iPad Air 13-inch (M3, Cellular)
Unsigned iPadOS

iPadOS 26.1 (23B85)

iPad Air 13-inch (M3, Cellular)

iPad15,3,iPad15,4,iPad15,5,iPad15,6_26.1_23B85_Restore.ipsw
Device
iPad Air 13-inch (M3, Cellular)
Identifier
iPad15,6
OS
iPadOS
Version
26.1
Build
23B85
Release Date
2025-11-03
Upload Date
2025-11-01
Size
9.52 GB
Status
Unsigned
SHA1
8a4c1dd6217ef75e06335308473c0bc67f4db9f4
SHA256
cb65468d14165deea641b7f7aa6dc3a73f713bbfe42a2f72d92e5b11a445da6c
MD5
5a3e7bd5c610b0f0aef9fc992b919af9

iPadOS 26.1 Release Notes

Slide Over

  • Slide Over lets you keep a window on top of other windows, and easily hide off screen when not in use
  • Resizable windows in Slide Over let you choose your preferred size and aspect ratio

Local capture

  • Gain control is available for external USB microphones when recording with local capture
  • Option to let you choose where local capture files are saved

This update includes the following features and enhancements:

  • Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
  • Apple Music MiniPlayer swipe gesture to go to the next or previous track
  • Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
  • New Camera setting to turn on or off Lock Screen swipe to open Camera
  • Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
  • Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
  • Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app, now available on iPad

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:

https://support.apple.com/100100

Some features may not be available in all regions or on all iPad models. To learn more, please visit:

https://apple.com/ios/feature-availability/

Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit:

https://support.apple.com/125039

How to Restore iPadOS 26.1 IPSW

🖥

iTunes (Windows / macOS Mojave and older) & Finder (macOS Catalina+)

  1. Download the iPad15,3,iPad15,4,iPad15,5,iPad15,6_26.1_23B85_Restore.ipsw file to your computer.
  2. Connect your iPad Air 13-inch (M3, Cellular) to your computer with a USB cable.
  3. Open Finder (macOS Catalina+) or iTunes (Windows / older macOS) and select your device.
  4. To Update (keeps data): hold Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) and click Check for Update.
  5. To Restore (erases data): hold Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) and click Restore iPhone/iPad.
  6. Navigate to and select the downloaded .ipsw file, then confirm.
  7. Wait for the process to complete — do not disconnect the device.
⚠️ Note: This firmware is no longer signed by Apple. iTunes/Finder may reject the restore. Use a tool like futurerestore if you have saved blobs.
⌨️

idevicerestore (Command Line)

An open-source command-line tool that restores IPSW files without needing iTunes. Useful for advanced users, automation, and custom restore workflows.

  1. Install via Homebrew: brew install idevicerestore
  2. Connect your device and put it into DFU mode.
  3. Run the restore command:
idevicerestore -t iPad15,3,iPad15,4,iPad15,5,iPad15,6_26.1_23B85_Restore.ipsw
Common flags:
-eErase restore (factory reset) -uUpdate restore (keep data) -dEnable debug output -nDry-run — don't actually restore
🔓

futurerestore (Saved Blobs / Downgrade)

futurerestore allows restoring to unsigned firmware like this one when you have saved APTickets (blobs) from a tool like TSSSaver or shsh.host.

  1. Download futurerestore from github.com/futurerestore/futurerestore.
  2. Ensure you have a saved .shsh2 blob for iPadOS 26.1 (23B85) on your iPad Air 13-inch (M3, Cellular).
  3. Put your device into DFU mode and run:
futurerestore -t your_blob.shsh2 --latest-sep --latest-baseband iPad15,3,iPad15,4,iPad15,5,iPad15,6_26.1_23B85_Restore.ipsw
⛔ Warning: Using --latest-sep requires the latest SEP to be compatible with iPadOS 26.1. Always verify compatibility before restoring to avoid a bricked device.
📲

Entering DFU Mode

DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode is required for most manual restores. The button combination varies by device:

iPhone 8 / X and later / iPad with Face ID
Press & release Volume Up → press & release Volume Down → hold Side button until screen goes black → hold Side + Volume Down for 5 s → release Side but keep Volume Down for 10 s.
iPhone 7 / 7 Plus
Hold Side + Volume Down for 8 s → release Side but keep Volume Down for 10 s.
iPhone 6s and earlier / iPad with Home button
Hold Home + Sleep/Wake for 8 s → release Sleep/Wake but keep Home for 10 s.

💡 Tip: In DFU mode the screen stays completely black. If you see the Apple logo or a "Connect to iTunes" screen, you entered Recovery mode instead — try again.

⇓ Download IPSW Firmware (9.52 GB)
iPad Air 13-inch (M3, Cellular)
Other Signed iPadOS Versions
1 items iPadOS 26.1 (23B85)