You may find an app update so annoying that you would prefer to revert to the previous version. We show how this so-called app downgrading works.
You hardly notice some updates, others make significant changes to your favorite app. This can be positive and bring new features, but of course it is not necessary. An update can also remove frequently used functionalities, bring a new but ugly design and more.
Use iTunes
Many iOS users already sync their files in iCloud, but the latest version of an app is always kept here. Fortunately, there is a trick that allows you to restore the previous version of this app via iTunes.
To do this, follow the next steps. First of all, it is important that you always back up your data via iTunes. This is very easy in three steps:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using a Lightning cable and open iTunes;
- Sync your iPhone with iTunes, then select File> Devices> Transfer Purchases. iTunes will now store all the apps and music you have purchased and downloaded in the App Store or iTunes;
- As a last step, make a backup or the backup of these files by going to ‘File> Devices> Make a backup’.
→ Learn more about backing up via iTunes here
How to downgrade the app
After making the backup, you always have the apps and music downloaded by you at hand, should something happen to your iPhone or iPad. You can copy the file folders elsewhere if you want to keep them safe or, for example, want to take them with you on a USB stick.
However, the backup can also be used to restore previous versions of an app. Disconnect your iDevice from your computer and follow the next steps.
- Open the iTunes folder on your desktop and then go to ‘iTunes Media> Mobile Applications’. The easiest way to find this folder is via Spotlight (press cmd + space and search for ‘iTunes Media’ or ‘Mobile Applications’). Here you will find an overview of all currently installed apps, but also previous versions of that app;
- Check which version of the app you want to restore and remove all later released updates in the folder. Then delete you also use the app itself from your iPhone;
- Connect your iPhone to the computer again and go to the ‘Apps’ section in iTunes. Delete the latest version of the app if it is still here and now drag the older version from the Mobile Applications folder to iTunes. Then click in the Apps section on the app you want to put on the iPhone and drag it to the left of the screen on the name of your iPhone.
If you decide at a later stage that you still want to download a newer version of the app, you can of course do so via the App Store. This version will then overwrite the older app. If you are restoring older versions of an app, it is therefore also smart to disable automatic updating. Before you know it, the app will be overwritten by a newer version.
This tip only works if you regularly back up your files. If you don’t do this, iTunes will not have a backup of the app you want to use and it will be a lot more difficult to restore an older version.