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dmfresco

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 8, 2002
225
51
Ann Arbor
My iPhone 12 Pro arrived today and I wanted to restore my data from my older iPhone's backup but because the older iPhone was running iOS 14.2 Public beta, I could not back it up. I tried to add my new iPhone into the beta program and added the profile but no matter what I do, I get an error trying to download Public Beta 4. It shows up but has an error. Is this beta incompatible with the iPhone 12 Pro?
 
There’s posts in the iOS 14.2 beta thread where some people got it show up after putting the beta profile on, so there is an OTA build available for it.
 
My iPhone 12 Pro arrived today and I wanted to restore my data from my older iPhone's backup but because the older iPhone was running iOS 14.2 Public beta, I could not back it up. I tried to add my new iPhone into the beta program and added the profile but no matter what I do, I get an error trying to download Public Beta 4. It shows up but has an error. Is this beta incompatible with the iPhone 12 Pro?
Look in settings and delete the iOS 14.2 download. Reboot and check for updates again. Hopefully it will pull down a new copy and install correctly.
 
There’s posts in the iOS 14.2 beta thread where some people got it show up after putting the beta profile on, so there is an OTA build available for it.

I downloaded the OTA file to my Mac. Where does it now go in the Finder so that it will be visible if I connect my iPhone?
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Look in settings and delete the iOS 14.2 download. Reboot and check for updates again. Hopefully it will pull down a new copy and install correctly.

Thanks, but I don't think I even got that far. The download failed at the first request to get it.
 
I downloaded the OTA file to my Mac. Where does it now go in the Finder so that it will be visible if I connect my iPhone?

Hang on, have you downloaded an ipsw file for iOS 14.2? As far as I know, the ipsw isn’t out yet, so if you have one it’s probably the one for another iOS device, which won’t work, as there are different files for different models.

OTA is where you go into settings on the iPhone and go into software update and it will appear there.
 
Not knowing what you meant by OTA, I found this site.


I have the Beta Profile on the iPhone 12 Pro and it sees the 14.2 Public Beta 4, but won't download it to my phone.
OTA is "Over The Air". So in settings>general>software update is where you would go and check for updates. It should download the OTA version of the update. (Must be on wifi) and ask if you want to install it when its finished downloading. The IPSW files are what you would use in iTunes to update. There is no IPSW available yet for iP12 as far as anyone knows.

[Edit] I see your additional info. Sounds like Apple may not have something quite ready or maybe try and reboot phone and try again. Make sure there is no iOS update in settings listed though. If so delete it first.
 
Not knowing what you meant by OTA, I found this site.


I have the Beta Profile on the iPhone 12 Pro and it sees the 14.2 Public Beta 4, but won't download it to my phone.

I’ll be honest, from the way you’re talking, I think you shouldn’t be running a beta and just wait until public release in a few weeks.

The others have given good info though.
 
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The .IPSW files are meant to be used in cases where you have to perform a clean install of the OS. For most people/use cases (even those of us in either the public beta or developer preview programs), performing an OTA update via settings>general>software update is the best course of action. If you go the the Apple public beta landing page and install the beta profile from there, the updates should show up in software update. I would be leery of any IPSW file obtained from a non-Apple site, especially for a phone that was just released yesterday.
 
Perhaps you can just transfer your info from old device to new one using the direct transfer option introduced in iOS 12. Then update it to 14.2 when its available publicly.

This is pretty much I tried to do, but the iOS 14.2 Public Beta backup of my iPhone 11 Pro, was greyed out. I had to go to the most recent back up of it, which was about a month old. That worked out fine except for upgrading to the 14.2 Public Beta.
 
I’ll be honest, from the way you’re talking, I think you shouldn’t be running a beta and just wait until public release in a few weeks.

The others have given good info though.
Your opinion is noted but overstates the impression that I am in over my head. I have run public betas on many devices, iOS and MacOS for many years without too many hiccups. Perhaps unlike you, I don't live and breathe this stuff as much as you and don't hang on every word spoken by Apple. It's why I appreciate the always thoughtful discourse here.
 
Your opinion is noted but overstates the impression that I am in over my head. I have run public betas on many devices, iOS and MacOS for many years without too many hiccups. Perhaps unlike you, I don't live and breathe this stuff as much as you and don't hang on every word spoken by Apple. It's why I appreciate the always thoughtful discourse here.
There was no need for the snark in the last part there, I was making a valid observation, based on you not knowing what OTA meant, which is common terminology for beta testing, Over The Air, and didn't appear to follow when I clarified about going into settings to update, and instead talked about downloading the IPSW file to your computer, which was for one of the other models, since the IPSW for the 12 & 12 Pro were not available at the time, which was why you were getting an error trying to use it.

If you have a valid Beta profile on your iPhone 12, then you just need to go into Software Update, in Settings, as I mentioned before, and it will see the 14.2 beta update (again, via the phone, not via the Mac), install that, then once done, restore from your iCloud backup you have, as once running 14.2, it will now be able to do so. Sbailey4 and dmccloud have also said the same, and this has worked for others, as confirmed in other threads.
 
