Apple Pulls iOS 17.3 Beta 2 Due to Boot Loop Issue

Three hours after releasing the second betas of iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, Apple has pulled the updates from the Developer Center and over the air, meaning they are no longer available to download and install.

iOS 17
Apple has removed the iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 betas after a number of people reported that the software is bricking devices. According to reports on the MacRumors forums, Twitter, and Mastodon, some iPhone owners who updated found their devices stuck in a boot loop.

The only fix to the issue appears to be restoring a stuck device, which is why Apple has pulled the update. Once the bug is addressed, Apple will re-release the beta.

There are reports that suggest the iOS 17.3 boot loop bug could be related to the Back Tap setting. A log shared by developer Guilherme Rambo indicates that a Back Tap setting caused his device to crash, and there have been several other affected users who have Back Tap enabled in some capacity.

Some others who had Back Tap enabled were able to install the update, and others who did not have the feature on had the booting issue, so it is not entirely clear how Back Tap is involved.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...

Top Rated Comments

CarAnalogy Avatar
24 months ago

New Apple Boot Loops® Cereal...
Would someone very talented design the box?
No but ChatGPT can



Attachment Image
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mikejd1 Avatar
24 months ago

This company is a shell of its former self. Nothing but garbage coming out of them the past couple years.
It’s a beta lolz
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
24 months ago

Actually, it's more like an alpha. Beta releases should already be tested well enough that they don't brick significant numbers of devices. Unless you are 2024 Apple and growing sloppier.
It's a developer beta, not even a public beta (which also is a risk to run anyway). It is not intended for production devices for a reason. Just because some members of the public don't understand what a beta is, doesn't mean Apple is labeling it wrong.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
24 months ago
So glad I follow Macrumors. Caught the update before it could install and cancelled it. Thank you for reporting this!!
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
24 months ago

This company is a shell of its former self. Nothing but garbage coming out of them the past couple years.
You mean a shell of the company who released Mac OS X snow leopard with a bug that would erase an entire user’s home folder without warning?
Or how about a shell of the company that pulled a golden master of iOS 4.2 for totally disabling the Wi-Fi capabilities of the iPhone 4?
Or how about a shell of the company that released a version of iOS 8 that disabled cellular data and Touch ID?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slb Avatar
24 months ago

Actually, it's more like an alpha. Beta releases should already be tested well enough that they don't brick significant numbers of devices. Unless you are 2024 Apple and growing sloppier.
This isn't a public beta. It's meant for developers running test devices, not the public.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)