How to update iOS on an iPhone

Before upgrade

Before carrying out the update process as such, it is important to take into account different aspects for it to be a success. You do not have to limit yourself only to making the update within Settings, since you have to be quite forward-looking as we tell you below.

Create a backup

This is a vital operation before doing an operating system update. With a backup you have a copy of all the information that you have inside the iPhone, such as the contacts or all the local files that exist, and even the applications that you have installed. It is really valuable, because in the event that something goes wrong when updating, you can have your iPhone as it started thanks to this copy.

There are many systems that can be found to carry out this operation. The most typical is to make the copy in iCloud, as long as you have available storage to be able to upload all the necessary information. But if not, you can always back it up to a Mac with Finder , or a PC with iTunes. At all times you must remember the method used, since this same you must use it in the event that you need to restore all this information. As iCloud backup is the most typical, we will tell you the steps to follow in this situation:

1. Connect the iPhone to the Wifi network.
2. Go to Settings> Tap on your name> iCloud.
3. Tap on iCloud Backup.
4. Tap on Back up now.

Stay connected to the Wifi network

Of course, when the iOS update is going to be carried out, it is always necessary to download it from Apple’s servers. In this case, the weight of the files can be considerable and that is why it is not recommended in any case to download through mobile data. It can lead to excessive consumption of the data rate and above all, it can be an unstable connection.

There are many cases where updates have not been fully downloaded precisely due to the use of a mobile data plan. That is why this stable connection is always required, also to achieve a much higher download speed. Although it must be taken into account that if we talk about an update that is quite recent, the slow download will shine.

It is important to have the iPhone charged and plugged into the power

One of the requirements that Apple establishes to be able to update an iPhone is to have a minimum battery. In the event that the battery is very low, the update will not start, as it may end up generating various errors. In this situation, you always have to have the minimum load established, which is normally 50% , but you also have to have the device connected to the electrical current.

All this is because the update is a process that can consume a lot of electrical energy. This makes it necessary for the supply to be carried out through the electrical connection with a minimum of 5 W of power . In these cases, the use of wireless chargers is limited as they are not completely efficient. In these cases it can be verified that the energy expenditure is greater than the energy that enters. This is completely inefficient, and that is why if you load with this system, a minimum of 50% will be required to start the installation. What you want to avoid with all this is the generation of problems in the event that the update cannot be completed due to lack of power.

All the ways to update iPhone

Once the above recommendations have been taken into account, you can proceed with the update as such to the most recent version. Obviously, the first thing to keep in mind is that there is always a compatible and recent update present in order to carry out this process. If so, we will tell you the different ways that exist to carry out this operation.

Wirelessly

One of the most used processes to be able to carry out the update of an iPhone does not want any cables. This is what is known as an OTA update. The process is really simple, as it is done through the device settings and everything is automatic. Specifically, to begin the search and installation process, the following steps must be followed:

1. Plug the device into a power outlet, and connect it to the internet via Wifi.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Head over to General.
4. Click on Software update .
5. If an update is available, update information such as weight or available description will appear.
6. Choose the available software update to install, if there are two versions.
7. Click on Download and install . Here the download process will start.
8. Enter the iPhone unlock code.
9. Click on Install Now .

As previously mentioned, here the download process can vary quite a bit. Above all we refer to the time consumed. The company does not offer in any case a timer with the time that is needed, since it is very variable. You can see a loading bar, which in many cases you will see that it is completely frozen. That is why you should reserve a part of your time to be controlling the update process that is not especially fast .

Using a Mac or PC

Another method that exists to update the iPhone is through a computer. Whether it is a Mac or a PC, this process will always be able to be carried out in a more secure way. In this case, the update is downloaded to the computer in question and ends up being transferred to the iPhone through the cable that makes the connection, which is mandatory.

In the event that you have a Mac with macOS Catalina or a later version, you should know that it is mandatory to use Finder in order to update. Simply, you will have to follow the following steps:

1. Connect iPhone to Mac.
2. Open the Finder window.
3. Select the device in the left sidebar of the Finder window.
4. Click General and then Check for Update.
5. Click Download and update.
6. Enter the access code.

But obviously this does not happen if we are talking about a Mac that has a lower version than Catalina, or we are simply referring to a PC. In these two situations you will need to use iTunes to download and install the update. Before starting in these cases, you always have to check that you have the latest update available for the program, and once this is done, follow the following steps:

1. Open iTunes on your Mac or PC.
2. Connect iPhone to computer.
3. Click the device button on the iTunes toolbar.
4. Click Check for update.
5. Click on Download and update .
6. Enter the access code.

Automatic Updates

One of the features that can be found in iOS is the automatic update. This is a function that can be activated in the initial configuration of an iPhone, although it can also be configured later. Keep in mind that updates are always performed at night and when the iPhone is connected to the charger. In this way, the device can be updated without you knowing about it. To configure it in case you did not do it at the beginning, you simply have to follow the following steps:

1. Go to Settings> General> Software update.
2. Press Updates automatically and turn on Download iOS updates .
3. Turn on Install iOS updates .

Problems that may arise

It is a reality that any installation process has a percentage of failure. This can cause the update to fail to install for many reasons. Below we analyze those that are most important and above all that are more common. It is something really crucial, since the company always recommends having the latest version of software available installed.

Insufficient storage

One of the most frequent failures that can occur is the lack of storage. In the event that there is a large amount of information on the device, either from applications or local files, the update will not be able to be downloaded or installed. In this case, you will see a pop-up notice requesting the deletion of information in order to continue with the installation process.

In this case, you can make use of the native iOS tools in which large files are automatically scanned to eliminate them. But the most typical thing in these cases is always to resort to the elimination of the applications that you do not use normally. In this case you can also find tools to determine the use that are given to the applications. In this way, it will always be able to help you to have the essential apps.

Failure to connect to the server

When the update is requested, it is automatically downloaded from Apple’s servers. This is something that happens whether you update via OTA or use a computer. The connection to this Apple server can sometimes end up failing, and it makes some updates that cannot be installed via OTA. In this way, the device itself will require you to install it using the Finder or iTunes to ensure that you are doing it correctly.

This is something that can happen especially when using VPN or proxy connections. In these cases there are almost always different incompatibilities, since Apple requires a connection that is as clean as possible. In these cases, you must choose to deactivate the VPN that you have activated on your device. But also the healthiest thing can get to make use of a computer to be able to carry out the download.

Frozen update

This is something that can become frustrating during the installation process. Basically, when the data is being overwritten, the iPhone may encounter a bug that prevents it from continuing with the installation. In these cases, what is caused is that the hateful black screen update becomes infinite and you cannot get out of it. As annoying as it can be, if you have been proactive, you may not have to miss any data.

Faced with this problem that can cause the update not to complete completely, you are going to be forced to format the device completely. This is something easy, since you simply have to access DFU mode and be detected as a computer in recovery by the Mac or PC. In this way, the update file will simply be downloaded again and it will be applied from the hill, previously deleting everything there was. It is important in these situations backup copies, because in this way you will not lose information if this failure occurs.