Apple lets you remove the security patches installed by iOS 16’s Rapid Security Response system, which can install patches without having to completely update your iPhone (or even reboot it, in some cases). According to a support document spotted by means of MacRumors, you can uninstall a Rapid Security Response update by going to Settings > General > About and then tapping the iOS version. From there, you will be presented with the “Uninstall Security Update” button.
The document doesn’t give any examples of why you should remove any of the patches, exposing your phone to the vulnerability it protects against. It’s easy to imagine some special circumstances where the feature could be useful, such as if you messed up some special work-related software or management tools. Otherwise, it’s one of those features that most people should probably never use unless they have a very specific reason and fully understand what they’re doing — kind of like the new Extreme Lockdown Mode, which is included to protect users from ” highly sophisticated” targeted cyber attacks.
Rapid Security Response is enabled by default, although you can disable the updates by going to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates and enabling “Security Responses and System Files”. If you do this, you will have to wait for full iOS updates to get the security patches. Again, I would personally advise against disabling the feature unless you have an explicit reason to do so, given the number of recent updates from Apple that have fixed some pretty serious vulnerabilities.
The system is also coming to macOS in Ventura, which hasn’t been officially released – until now Apple’s desktop operating system support documents don’t mention if you can roll back those updates as well.
