How to Remove a Rapid Security Response Update on iPhone or iPad

May 1, 2023 - 12 Comments

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Apple uses Rapid Security Response Updates to deploy critical fixes to security issues, and these updates are pushed to your iPhone or iPad automatically by default. While this is generally a good thing, since these little micro-updates are installed to protect your device from critical security issues, and installing them does not even require the device to restart, very rarely you may experience an issue after a rapid security response update has been installed on your device.

If you experience difficulties with your iPhone or iPad after a rapid security response update has been installed on your device, read on to learn how you can remove the most recently installed rapid security response update from your iOS or iPadOS device.

How to Remove Rapid Security Response Updates from iPhone & iPad

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Go to “General” and then choose “About”
  3. Tap on the version of iOS / iPadOS shown in the About screen
  4. Choose “Remove Security Response”

That’s it, the most recently installed rapid security response update has been removed from your device.

Keep in mind that removing a rapid security response update may leave the device vulnerable to an active exploit or security issue, which is the entire reason that Apple released the the rapid update patch to begin with. Thus, you will only want to remove the security response updates if you are having problems directly associated with it having been installed on your device.

One of the many perks to these rapid response updates is that they are installed automatically and without requiring a device reboot, which is unlike the typical system software update process on iPhone and iPad, which always requires the device to restart to complete installation of.

The ability to receive (and remove) rapid security response updates is available in iOS/iPadOS 16.4 and newer, earlier versions do not support these features.

What do you think of rapid security response updates on iPhone and iPad? Have you ever had a problem with one of them before? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments.

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Posted by: Jamie Cuevas in iPad, iPhone, Tips & Tricks, Troubleshooting

12 Comments

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  1. Dave says:

    You’re all way to paranoid. My long time cyber genius friends, Hal 9000 and V.I.K.I. both said the same thing all the major outlets on the Internet have been saying: Stop thinking for yourself and install it NOW!

  2. Belinda says:

    Awful. I installed the Rapid Response and it erased over 100 addresses in my Apple Maps app that I had painstakingly entered and organized into guides for a work trip.
    I removed the app but these contacts were not restored.
    Terrible, terrible, terrible.

  3. Grace Lineman says:

    I am happy to report that I have (I hope) successfully UNINSTALLED this ridiculous and intrusive RSR from my phone. I will be seeking a new phone that doesn’t put things on itself without my permission. The damn thing is already too dictatorial. It will give me great pleasure to bin it.

  4. John H says:

    I installed RSR on iPhone 14 today. When I clicked install the phone shut off instantly. Resisted the urge to start clicking side buttons and was getting ready to connect it to power when it came back on. Didn’t have the usual updates message. No problem.

  5. Linda says:

    Wondering if this will be another way to control the masses?

    • Jorge says:

      Without a doubt.

      • Grace Lineman says:

        You are absolutely correct Linda. I have uninstalled RSR on mine and will be seeking a new, less intrusive, phone.

        • Realist says:

          What is the alternative? You will get rid of your iPhone which installs security updates (which you can turn off easily in Settings), and trade it in for an Android which does the same thing except where you can not remove the updates? Android is wide open to the outside world and does not have the security of iPhone, or even close. Also updates on Android are a mess.

          In the duopoly mobile world, you can pick either iPhone or Android. That’s it. iPhone is more expensive and a bit of a class signal (globally and in the USA) and is more secure, whereas Android is low cost and signals accordingly what class an owner is in while being less secure overall because there are so many different manufacturers and versions of Android OS with support being different across all of them. Your best Android experience comes from Samsung or Google directly, but even then it can be a confusing experience.

          The grass is greener because you haven’t been to the other side, but try it out, you will be back if you care about privacy, security, and experience. Would it be nice if there were more than two mobile options, absolutely, but we lost that chance 15+ years ago when Blackberry sank and Windows Phone was abandoned. There are simply no alternatives to iPhone, except Android, and to Android, except iPhone. And if you value security and privacy, iPhone is the only real choice.

      • Grace Lineman says:

        You are absolutely correct Linda. I have uninstalled it in mine.

      • Grace Lineman says:

        You are absolutely correct Linda

  6. Gary says:

    FYI – I installed the Rapid Security Response on my iPad this evening and it did reboot to finish the install.

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