How to Block OTA Update on iPhone Without Jailbreak

In many cases, not everyone is willing to upgrade their iPhone to the latest version, well, how can we disable or block this automatic update? We all know that a jailbroken device already automatically deactivates OTA update in settings panel, so the question now is how we can turn off Apple’s OTA Updates without jailbreaking the device.

So the below is a simple tutorial guides you how to do.

How to Disable iPhone OTA Updates Without Jailbreaking

This is a three-fold process. One, disabling check and automated download of new OTA updates. Two, removing badge “1” on Settings app. Three, removing downloaded, but not yet installed OTA packages.

Step 1: Disabling automated checking and download of new OTA updates

You can disable automated downloading of iOS updates by installing the “tvOS Beta Configuration Profile” at the following addresses.

[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://suisreaction.com/app/NOOTA.mobileconfig”]NOOTA.mobileconfig[/button]OR this: [button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”https://oldcat.me/web/NOOTA9.mobileconfig”]NOOTA.mobileconfig[/button]

disable ota1

iPhone checks whether an update is available through a special XML document at mesu.apple.com. This configuration profile redirects the check to only look for beta updates available for the Apple TV. Since your iPhone is not an Apple TV, the redirected catalog check will make your device “believe” iOS is up-to-date.

The configuration profile is valid till December 2016 and cryptographically signed by Apple (in fact, configuration profile that redirects OTA update catalog through “Internal Settings” will fail to install if it is not), therefore, can be trusted. Other than adding a “Feedback” icon that you can dump into any folder at any time, this configuration profile does not negatively affect your iPhone’s performance or battery life. Don’t worry. It is not possible for your phone to suddenly install tvOS.

Alternatively, you can also block “mesu.apple.com” through your router settings. However, as you connect your devices to Wi-Fi hotspots that you do not have control of, this would be rendered uneffective.

Step 2: Removing badge “1” on Settings app

  1. You can remove the “1” badge on Settings app icon through backing up your iPhone, then open up the backup in iBackupBot.
  2. After that, go to /System Files/Home Domain/Library/Preferences, double click to open com.apple.Preferences.plist, locate <key>kBadgedForSoftwareUpdateKey</key> and change its value from <true/> to <false/>. Then locate <key>kBadgedForSoftwareUpdateJumpOnceKey</key> and change its value from <true/> to <false/>. Click save and close the window.
  3. Select com.apple.Preferences.plist file and click Restore in the toolbar. When prompted, untick the third option and only tick “Don’t copy backup” and ”Reboot device after restore (Recommended)”. Then click OK. Your phone will reboot.
  4. Navigate to /System Files/Home Domain/Library/BackBoard in iBackupBot, double click to open applicationState.plist, locate <key>com.apple.Preferences</key> and find the entry <key>SBApplicationBadgeKey</key>. Change <integer>1</integer> to <integer>0</integer>. Click save and close the window.
  5. Select applicationState.plist file and click Restore in the toolbar. When prompted, untick the third option and only tick “Don’t copy backup” and ”Reboot device after restore (Recommended)”. Then click OK. Your phone will reboot.

Your phone’s Settings app will no longer be badged.

Step 3: Removing downloaded, but not yet installed OTA packages

You can remove existing downloaded OTA packages at Settings — General — Storage & iCloud Usage.

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