Apple is no longer signing iOS 13.6.1 so it's iOS 13.7 or nothing for you

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iTunes running on Mac
iTunes running on Mac (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple released iOS 13.7 last week.
  • Today it stopped signing iOS 13.6.1.
  • That means nobody can install the older software, leaving iOS 13.7 the only option.

Apple has today stopped signing iOS 13.6.1, preventing users from installing it. That now leaves iOS 13.7 as the only option for people restoring their devices.

Apple released iOS 13.7 to the public last week after a short beta cycle and it brings an improved COVID-19 Exposure Notification system. The update removes the need for an app to be installed, allowing iOS itself to pull data from local health authorities. It's an important update, and Apple's move will ensure that as many people as possible are using it.

The cessation of iOS 13.6.1 signing means that people can't downgrade to it. That would normally impact jailbreakers specifically, although that is unlikely to be the case in this situation. Apple often stops signing older versions of iOS that have become susceptible to jailbreaks in particular.

Apple still has iOS 14 in the works, of course. The update is in the hands of developers and members of the public beta program right now and it's expected to be launched to everyone else within weeks.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.