I am not quite sure why you thought my reply was snarky. I have added, removed, added, removed, and added once again the appropriate Beta profile and the result is always the same as the screenshot from a few minutes ago indicates. So, clearly there is something that is not working as you describe on my phone and it is quite possibly some mistake I have made. Still, the simple act of installing the proper profile as you seem to be advising is not resulting in the the software getting installed on my phone. BTW, I don't recall familiarity with the acronym OTA is a prerequisite for joining the beta program. You have kindly explained what OTA means, but are making a judgment, not a valid observation, in saying that one is contingent on the other.
 

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I am not quite sure why you thought my reply was snarky. I have added, removed, added, removed, and added once again the appropriate Beta profile and the result is always the same as the screenshot from a few minutes ago indicates. So, clearly there is something that is not working as you describe on my phone and it is quite possibly some mistake I have made. Still, the simple act of installing the proper profile as you seem to be advising is not resulting in the the software getting installed on my phone. BTW, I don't recall familiarity with the acronym OTA is a prerequisite for joining the beta program. You have kindly explained what OTA means, but are making a judgment, not a valid observation, in saying that one is contingent on the other.

That screenshot is new information, and helpful. I've not seen that before, but I would recommend using the Feedback app to report it to Apple, as that is something genuinely not right, as others on iPhone 12's have managed to do it fine.
 
I am not quite sure why you thought my reply was snarky. I have added, removed, added, removed, and added once again the appropriate Beta profile and the result is always the same as the screenshot from a few minutes ago indicates. So, clearly there is something that is not working as you describe on my phone and it is quite possibly some mistake I have made. Still, the simple act of installing the proper profile as you seem to be advising is not resulting in the the software getting installed on my phone. BTW, I don't recall familiarity with the acronym OTA is a prerequisite for joining the beta program. You have kindly explained what OTA means, but are making a judgment, not a valid observation, in saying that one is contingent on the other.
Wipe your new phone (General-Reset-Wipe all Content and Settings)
When it reboots set it up as a new phone. Do not try to install anything from any backup or cloud.
Install the IOS Beta Profile on your phone and reboot as instructed
Verify the Beta Profile is installed.
Go to General-Software Update and you should get the message to install 14.2 Beta 4.
After 14.2 Beta 4 installs and the phone reboots, wipe the phone again.
This time, set it up using your most recent backup. Your phone will still have the 14.2 beta on it but the profile will have been deleted. You'll need to install it again if you want to remain on the beta program or just don't and you'll get the IOS 14.2 Public Release when it comes out.
 
Wipe your new phone (General-Reset-Wipe all Content and Settings)
When it reboots set it up as a new phone. Do not try to install anything from any backup or cloud.
Install the IOS Beta Profile on your phone and reboot as instructed
Verify the Beta Profile is installed.
Go to General-Software Update and you should get the message to install 14.2 Beta 4.
After 14.2 Beta 4 installs and the phone reboots, wipe the phone again.
This time, set it up using your most recent backup. Your phone will still have the 14.2 beta on it but the profile will have been deleted. You'll need to install it again if you want to remain on the beta program or just don't and you'll get the IOS 14.2 Public Release when it comes out.
Thanks. I am not sure I want to go through that pain right now. Any theories why it's broken?
 
Thanks. I am not sure I want to go through that pain right now. Any theories why it's broken?
It's not "broken". Sometimes files get corrupted when downloading, not just IOS files, any type of file, hiccup in the internet. You want to fix any corrupted file, you need to get rid of it and download it again. But then, you seem to have a problem with others recommendations and experience. So do what you want.
 
It's not "broken". Sometimes files get corrupted when downloading, not just IOS files, any type of file, hiccup in the internet. You want to fix any corrupted file, you need to get rid of it and download it again. But then, you seem to have a problem with others recommendations and experience. So do what you want.
Thanks, but in my case, It fails before downloading.
 
Thanks for this suggestion. I have the phone connected to a Mac and do not see anything like iOS Beta in the Files folder. Is there another way to check for beta files that I am overlooking?
 
Thanks, but in my case, It fails before downloading.
Have you done step 1 of teeshot44's post? Or have you skipped over that and got straight to point 3 or 4?

Wipe your new phone (General-Reset-Wipe all Content and Settings)
When it reboots set it up as a new phone. Do not try to install anything from any backup or cloud.
Install the IOS Beta Profile on your phone and reboot as instructed
Verify the Beta Profile is installed.
Go to General-Software Update and you should get the message to install 14.2 Beta 4.
After 14.2 Beta 4 installs and the phone reboots, wipe the phone again.
This time, set it up using your most recent backup. Your phone will still have the 14.2 beta on it but the profile will have been deleted. You'll need to install it again if you want to remain on the beta program or just don't and you'll get the IOS 14.2 Public Release when it comes out.
 
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