How to Downgrade iPadOS 16 Beta to iPadOS 15 without Losing Data

Announced at WWDC 2022 iPadOS 16/iOS 16 brings a plethora of cool and long-awaited features, such as the new Lock Screen, Focus Filters, Edit and Unsend Messages, etc., some of these new features are its biggest innovations, making it attractive to Apple users.

However, since it's in early beta, the new feature may bring numerous bugs and glitches. If these bugs bother you, you can downgrade to iOS 15/iPadOS 15. How to downgrade iPadOS beta? Continue to browse this page to find out.

Can I downgrade from iOS 16 beta?

Can you downgrade iPad/iPhone to a previous iOS? Typically, the truth is that Apple doesn't want people downgrading their iPhones/iPads at will, so it will soon stop signing older versions of software when new versions are officially released.

That said, Apple will stop signing iOS/iPadOS 15 anytime iOS/iPadOS 16 is released. Based on past trends, Apple may stop signing iOS/iPadOS 15 sometime in October. So until then, it’s possible to downgrade iPadOS/iOS 16 to iPadOS/iOS 15. But the option won't be available indefinitely, you can only make it when the previous version is still signing.

Note: To downgrade iPhone to a previous iOS, the iOS firmware is needed. You can go to Apple’s IPSW Downloads website to find and download all signed IPSW files. If you want to downgrade iOS 16 to iOS 15, you should download the correct iOS 15 IPSW file.

Things to keep in mind before downgrading from iOS 16 beta to iOS 15

Before downgrading an iOS 16 beta to iOS 15, there are a few tips you should keep in mind:

▶ You need a computer and the latest iTunes version to better downgrade from iOS/iPadOS 16 beta to iOS 15.

▶ To download the IPSW file, you need a fast and stable internet connection.

▶ If you also have watchOS 9 beta installed on your Apple Watch connected to an iPhone/iPad running iOS  or iPadOS 16 beta, you won't be able to fully use it after downgrading to iOS/iPadOS 15, as there’s currently no way to downgrade from watchOS beta to a stable build.

▶ Make sure to manually back up any new documents, images, files, etc. you create while using iOS 16, and then you can redownload these later on iOS 15.

▶ Due to Apple's security settings, restoring an iTunes or iCloud backup created on a higher iOS version to an iPhone running a lower iOS version is not supported.

Preparation: Selectively or fully backup iPhone data

Therefore, in order to protect your data safety, it is recommended to use FoneTool to back up your iPhone before downgrading. Compared to iTunes or iCloud, it offers an easier iPhone/iPad backup and restore solution.

It allows you to preview and select data you want to back up and restore. It is perfectly compatible with the latest iOS or iPadOS 16/15/14, the backup files can be restored to any device that running with different iOS. You can still access newly data after downgrading to iPadOS or iOS 15.

1. Download and install this tool on your computer, plug in your iPad or iPhone.

2. Click Selective Backup option from Phone Backup, choose the type of data you want. You can click each icon to select the items you want to back up.

3. Select a storage path to save the files, then tap Start Backup.

If you want to back up all data, such as apps (data files, preference), Safari (history, bookmarks), system settings, photos, contacts, text messages, music, videos, etc. You can let the Full Backup function help you.

How to downgrade iPadOS 16 beta to iPadOS 15

Once your iPad is backed up, you can downgrade iPadOS 16 beta boldly. Now, in this section, three methods will be provided on how to remove iOS 16 beta. Move on!

Method 1. Remove iPadOS 16 beta profile

The first method is to remove the iOS beta profile from your device, it does not require a computer. Using this way, it will automatically stop the updates of the iOS version and resolve the glitches in the device.

To learn how to downgrade from iOS 16 to iOS 15 without a computer, you need to follow the steps in the exact order given below.

Step 1: Open Settings > tap General > scroll down until you find the Profile option.

Step 2. Click Profile, you will see the iPadOS 16/15/14/13 beta profile.

Step 3. Under the profile, tap on Remove Profile option to delete the profile from your iPad.

After deletion, restart your device and the update will no longer exist. Now, you can choose to wait for the next software update and then install it on your device.

Method 2. How to uninstall iPadOS 16 beta with iTunes

The iTunes app can help you downgrade iPadOS to the version of your choice. Here are the steps to downgrade iPadOS 16 using iTunes.

Step 1. Please make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. Then go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud to turn off Find My iPad.

Step 2. Open a browser of on your PC and download the IPSW file for the iPadOS version you want to downgrade. Here, we need to download the iPadOS 15.5 IPSW file.

Step 3. Go to https://ipsw.me/ > choose the model of your iPad > select the iPadOS 15.5 IPSW file > click Download.

Step 4. Now, launch iTunes and connect your device with your PC > tap the iPad icon > click the Summary > tap on Restore iPad...option.

Step 5. From your computer, choose the IPSW file that you downloaded for your iPadOS version. This process may take some time, so please be patient and wait for the process to complete.

Step 6. Once done, your iPad will restart itself. Now your iPad is downgraded to iPadOS 15.

Method 3. Reset Your iPad to roll back from iPadOS 16 to iPadOS 15

The two methods we mentioned above are in your best interest, as they even prevent your valuable data from being deleted. But there is another way for you to revert iPadOS 15 from iPadOS 16. You can factory reset your iPad to uninstall iPadOS 16 beta, but keep in mind that it also wipes all data on your iPad. So, backing up your iPad is always necessary.

Here are the steps to factory reset an iPad:

1. Go to Settings > General > Reset.

2. Select Erase All Content and Settings.

Now, your iPad will be factory reset, and when it boots up again, iPadOS 16 will be removed. If you have iPadOS 15 installed on your iPad, you're ready to go. But if you have an older version of iPadOS, just update normally.

Conclusion

Hopefully, now you know how to downgrade iPadOS beta. The new iOS/iPadOS 16 is certainly intriguing, but beta versions being tested are often riddled with bugs and glitches. If you regret installing the beta version, you can uninstall it using the method above. However, whether it is before installation or downgrade, it is recommended to back up your device to protect data security.