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How to uninstall an iOS beta from your iPhone

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The first official iteration of iOS 11 is finally here, but for some of you, it was already on your phone — at least in beta form. If you’re ready to ditch the beta and upgrade to the real thing, we’ve put together this guide on how to uninstall an iOS beta from your iPhone.

First, back up your phone in the same manner you normally would. To remove the beta, you’ll need to put your iPhone in recovery mode, which means everything on your phone will be erased. Apple’s made the recovery process pretty easy with both iTunes and iCloud, so be sure your backup is recent.

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After you’ve backed up your iPhone, make sure you have the newest version of iTunes installed on your computer. The application will usually notify you when there’s an update available, but if you’ve ignored the updates for awhile, then head to Apple’s download site to install the latest version of the software.

Once you’ve done that, go to Settings and tap the General tab. Once you’re in, go to Profiles and you’ll see the iOS beta under Configuration Profile. Tap on the beta, and hit Remove.

Next, plug your iPhone into your computer via USB while you put your device in recovery mode. If you’re using an iPhone 6S or older, hold the power and home buttons at the same time until the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears. If you’re using an iPhone 7 or newer, press the power button and volume down buttons at the same time until you see the Apple logo.

When you do that, iTunes will tell you that it has detected an iPhone in recovery mode. It will then recommend that you restore your phone, which is what you want to do. Doing so will basically reset your device to its original factory settings, and once done, iTunes will update your phone with the newest operating system available (in this case, iOS 11).

Once your phone is restored, you’ll have to go through the same steps you did when first unboxed your iPhone. Thankfully, you’ll be able to restore your phone to the way you had it — all you have to do is hit the confirmation button when your phone asks if you’d like to restore your backup from iCloud or iTunes.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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David Cogen
David Cogen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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