Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.6.1: What It Means for You

If you've been thinking about downgrading your iPhone or iPad, it’s worth noting that Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 17.6.1, meaning you can no longer downgrade or restore to that firmware version. Once Apple stops signing a particular version, it’s essentially locked out, preventing users from going back to it.

What Does This Mean for You?

Right now, iOS 18.0 is the latest firmware, and if you accidentally update or restore your device, that’s the version you’ll find yourself on. For most users, that’s fine, as it brings all the latest features and security updates. However, if you’re part of the jailbreaking community or just prefer to stick with older firmware, it’s a different story.

Jailbreaking and Firmware Versions

For those interested in jailbreaking, the general rule is to stay on the lowest firmware possible to increase your chances of being able to jailbreak your device. Here’s a quick rundown of the current jailbreak situation:

• unc0ver jailbreak and Taurine jailbreak support iOS 14 - 14.3 devices.
• unc0ver has also been updated with the Fugu14 untether, which supports iOS 14.3 - 14.5.1.
• Fugu15 jailbreak has been released for developers on iOS 15.
• Fugu15 Max jailbreak is available in beta for A12 - A15 devices running iOS 15.0 through iOS 15.4.1.
• Dopamine 2.2 is a semi-untethered jailbreak released for M1/A14 and earlier devices on iOS 16.5.1 or lower.
• palera1n jailbreak has been updated with iPadOS 18 and iOS 17.3.1 support for A11 devices and lower.

If you're holding out for a future jailbreak, staying on lower firmware versions is typically advised, as newer updates often close loopholes that jailbreaks exploit.

What’s Next?

iOS 18.1 beta 5 has already been seeded to developers, so we expect the official iOS 18.1 update to be released soon. For those who prefer to avoid updates, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the latest jailbreak news and stay on the lowest possible firmware.

For now, if you’re running iOS 17.6.1 or lower and haven’t yet updated, be cautious about hitting that update button if jailbreaking is important to you. Once you’re on iOS 18, there’s no going back!

Are you someone who loves to jailbreak or do you prefer to stay on the latest iOS version? Let us know how you handle firmware updates and what you think about Apple stopping the signing of iOS 17.6.1!