively, renaming the .zip file as .ipsw file should also work.
- Connect the iOS device running iOS 11.2.5 to your computer.
- Launch iTunes and select the iOS device from the top left corner.
- Then click on Summary in the left-hand sidebar.
- Hold the Alt/Option key on the Mac or Shift Key in Windows on your keyboard and click on the Check for Update option, instead of restoring.
- Select the iOS 11.2.2 ipsw firmware file you had downloaded earlier.
- iTunes will inform that it will update your iOS device to iOS 11.2.2 and will verify the update with Apple.
- Click Update.
- iTunes should now downgrade your iOS device to iOS 11.2.2.
Method 2
This method is a safer method, but it is more time-consuming as it involves restoring data from backup. It is also important to note that you will be able to only restore from the last iOS 11.2.2 or lower compatible backup, and will lose the data since upgrading to iOS 11.2.5.
Notes:
- Please note that in case of method 2 involves wiping your device, and then restoring it from a backup, so it can take some time depending on how much data needs to be recovered and your internet connection (if you’re restoring from an iCloud backup).
- Please use this procedure if you have an iCloud or iTunes backup of your device as it involves wiping your device.
- The standard iCloud and iTunes backup will likely be iOS 11.2-based, so it may not restore properly to an iOS 11.2.2 device. So it is important to have the archived backup you made before installing iOS 11 as we had recommended.
How to Downgrade from iOS 11.2.5 to iOS 11.2.2
- Download the iOS 11.2.2 firmware file for your device from our download page.
Note: If you’re downloading the firmware file using Safari then ensure that auto unzip feature is disabled or use Chrome or Firefox. Alternatively, renaming the .zip file as .ipsw file should also work.
- You now need to put your device in DFU mode (if you want to find out what it means check this post for more details):
- Plug your device into your computer.
- Turn off the device by holding the Sleep/Wake or Power button and swiping it off.
- Hold the power button for 3 seconds.
- Begin holding the Home button without releasing the Sleep/Power button for 10 seconds.
- Release the power button and continue holding the home button until you get a popup from iTunes that it has detected that your device is in Recovery mode.
- Click on the Ok button.
- Hold the Alt/Option key on the Mac or Shift key in Windows on your keyboard and click on the Restore iPhone… (iPad/iPod touch…) button. Note: If you directly click on the Restore iPhone button without holding the Alt/Option key on the Mac or Shift key in Windows will result in restoring your device back to iOS 11.2.5, which is the latest version.
- Select the iOS 11.2.2 IPSW file you had downloaded earlier.
- Then click on the Restore and Update button to continue.
- In the next screen, it will give you information about the iOS 11.2.2 update. Click on the Next button, followed by the Agree button to continue.
- iTunes will now verify the software and install it on your device. It should take around 10 minutes.
- After it is successfully restored to iOS 11.2.2, you should see the white ‘Hello’ screen. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your device, and restore your device from the archived backup you had made to restore your personal data.
That’s it. Your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch should now be successfully downgraded from iOS 11.2.5 to iOS 11.2.2.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you get the error message “This device isn’t eligible for the requested build” then it is probably because you’ve downloaded the wrong firmware file for your device.
Please don’t forget to let us know how it goes in the comments and drop us a line if you any questions or need any help.
