Were you so keen to try out the new features coming in iOS 27 that you decided to throw caution to the wind and install the iOS beta on your iPhone? Are you regretting it? If you want to return your iPhone to its pre-beta state and get iOS 26 back, here’s what you need to do.

While running the beta of iOS 27 gives you a glimpse of what was to come later in 2026 when the full version launches, it’s a beta, which means that it’s likely to be buggy at best, and at worse it could make your iPhone unusable. Those two reasons are why we advise against installing the iOS beta. If you do need to run the beta then run it on a spare iPhone and make sure that everything it backed up before hand.

If you really want to run the iOS beta and you aren’t a developer, the Public beta release should give a slightly more stable version, but even better, wait for a few months and let Apple iron out the initial, iPhone breaking, issues.

If it’s too late for those words of caution, don’t despair. Read on to find out what to do to remove the developer or public beta for iOS 27.

How easy this process is depends on the stage of the beta testing phase you are at. We’ll start with the complex process for downgrading the beta of iOS 27 to iOS 26, before discussing the easier process of removing iOS 27 beta and leaving the beta program once the final version of iOS 27 is out.

How to go from iOS 27 beta to iOS 26

If you have an archived backup from before you installed the beta you can use that during the recovery steps below.

During the iOS 27 beta period, the only way to return to iOS 26 is to erase your iPhone and reinstall a signed version of iOS 26. Simply erasing the device won’t remove the beta software, and backups created while running iOS 27 beta generally can’t be restored after downgrading.

If you don’t have a backup made before installing the beta, you’ll need to set up your iPhone as new and allow any data stored in iCloud – such as Photos, Contacts, Messages, Notes and Calendars – to sync back to your device.

This is what beta testers need to do to revert to iOS 26.

1.

Restore the iPhone and reinstall the pre-beta iOS via the Finder on macOS

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Generally downgrading from the beta and installing a full version of iOS should be easy enough and the steps below will work. In the early stages of the beta you may find that the software is too buggy though, in which case you may have better luck if you restore your iPhone to factory settings first – as per the steps further down this article.

1. On your Mac (or PC), download the appropriate iOS 26 restore image (IPSW). You can obtain signed IPSW files via Apple’s software update servers (sites such as IPSW.me index these files) Only versions still signed by Apple can be installed, so you will only be able to install the current full version of iOS.
2. Open the Finder on your Mac. (Or Apple Devices app on Windows).
3. Plug in your iPhone.
4. It may be easier to restore your iPhone if you turn off Find My before. Go to Settings and click on your ID information. Tap Find My > Find My iPhone and switch the slider to off. Enter your Apple ID password.
5. Hold down the Option/Alt key and click Restore iPhone. Hold Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) and click Restore iPhone, then select the signed iOS 26 IPSW you downloaded.
6. A message will appear saying which version of iOS you will install. Click to confirm this and wait while your iPhone is restored.

Your iPhone will be set up as a new device, so you will either need to get your hands on a backup or sync the data you want on your iPhone, we’ll explain what to do next below.

2.

Restore your iPhone using an iCloud backup

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Now you have wiped your iPhone and reinstalled the non-beta version of iOS, you can get on with the process of recovering it from a backup prior to your beta adventure if you have one. Note that if the backup was created while your iPhone was running iOS 27 beta, it generally can’t be restored onto a device running iOS 26. You’ll need a backup made before installing the beta, or you’ll need to set up your iPhone as new and allow iCloud-synced data to download.

1. Swipe up from the Welcome screen on your iPhone.
2. Tap on your language and select your country or region.
3. Click on Set Up Manually.
4. Work through the various steps until you get to the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen and tap on From iCloud Backup.
5. Log into your Apple ID and wait while your device signs in.
6. If all available iCloud backups were created while running iOS 27 beta, they won’t be available for restoring to iOS 26. Click on Show More Backups to find an older one. You may be able to locate and use an older backup or a backup from a different device – check which version of iOS the backup is in by tapping on it.
7. Wait while the Restore from iCloud takes place, which could take a while.

If you don’t have a usable backup you may still have a fair amount of your data available to you if you use services like iCloud Photo, Messages in iCloud and iTunes Match or Apple Music. Our How to back up an iPhone or iPad tutorial runs through what is and isn’t included in the backup.

3.

If that doesn’t work, wipe the iPhone using Recovery Mode

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If Finder or Apple Devices won’t let you restore your iPhone normally, you may need to put the iPhone into Recovery Mode and repeat the restore process.

To do thi, connect your iPhone to your Mac (or Windows PC) using a USB cable and open Finder (or the Apple Devices app on Windows).

1. Plug your iPhone into the Mac (or PC).
2. You will need to put your iPhone into Recovery Mode. To do so press the up volume and down volume in quick succession, then press the side button and keep pressing the side button until you see the image of a cable and laptop (expect it to take around 30 seconds).
3. Once your iPhone is in Recovery Mode, on your Mac or PC click on Restore, but at the same time press the Option/Alt key. This will allow you to locate the version of iOS you just downloaded from IPSW.me, as per the steps above.
4. Wait while your iPhone is erased and the non-beta version of iOS is installed. When the process is complete, you can restore a compatible backup or set up your iPhone as new.

How to switch from iOS beta to the full version

Thankfully, once Apple releases the final version of iOS 27 (or iOS 26), switching from the beta to the public release is much easier. You don’t need to erase your iPhone or reinstall iOS. Instead, you can choose to stop receiving beta updates. The steps below apply if you are switching from the iOS 26 beta to iOS 26.

If you’re running the iOS 26 or iOS 27 beta and want to receive only public releases in future, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to General > Software Updates.
3. Tap Beta Updates
4. Switch to Off.
5. Tap Back.
6. If a newer public release is available, you’ll see it listed under Also Available or as the available software update. Tap Update Now to install it.
7. Tap Update Now.

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If you don’t see a public version of the iOS update, don’t worry. This will be because your iPhone is already running the same build as the public release. In that case, you’ll remain on your current version until Apple releases a newer public update, at which point your iPhone will move back onto the normal public update track.

You will find more information below on how to leave the beta program and stop getting beta updates, which you may want to do now the full version has arrived.

We run through How to downgrade an iPhone to an older version of iOS in a separate story.

How to stop getting iOS Beta updates

Even after Apple releases the final version of iOS, it continues to issue beta updates while testing upcoming features and fixes. If you no longer want to receive beta software, you can opt out and return to receiving only public releases.

To stop receiving beta updates:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Software Update.
4. Tap Beta Updates.
5. Select Off.
6. Tap Back.

Now you’ll only receive software updates when Apple pushes them to the general public, roughly once every six weeks, although Apple has no fixed schedule. You can still see that there is a beta update, but your iPhone won’t volunteer to download them unless you switch Beta Updates back on by following the steps above.

You can rejoin the beta program at any time by returning to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and selecting a beta option. For more information see Apple’s guide.

How to leave the beta program

If you want no part of the iOS beta program you can remove your device from it. That way you won’t be able to see any Beta updates, and won’t be tempted to install them.

To leave the iOS beta program, follow these steps on your iPhone:

Remove your device from the iOS beta program.

1. Sign in.
2. Click Leave Program.

If you ever decide you want back into the beta program you can head over to the Apple Beta Software Program site and re-enroll your device. Read more about how to be a beta tester here: How to join Apple’s beta program and try out new software.

We also cover How to remove macOS beta from a Mac.