Apple Stops Signing iOS 15.4 Following iOS 15.4.1 Release, Downgrading No Longer Possible

Following the March 31 release of iOS 15.4.1, Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.4, the previously available version of iOS that came out earlier in March. As iOS 15.4 is no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version of iOS once you've installed iOS 15.4.1.

iOS 15
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, so it is not unusual that iOS 15.4 is no longer being signed.

iOS 15.4 was a major update featuring support for unlocking an iPhone while wearing a mask, new emoji characters, Universal Control on the iPad, and tons more.

iOS 15.4.1 added a fix for a battery drain issue on the ‌iPhone‌, but more importantly, it addressed AppleAVD issue that could allow an application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple said this exploit may have been actively exploited, so it is a good idea to update to iOS 15.4.1 if you have not done so already.

Apple has also stopped signing tvOS 15.4 and HomePod 15.4 software.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...

Top Rated Comments

Danfango Avatar
50 months ago

Endless updates...more bugs...RedHat 8767092 2000
How dare they inconvenience the user by fixing stuff, protecting the user and improving the product that the user is complaining about!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vanylapep Avatar
50 months ago
It's a trap.

Once you update your phone to 15.4.1, Xcode 13.2.1 won't allow you to deploy to your phone because it only supports 15.4.0. So you update to Xcode 13.3 but your macOS won't allow it because you're on macOS 11.3 but Xcode 13.3 requires macOS 12.0. So you gota buy a new Macbook.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
50 months ago
I finally upgraded to iOS 15.4.1 from iOS 14.8.1 on my iPhone X and 2017 iPad Pro 12.9. I couldn’t stand the nagging at work anymore. The iPhone X feels like a new phone with the upgrade and I do feel the speed difference. On the iPad there isn’t really not much that feels new but its there. The only other iOS device I have not updated because it failed a couple times is my iPhone 6s.

I took that as a warning sign and leave it be. The watchOS 8.5.1 update failed a couple times, but I just put my S3 next to my X before going to bed and updated the next morning.

So, things are going well otherwise. See you back here next year with iOS 16.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
50 months ago
I'm glad Apple does what it can to stop OS fragmentation.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
winxmac Avatar
50 months ago

I finally upgraded to iOS 15.4.1 from iOS 14.8.1 on my iPhone X and 2017 iPad Pro 12.9. I couldn’t stand the nagging at work anymore. The iPhone X feels like a new phone with the upgrade and I do feel the speed difference. On the iPad there isn’t really not much that feels new but its there. The only other iOS device I have not updated because it failed a couple times is my iPhone 6s.

I took that as a warning sign and leave it be. The watchOS 8.5.1 update failed a couple times, but I just put my S3 next to my X before going to bed and updated the next morning.

So, things are going well otherwise. See you back here next year with iOS 16.
I was on iOS 14.8 then upgraded to iOS 15.4 then I saw that iOS 15.3 RC was still signed at that time so I downgraded to it and still on it at the moment... Upgraded and downgraded using IPSW through iTunes...

In the company I work at, I also receive email notification about needing to go to the latest version otherwise access to company resource will not work... I don't have a work-provided phone and I just decided to upgrade...

Also, note to Apple, re-sign the last update of previous versions so if someone cannot afford to buy a newer model, the device they currently have will still be at least useable although with limited app support...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
leicaman Avatar
50 months ago
When the version that they stop signing has two zero day flaws, there's an inescapable reason to stop letting people downgrade to it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)