How to Downgrade iOS Apps to Their Older Versions

While most of the times we are quite contented when developers provide proper updates to their apps, new is not always better. Sometimes new features may break things or may cause compatibility issues with other apps. Even worse, a developer may decide to axe down a feature that you use to love in the newer version. No matter what the reason is, today I’ll show you how you can downgrade to older version of apps on your beloved iPhone and iPad:

Note: This procedure requires you to have a jailbroken iPhone or iPad, so head up to our awesome guide to jailbreaking your iDevice running iOS 10.2 if you haven’t already. 

Download App Admin from Cydia

  • Open Cydia, switch to the “Sources” tab and add the following source:

    https://beta.unlimapps.com/ (Don’t forget the “s” after “http”)

  • After adding the source successfully, navigate to the “Search” tab and search for “App admin” (without the quotes).

  • Now tap “Install” > “Confirm” to initiate the downloading process.

  • Tap on “Restart SpringBoard” to complete the downloading process. App Admin should be successfully installed at this point.

Install Old Versions of iOS Apps using App Admin

App Admin helps to install old version of iOS apps straight from the App Store. Here’s how to downgrade apps to older versions:

  • Navigate to the app you wish to downgrade on the App Store. Long tap on the cloud-like icon and a menu should pop-up.

If you don’t see the cloud-like icon, try long tapping on the “Open” or “Update” button. You should have the current version of the app installed before you can downgrade them.

Note: For non-downloaded apps, tap on the download icon and quickly cancel the download. You should see a cloud icon now.

  • Select “Downgrade” from the menu.

  • It will now list all the older versions available for download. Tap on the version you wish to downgrade to and the download should start automatically.

You may want to search the web if you’re looking for a specific version of the app. Also, keep in mind that the listing of older versions may not be available for every app out there.

Downgrading an app is super-easy, right? Have a look at how I’ve downgraded to the first version of Facebook for iPhone released in 2008!

Of course, downgrading an app (this way back!) isn’t practical, but nonetheless great for amusement!

Some More Tips to Use App Admin

  • If you’ve set the App Store to auto-update apps, the older version may be automatically overridden by a newer version. To prevent this, navigate to the app listing on the App Store, long tap on “Open” and select “Block All Updates“. Of course, this is just for already installed apps.

  • App Admin adds a handy “Tweak” option to popular apps like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Chrome etc. in their App Store listing. This option unveils a list of Cydia tweaks related to the app.

  • There’s not much you can configure in the (already awesome) App Admin, but if you want to anyway, open App Store and switch to the “Updates” tab. Click on the settings gear icon on the top. You can manage blocked updates and disable App Admin temporarily from here.

SEE ALSO: 20 Best Cydia Tweaks To Customize Your iPhone

Downgrade to Older Versions of iOS Apps the Easy Way

If you have Jailbroken your iDevice, there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t install App admin. After all, there’s no telling when a developer decides to axe down a feature you love, or a newly-introduced feature doesn’t work as intended. Can you recall at least one incident when an update ruined an otherwise useful app for you? Sound off in the comments section below!

Comments 1
  • Will says:

    This no no longer works sadly…

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