It’s too late to turn back if you’ve upgraded to iOS 11

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Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in iOS 11 control center
Apple has stopped signing iOS 10.3.3.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Downloaded iOS 11 but found that you don’t like it for whatever reason? Well, too bad — because Apple has officially done away with the ability to let you downgrade back to iOS 10.

As it usually does following the release of refreshed versions of iOS, Apple’s stopped signing iOS 10.3.3, last year’s final version of Apple’s iPad and iPhone operating system. While Apple always gives a brief window to let you downgrade to the previous version should you want, that window has now closed for iOS 10.

iOS 10.3.3 rolled out in July. The release fixed a serious vulnerability in the Wi-Fi chips used in iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices, allowing an attacker to remotely take control of your device over a wireless network.

Stopping signing the update means that there is now no way to turn back from iOS 11. That means that, if you’re running an older handset which may struggle with iOS 11 (iPhone 5s, we’re looking at you!), make sure you don’t accidentally update your software as there will be no option to return things to how they were before.

The iOS 11 story so far

iOS 11 adds a host of new features, including updated Control Center, new Notification Center, and more. Since iOS 11 first dropped, Apple has released two subsequent software updates: the first one fixing some minor bugs, and the second fixing the crackling earpiece issue on certain iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus handsets.

At present, according to data analytics company Mixpanel, iOS 11 is installed on roughly 40.55 percent of eligible iOS devices. That’s slightly slower than last year’s iOS 10 update, which managed to show up on 48.16 percent of devices after the same period following release.

Have you upgraded to iOS 11 yet? Are you avoiding doing so and, if you are, why is that? Let us know your circumstances in the comments below.

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