How to Downgrade iPadOS Without Losing More Data

Yes, but only if Apple is still signing the older iPadOS version for your exact iPad model. Downgrading normally erases the iPad, and a backup made on newer iPadOS may not restore to the older release, so check signing status and protect your data before downloading an IPSW or starting a restore.

Can you actually install the older iPadOS version you want?

First identify the exact iPad model, then check whether Apple is still signing the iPadOS release you want. An IPSW that is no longer signed cannot normally be restored, even if you have the file and even if the iPad originally shipped with that release.

Find the model number here:

Settings > General > About

Tap the value beside Model Number if necessary to switch between the part number and the model identifier. You can also identify the iPad from its generation, screen size, cellular or Wi-Fi variant, and model number printed on the device or packaging.

Use a reputable IPSW archive such as IPSW.me to look up the exact device identifier. Its signing status should show the target version as signed. Apple’s signing status can change, so check immediately before restoring. Download only an IPSW that matches both the exact iPad model and the desired iPadOS version.

You also need:

• A Mac running Finder, or a Windows PC with Apple Devices or iTunes installed.
• A reliable USB cable and enough time for a large download and restore.
• Your Apple Account password, since Activation Lock may require it.
• Enough free storage for the backup and downloaded IPSW.

Stop if the target version is unsigned or is listed for a different iPad model. There is no supported normal restore method for bypassing that restriction.

Back up the iPad before the downgrade erases it

A downgrade restore generally erases the iPad. Make your backups before connecting it for the restore, and do not assume that one backup contains everything you need.

• Check iCloud Backup here:

Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup

Choose Back Up Now. Leave the iPad on Wi-Fi and power until the backup finishes.

• In Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes, create a local backup and select Encrypt local backup when available. Record the encryption password; without it, you cannot use that backup.
• Confirm that photos and videos have finished syncing to iCloud Photos, or copy them to a Mac, PC, or another storage location.
• Check iCloud Drive and any other cloud services for documents that are still stored only locally. Open the Files app and copy irreplaceable files elsewhere.
• Confirm that contacts, calendars, notes, messages, and Safari data are syncing to the accounts you use.
• Check password-manager synchronization and export or otherwise preserve recovery information according to that service’s instructions.
• Protect authenticator apps separately. Some transfer their accounts through an export or cloud sync; others require each account’s recovery codes or a new-device transfer.
• Make a list of apps that contain local data, such as drawing, recording, editing, or offline database apps. Check each app’s own export or cloud-backup option.

A backup made on newer iPadOS may require that same version or a later one and may not restore to an older iPadOS release. Keep the newer backup, but do not count on it as the only way to recover your data. Data that syncs through iCloud or another service can usually be downloaded after setup; app-specific local data may not be recoverable unless you export it first.

How to downgrade iPadOS with an IPSW restore

Use the normal restore interface first. If the iPad is not recognized, will not begin the restore, or is stuck at the Apple logo, put it into recovery mode and repeat the restore.

1. Turn off Find My iPad. On the iPad, open:

Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPad

Turn it off and enter your Apple Account password if requested. If the iPad cannot start, you may need to remove it from your account through Find My after the erase; Activation Lock can still prevent setup.

2. Download the signed IPSW for your exact iPad model and target iPadOS version. Save the file somewhere easy to find. Do not unzip or rename it.
3. Open Finder on a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, or open Apple Devices on Windows. Use iTunes on Windows if Apple Devices is not installed. Update that software first if it does not recognize the iPad.
4. Connect the iPad to the computer with the USB cable. Select the iPad in Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes and wait for its summary page.

The restore erases the iPad. Confirm that your backups and separate copies of important data are complete before continuing.

5. Start an IPSW restore. On a Mac, hold Option and click Restore iPad. On Windows, hold Shift and click Restore iPad or Restore, depending on the app. Select the downloaded IPSW and confirm the restore.
6. Wait while the computer verifies the file, erases the iPad, installs iPadOS, and restarts it. Do not disconnect the cable or close the computer during this process.

