If you’re an iOS developer, you may have come across situations where you need to revert your iOS version to an earlier, unsigned one. Maybe it’s because you’ve encountered a bug or glitch that is causing problems with your app, or perhaps you want to experiment with a new version of iOS without affecting the users of your app. Whatever the reason may be, reverting to an unsigned iOS version can be tricky.
The Workaround: Using an Xcode Beta Version
One of the easiest ways to revert to an unsigned iOS version is by using an Xcode beta version. By installing an Xcode beta version on your Mac, you can run your app on a virtual device that is running an earlier version of iOS than your current version. This can be an effective way to test your app before it’s released to the public, as well as allowing you to experiment with new versions of iOS without affecting your users.
- Download the Xcode beta version for the version of iOS that you want to revert to.
- Install Xcode on your Mac by double-clicking on the installer file and following the prompts.
- Open Xcode and select “Xcode” from the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Click on “Preferences” and then click on the “Locations” tab.
- In the “Command Line Tools” section, make sure that you have the correct version of the command line tools installed for the version of iOS that you want to revert to.
- Connect your iOS device to your Mac using a USB cable.
- Select your iOS device in Xcode by clicking on it in the “Devices and Simulators” window.
- Select your app from the list of apps on your iOS device.
- Click on the “Run” button in the toolbar at the top of the screen.
- In the “Scheme” dropdown menu, select the Xcode beta version that you want to run your app on.
- Your app should now be running on the earlier version of iOS that you selected.
Pros and Cons of Using an Xcode Beta Version
Using an Xcode beta version has several advantages, including:
- Allowing you to test your app before it’s released to the public, which can help you catch bugs and glitches early on.
- Providing you with a way to experiment with new versions of iOS without affecting your users.
- Giving you access to new features and APIs that may not be available in the current version of iOS.
However, there are also some potential drawbacks to using an Xcode beta version, including:
- The fact that the beta version is still in development, which means it may be buggy or unstable.
- The fact that you won’t be able to distribute your app to the public until the beta version has been released and approved by Apple.
- The fact that you may not have access to all of the features and APIs available in the current version of iOS, which could limit the functionality of your app.
