Apple Stops Signing iOS/iPadOS 17.5, Preventing Installation or Downgrade to This Version

Apple released the official version of iOS/iPadOS 17.5 on May 14, marking it as a significant update in the iOS 17.x series. This update introduced a repair mode in the Find My feature, design improvements, and the side-loading functionality for apps in the European market.

Despite being a major update, iOS 17.5 faced significant issues, including reports from some users that photos deleted years ago reappeared in their albums, raising considerable security concerns.

Apple later clarified that this issue was not related to iCloud Photo syncing but was due to corrupted database entries in the Photos app. iOS 17.5's reading of these corrupted entries led to the reappearance of the photos.

The effectiveness of this explanation in alleviating concerns remains questionable, especially since rumors suggest that version 17.5.1 merely removed the code that displayed the deleted photos without addressing the underlying problem.

Following tradition, Apple has now ceased signing iOS 17.5. This means Apple's servers no longer authenticate this version, preventing users from installing or downgrading to iOS 17.5 through device restoration.

As a result, the only version currently available for installation is iOS 17.5.1. Thus, users looking to restore their devices have no choice but to use iOS 17.5.1.