How to Restore a Newer iOS Backup to an Older iOS Version

[@thomasils616]

Nice tutorial. Just did an iPhone 13 running iOS 18 down to an iPhone 7 running iOS 15.8. Worked as a charm - Thnx !

[@prempathak7065]

Exact same situation. Been trying to restore a backup from iPhone 13 on ios 18 to an iPhone 7 running ios 15.8 but I keep getting "itunes could not restore the iphone because an error occurred" Help please?

[@AppleManiacYT]

@prempathak7065 something got changed in iOS 17, and restoring 17.x or 18.x backups to 16.x or lower fails. I haven’t found a solution yet either, but if/when I do I will make a new updated video

[@sawgiie]

@@AppleManiacYTApple greedy asf for patching this 💀💀

[@philschneider1139]

You seem to be the only one who managed. Can you help please and share how you did it?

[@thomasils616]

I factory reset the old one via cable on iTunes, then took the cable out and startet transferring from the 13 to the 7 via WiFi/BT snapping the picture once prompted. And then it all just went well. There’s no wizard explanation;-) it just worked ;-)

[@mexicanmamba]

IT WORKED!!! Went from 18.2 to 18.0.1

[@akhildeshpande6311]

Was this on the same phone or two different phones?

[@Chyyy2k]

How

[@parttimedude5440]

Thank you so much, this was very healpful ! I was downgrading from IOS 18.0 Dev Beta to IOS 17.5.1

[@callmequockhanh]

does it work bro?

[@kfc4063]

@@callmequockhanh yess

[@AmarZ4373]

@@callmequockhanhyes very helpful

[@AidanSeanMor]

@@callmequockhanh Yes it does

[@FalconsGaming]

How to do this on a PC?

[@AaronRAaron]

I have an older iPhone running iOS 17.7.2 that is backed up to my Mac and a newer iPhone running iOS 18.2. Is there anyway I can restore iOS 17.7.2 to my new iPhone

[@Yazanmahdi]

It says cannot restore because an error has occurred

[@VoiceStory]

Thank you for this tip! Just restored a 17.5.1 backup to 15.8.2 by editing the plist value to 15.8 as suggested.

[@jestem4175]

hey bro, how can u did it work? i didnt can work it iphone 11 (17.2.1) to iphone 7 (15.8.2)

[@masa4680]

@@jestem4175 Have you tried: when you rewrite the plist file, remove the minor version, e.g. "15.8" rather than "15.8.2"

[@harvindkumaar519]

Worked for me on 18.1 to 17.6beta, simply because apple has stopped signed the ipsw for ios 17 for iphone 15.

[@robert-o4t3v]

Made it to application support. Theres no mobile sync in Catalina.

[@quirobangkit2190]

when i clicked back up to computer, the iTunes ask me for chose the encrypted or decrypted back up, which one that i should use for the best result?

[@syytryy]

worked for me, restoring an iphone 11 ios 16.4.1 to iphone 13 pro ios 16.1.1 thank you!

[@Manonfir]

thanks man, worked on 18.1.1 to 18.1

[@cidsx]

I think I did this when going from iOS 12 to 11. Surprisingly it worked

[@TheAppleGuy.]

Will this work if I try and transfer data from iOS 17 to iOS 13.6?

[@86rmb]

I cant find the '%appdata%/Apple/MobileSync/Backup' I type that into file explorer (windows 11 laptop) but nothing comes up

[@sawgiie]

Very late but you’ll have to go to your username folder

[@frylock428]

Does this work when going from 9.3.5 to 6.1.3?

[@xSkipperr]

I tried going from 17.5 ti 15.5 and it didnt work. Tried going to 15.6 and 15.7 aswell but no succes. Gives the error that it cant restore it. Not because its and older version but just a random error. Also I tried changing the serienummer from the old restored phone to the initial device the backup goes to. So the serienumber on which the backup must go on but that did not help aswel. Any tips ?

[@kaansen5254]

same here..

[@BrendonMostert]

How would you make this process work if you no longer have access to the newer iPhone? Can you still access the p-file?

[@masa4680]

The plist file is on your PC, not on your phone.

[@manishkapoor9464]

Doesnt work anymore

[@AnupKumar16]

Thank you! You are a lifesaver.

[@indianvolleyball4461]

No update guys phone was hanging.. my iPhone 13 update now very worst update… pls don’t update your iPhone

[@nhanpham2202]

Thank you so much, this was very healpful ! I was downgrading from IOS 18.0 Dev Beta to IOS 17.5.1, thank so much!!!!!!

[@jestem4175]

didnt work iphone 11 (17.2.1) to iphone 7 (15.8.2)

[@masa4680]

Have you tried: when you rewrite the plist file, remove the minor version, e.g. use "15.8" rather than "15.8.2" ?

[@somfaimark1359]

Yo Sick tutorial! I will try to figure out iOS 17-> 16, I’ll let you know how it goes :)

[@thomasdanter8168]

Any good ?

[@jachymkubis4370]

Hi, any updates on this?

[@TeacherTizzard]

Any fixes figured out going from iOS17 to 16?

[@kabeervasekar]

I am trying it for ipad... Hope it works 🤞

[@ΝίκοςΖησιμόπουλος-ψ9υ]

you are THE man!!! thanks alot!!

[@EDream911]

OMG THANKS SO MUCH YOU HELPED ME SO MUCH OMG

[@RobbieCupples]

Awesome video!!

[@peterdavies4122]

God send - cheers!

[@jeyson583]

I will try it

[@aimanrulez7339]

Patched

[@MateusHacker5048]

Finaly thanx you

[@Flopiphone8]

HEYYY ITS JAY FIRST