Update SE (2020) from iOS 13 to 15.X (not 16)

[brianus]

I've just acquired a 2nd-gen iPhone SE (2020) currently on iOS 13 and I want to update it to iOS 15 - **NOT** the bug-ridden, HomeKit-wasting disaster that is 16 (this is a gift for a resident of my house and I want them to actually be able to use our HomeKit stuff. Everyone else is on 15).

So, is there any way to do this? When I try to update the phone through either the macOS Finder or Software Update on the phone itself, it only offers to update to 16.2; 14 and 15 are completely bypassed. I've seen the thread about updating to 15.7.2 specifically but apparently those instructions are only for phones enrolled in some kind of school or business plan with Apple. And the IPSW files for **ALL** iOS 15 versions are now unsigned (at least for the SE), so any attempt to manually update using one of those files in the Finder is "declined" by Apple.

So, is there any chance at all here (and no, not interested in jailbreaking)?

 

[DuckMe]

Do these things:

1) Make a full backup of your iPhone using Finder or iTunes,

2) Use Finder or iTunes to restore your iPhone through restore ipsw of iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69), (It's still signed at the moment, but that's not normal, Apple can end this signing behavior in the next second, then you won't be able to upgrade to iOS 15 anymore)

3) Upgrade from 15.6 RC1 to latest 15.7.2 using my guide,

4) Restore your backup.


PS: Google "ios 15.6 rc1 19G69 ipsw iphone wiki", you will find the ipsw file you need.

PS2: My guide does not require your iPhone to belong to any school or organization, in fact if your iPhone belongs to an organization it will not work with my guide.

 

[Paddle1]

It's doable but not without jumping through hoops and installing prerelease versions. Apple generally doesn't allow downgrading after a certain point.

 

[komiez]

Ok bumping this in 2023.
Damn I missed out and had no idea bout this til now.
Dunno why I haven't upgraded but think I lost all my files sometimes and forgot to do backup (this was before I started computer science studies haha) and I was afraid of upgrading.
So, latest signed is 17.7.1.

I'm on 13.5.1 ! - Have never jailbreaked anything. There are 2 youtubevideos I watched, one of them had comments it works and also ppl saying it's not working. Seems like there's some polish dude hacking it someways.
Then there's another video from some indian dude talking bout iBackupBot software, blobs and do a restore in that software and then fix some 3rd party kind of sign, it's signed to some third party provider.
Very strange.
Video 1 - will try find.
Video 2

But is there any like BETA version I can install and try, is it the same way with signed and un-sign?
If I have some software that disables the iTunes contact with the server/internet could this work??

Sooo hesistant to upgrade to 17.1 as long as I'm not 100% confident or hear enough cheers for it from ppl here and on reddit..
Really, thanks in advance.

oh and ps. why are there signed versions of Older ios to older phones like my work cellphone is an iphone 7 and can upgrade to 15.7.9?? Can I somehow trick my iphone se 2020 to become an iPhone 8 or so and get ios 15. and then reverse it to iphone se 2020? I mean aka can I do this and Jailbreak it (never done) and then install Cydia or so then install the 15.8 ios I want and then get that, everything cool and then "unjailbreak" it back:
Link reverse jailbreak