How to update your iPhone

What's important to know

Apple regularly releases updates with bug fixes and improvements, and once a year, big iOS updates with new features. They are quite easy to install, either from the device "over-the-air" or computer.

In this case, starting from iOS 14.5, it is possible to choose whether to stay on the current firmware and receive only important security updates or upgrade to the current version to have the latest software on the device.

This is useful because, despite older iPhones and iPads supporting modern versions of iOS, experience has shown that installing them is not a good idea. It leads to a drop in performance and battery life, so think twice and study the reviews of other users, for example, by watching reviews on YouTube.

When you install an over-the-air update, a certain amount of free space is required to download the firmware files, and if there isn't enough space, iOS may offer to delete voluminous apps automatically. Don't worry and agree - all information will be re-downloaded after the update. If the resources are not enough, try to free the storage yourself.

1. How to update your iPhone automatically

If you have a current model or iPhone 2-3 years old, it's easier not to bother and use the auto-update function. In this case, when a new version of iOS is released, the smartphone will independently download and install it overnight, provided that it is connected to a charger and Wi-Fi.

1. To enable this scenario, open "Settings" and go to "Basic" → "Software Update".
2. Tap on "Auto Update" and make sure the "Download iOS Updates" and "Install iOS Updates" toggle switches are turned on.

2. How to update iPhone manually

This is also a very simple method. Make sure that the iPhone is at least 50% charged and has a stable connection to the Internet via WiFi or cellular network.

1. Go to "Settings" and tap on "Software update available" or go to "Basic" → "Software update."
2. Select "Download and Install" to get a fresh version of your current OS or "Upgrade to iOS …" to upgrade to the next firmware version. Enter your passcode.

Next, confirm installation by agreeing to the terms of use and wait for the process to complete.

3. How to manually update your iPhone using a computer

You'll need a Mac or Windows computer with iTunes and an iPhone connection cable to update in this way. This option comes in handy when errors occur during an over-the-air download or when your smartphone doesn't have enough memory.

Connect your iPhone to your computer with the cable, and then open Finder (on macOS Catalina and later) or iTunes (on earlier versions of macOS or on a Windows PC).

1. Select your iPhone in the sidebar and click "Refresh."
2. Then "Download and Refresh".
3. Then agree to the terms of use by tapping "Accept. Enter the passcode on your mobile device screen and wait for the update to download and install.