Many consumers are less than thrilled when they updated their Apple device to the new iOS 7 and wanted to go back to their old OS.

Apple started rolling out the iOS 7 yesterday, and some users were disappointed with the update. Just like the previous upgrades, iOS 7 is a one-way street: once you updated you cannot go back.

Usually, Apple does not allow users to downgrade to the previous version of iOS. However, maybe because of the major overhaul in the software, users can still go back to the familiar OS. 9to5Mac taught us how to this, which we reiterate below.

First, it is a must to know whether you can still downgrade back to iOS 6. Apple requires the iTunes servers to approve of any iOS devices being restored. In order to get permission to restore, you have to restore to an approved version of iOS. It is undetermined when Apple will discontinue the approval. Users can check this page to know whether Apple still allows their device to downgrade.

The next step is to get the IPSW for that version. The IPSW is basically a bundle containing the operating system that will be installed on your phone or iPad. You can get the IPSW by clicking on the link in the "Download" column on the page linked above. The file will be downloaded directly from Apple's server.

Once you downloaded the file, open iTunes, plug in your device and hold down the "Shift" key and click the restore button. Navigate to the file you just downloaded and select it. iTunes will then "phone home" and ask Apple's servers if the restoration is approved. If it is, your phone will be downgraded back to iOS 6.

However, it is important to note that most iOS apps have already adapted to the new iOS 7. You can still download the older versions of the apps but will not be able to update them beyond that point and enjoy their new features.

Also, you cannot use an iOS 7 backup on your iOS 6 device. If you do not have an old backup from iOS 6, your old data will be lost except those stored in iCloud.

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