Many iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users are running iOS 9.1 through the beta program, and while there’s certainly nothing wrong with staying put in the iOS 9.1 seed, some users may wish to revert to iOS 9 instead for a variety of reasons. It should be pointed out downgrading is really not necessary for most, since iOS 9.1 is generally quite stable as is, nonetheless if you do want to run the final iOS 9 build instead this will get you there.
If you’re familiar with downgrading, you’ll see that going to iOS 9 from iOS 9.1 is sort of similar to downgrading to iOS 8.4.1, except that you don’t need to download or use any IPSW files. You will need a computer with a new version of iTunes, and the devices charging USB cable, however.
Note the process of reverting from iOS 9.1 to iOS 9 will also wipe the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You will be able to restore from a prior backup if you have one that is compatible with iOS 9, however. If you don’t, you’ll likely want to stay on iOS 9.1.
How to Downgrade iOS 9.1 to iOS 9
- Make a fresh backup of the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to iCloud or iTunes, preferably both
- Launch iTunes on a Mac or PC, be sure it’s updated to the latest version
- Turn the iOS device off if you haven’t done so yet
- Connect the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the computer with its USB cable while simultaneously holding down the Home button
- Continue holding the Home button until the screen changes to an iTunes logo and a ‘connect to iTunes’ screen, at this time iTunes should alert you that it has detected a device in recovery mode
- Choose “Restore” and iTunes will erase the device and all data
- When finished, the device will reboot as usual and go through the typical set up screen
- Either set up the device as new (without any of your data), or choose to restore from a backup
Once the device has been restored to iOS 9 from iOS 9.1, if you don’t want to receive any more beta versions on the device, you may want to go and delete the beta profile and unenroll the device from the beta program.
Is this necessary? I’d argue no, if you’re on iOS 9.1 you might as well stay there, but some users may find they’d rather be on iOS 9.0 for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to leave the beta program and stop getting beta builds, for compatibility, troubleshooting, or anything else.
And by the way, if you’re on iOS 9.1, you can also downgrade back to iOS 8 by using this method to revert from iOS 9 to iOS 8.4.1, but you will need to get the necessary firmware files for that.