Apple Forces iOS 26 on Millions of iPhones — Users Lose Downgrade Escape Route

Apple is initiating a significant shift in its mobile ecosystem today, December 22, 2025, by effectively mandating a transition to iOS 26. Millions of iPhone users are at a crossroads as Apple narrows the path for those who wish to remain on iOS 18, pushing the latest firmware as the only viable stable option for compatible devices.

This 'forced update' strategy has sparked a wave of frustration within the Apple community. While many users typically delay major software overhauls to avoid early-release bugs, the window to stay on older, familiar builds is rapidly closing, leaving users to choose between the new "Liquid Glass" redesign and a complex beta-testing workaround.

'Forced Update'

In a report by Six Colors, several iPhone users are reportedly being 'forced' into updating to iOS 26, particularly those with devices that are iOS 26-capable still running on the iOS 18.7.3 version, hoping to delay getting into the major redesign update. This is confirmed in this Apple community discussion posted by a user.

Users are quick to react to this development, considering that the interim iOS 26.1 release, pushed as an automatic update, was initially released to developers (beta). It received negative reviews, with users saying the new iOS was causing battery problems, even rendering some phones unusable.

On the other hand, Apple's release of iOS 26.2 fixes over 20 security vulnerabilities, according to this post on Dev. The newest update on 12 December featured major design upgrades, including the liquid glass customisation feature, menu animations, enhanced safety alerts, and even the AirDrop issue, where devices were set by default to 'everyone,' allowing any device within range to connect to the device without its permission.

In a recent development reported by Forbes, it has been clarified that although some devices running iOS 18 can only update to iOS 26.2, Beta Updates still allow updating to iOS 18.7.3, but only in beta form. Considering that the beta iOS build is a 7GB download, it is still clear that Apple is pushing users towards the new iOS.

Implications: The iOS Ecosystem

iOS 26 updates, along with the noticeable design changes, are described by Apple as 'intelligent experiences' that boast 'improvements to the apps you rely on every day.' Apple Intelligence is also being integrated into more places. Apple also highlights security updates and bug fixes in the update. The option to downgrade to iOS 18 is removed entirely.

That is not to say iOS 26.2 isn't offering more than security fixes and bug patches. The update provides enhancements in several areas, including Apple Music, games, safety alerts, Apple News, podcasts, reminders, and more. The bugs found in FaceTime and the App Store have been fixed.

Here are some of the enhancements as announced by Apple:

• Additional lock screen customisation - users can give the Liquid Glass design the opacity
• Safety Alerts - Enhanced with maps of affected areas and additional safety guidance links
• AirDrop Codes - An extra layer of protection for when sharing files
• Apple Music Library fixes - Making pre-release albums immediately available at their release time
• Games - Backbone and Razer support improved

Users who wish to delay succumbing to the 'mandatory' update can still opt to turn off automatic updates on their devices and say 'no' when an update notification pops up. Whether Apple will cease supporting interim releases is unclear.

The inability to 'go back' may have wreaked havoc on the iOS community, albeit temporarily. While users will have to adjust to the new design, as they do after every major update each year, it's important to note that Apple is constantly addressing security issues.