Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.2, Downgrading No Longer Possible

Apple last night stopped signing the iOS 17.2 update, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS going forward. iOS 17.2 is no longer being signed following the December 19 release of iOS 17.2.1, an update that brought bug fixes.

iOS 17
It is not unusual that iOS 17.2 is no longer being signed. Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS after new releases in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date and to prevent users from downgrading to older, less secure versions of the ‌iPhone‌ operating system.

The iOS 17.2 update brought the Journal app, spatial video recording on the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models, updates to Messages and Apple Music, and more. Apple did not ever provide details on the bug fixes included in iOS 17.2.1.

Apple is already testing iOS 17.3, an update that is expected to come out later in January.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...

Top Rated Comments

I7guy Avatar
26 months ago
Totally predictable move. Waiting for iOS 17.3.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
26 months ago
Since we’re posting about this, I’ll post again saying I sure do wish they would make point releases of the latest patch level of the last major versions available to older devices which choose not to upgrade even though they are technically eligible.

Like Windows does. Just stating facts.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
26 months ago

Not complaining, big fan, but if you're going to post this article template every time this happens, maybe the verbiage could include an explanation of what "signing" actually is?
They do state what it does. It’s just a word that needs to be learned like any other. It’s easily looked up. The people who care know what it means.

The details are complicated but the idea is simple. Basically iOS asks Apple every time an update is to be installed whether the update’s signature is valid. A signature is part of public key cryptography, a way to verify that the code you have is the same code the vendor sent you.

When Apple stops signing a version, it means that when iOS asks, Apple says no. So iOS does not allow the update to be installed.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)