How to Get Rid of iOS 8.0.1, Restore iOS 8

If you lost cellular service or the ability to use Touch ID after updating to iOS 8.0.1 yesterday, you were probably pretty irritated — and rightfully so. Thankfully, Apple has released a workaround that will correct the problem, and promised an iOS 8.0.2 update soon.

Apple said it is "preparing iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue, and will release it as soon as it's ready in the next few days." In the meantime, Apple detailed on its support page how affected users can downgrade using iTunes.

Cupertino pulled iOS 8.0.1 within an hour of its release yesterday after a number of users reported that it disabled their cellular reception and Touch ID. Affected individuals are seeing a dreaded "No Service" banner after downloading the update, and powering the phone off and on does not correct the issue.

It appears that the iOS 8.0.1 problems only affected those on iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, as those are the only two iPhones mentioned by Apple on its support page. MacRumors said that those with an iPhone 4s, 5, 5s, or 5c did not report problems.

If you're among those affected, follow these steps to reinstall iOS 8.

Check that you're using the latest version of iTunes.
Connect your iPhone to iTunes.
Back up your iPhone in iTunes on your Mac or PC. iCloud backups won't restore to earlier versions, including iOS 8.0.
Download the file below that corresponds to your device:
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 Plus
Select the file you just downloaded by doing one of these in iTunes:
Mac: Press the Option key and click Check for Update.
Windows: Press the Shift key and click Check for Update.
Press Update to install iOS 8 on your iPhone.

Note that the Health app will not work in iOS 8 after these steps; Apple said this will be fixed in its upcoming iOS 8.0.2 update.

For more, see PCMag's review of Apple iOS 8 and the slideshow above. Also check out 3 Features You Should Enable in iOS 8, as well as Before and After iOS 8: What's Different?

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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