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Having problems upgrading iOS on your iPhone? Here's what you should check

Most people have no problems updating. If you do, however, here are some tips and tricks to help.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor

Upgrading-related problems are uncommon. Rarely a day goes by, however, that I don't hear from iPhone users who are having issues updating iOS. Sometimes a reboot fixes the issues, and sometimes the problem is a bit more elusive.

If you're having problems updating your iPhone, don't worry! Here are some tips and tricks to help you update your iPhone. 

First off, there are some optional things that I try to do before all updates:

  • Update all apps
  • Reboot the iPhone

Next, there are some requirements:

  • You need at least 6 GB of free storage space
  • The battery must be charged to at least 50 percent (I like to keep the iPhone plugged in to prevent any power issues)
  • You must be connected to a Wi-Fi network (an iPhone 12 or 13 can also use 5G to update)
  • The iPhone cannot be in Low Power Mode
  • The iPhone cannot be connected to a VPN
  • The iPhone cannot be in Airplane mode
  • You cannot update to the latest iOS release if you have a beta version installed

Still not working?

  • Try a different Wi-Fi connection
  • Check the date and time on your iPhone (if this is wrong, the update will fail)

Hopefully, this will get you up and running with the latest iOS release.

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