If the normal restore control is unavailable or the iPad is not detected, use recovery mode:

1. On an iPad without a Home button, press and quickly release the volume button nearest the top button, press and quickly release the other volume button, then hold the top button until the recovery-mode screen appears.
2. On an iPad with a Home button, hold the Home button and the top or side button together until the recovery-mode screen appears.
3. Keep holding until the computer shows an option to update or restore. Choose Restore, then use the Mac Option key or Windows Shift key to select the IPSW when the file picker appears.

Recovery mode does not make an unsigned IPSW installable. The exact message varies, but verification failures commonly mean that the version is no longer signed, the file is for another model, or the IPSW is incomplete or damaged.

What to do after the older iPadOS finishes installing

When the restore completes, the iPad should restart to the setup screen. Leave it connected until the computer reports that the process has finished, then complete setup on the iPad.

1. Choose your language, region, Wi-Fi network, and other setup options.
2. Sign in with the Apple Account used on the iPad. Activation Lock may ask for that account even after a successful restore.
3. At the transfer or restore screen, use only a backup that the installed iPadOS version accepts. If the newer backup is rejected, choose to set up the iPad as new rather than repeatedly trying to use it.
4. Sign in to iCloud and other services so synced contacts, calendars, notes, photos, files, passwords, and messages can download.
5. Reinstall apps from the App Store. Restore app-specific data only through that app’s supported sync, import, or backup feature.
6. Copy back files and photos that you preserved separately, then reconnect any accounts or accessories.

Verify the result here:

Settings > General > About

The iPadOS Version value should match the release you installed. Check Wi-Fi, cellular service if applicable, Touch ID or Face ID, Apple Account services, photos, files, messages, passwords, and the apps that contain important local data. Leave the iPad on power and Wi-Fi while cloud content finishes synchronizing; some data may appear gradually rather than immediately.

What if you installed an iPadOS beta or the restore fails?

If the iPad is running an iPadOS beta and you only want to stop receiving beta updates, use Apple’s supported beta-removal process. Open:

Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates

Select Off if that control is available. The iPad then stops offering future beta releases, but it remains on the beta until the next public release catches up.

To leave the beta immediately, Apple’s supported method is to erase and restore the iPad using the current public iPadOS release through Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes. This also removes the beta and generally erases the device. A backup made while running beta software may not restore to the older public release, so preserve synced data and app-specific exports first.

For a failed restore, check the exact model identifier and signing status again. Download the IPSW again if the file may be incomplete, use another USB cable or port, and update Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes. Recovery mode can help with a device that will not start or is not detected normally.

Do not keep retrying an unsupported downgrade. If Apple has stopped signing the target version, or the IPSW does not match the iPad, changing cables or repeating the same restore will not make it authorized. Restore the latest signed version instead, or wait for a supported public release if you are leaving a beta.

Conclusion

The deciding check is Apple’s signing status for your exact iPad model. If the target is signed, back up your data, disable Find My, and use an IPSW restore through Finder or Apple Devices/iTunes, knowing that the restore erases the device. Afterward, verify the installed version and bring back synced or separately exported data rather than assuming a newer backup will work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I downgrade iPadOS without erasing the iPad?

Usually not. Installing an older iPadOS release requires a restore, and a restore generally erases the iPad. Treat any downgrade as an erase operation and back up first.

Why does Finder or iTunes reject my IPSW?

The file may be unsigned, intended for another iPad model, damaged, or incompatible with the restore process. Check the exact model identifier and current signing status, then download the correct IPSW again.

Can I restore a backup made on the newer iPadOS version?

Not always. Newer-version backups may require that newer release or a later one. If the older iPadOS refuses the backup, set up the iPad as new and restore data through iCloud, other sync services, or app-specific exports.