- As an Apple user, you must know how do you update your iPad, iPhone, and Mac to keep all operations running smoothly
- If your iPhone, iPad, and Mac isn’t updated in a long time, you not only experience poor performance but also risk security threats to your data
- Apple always urges its users to keep their devices up to date with the latest OS to enjoy a flawless and bug-free performance
Updating your devices is crucial for security purposes, and it can also improve performance and fix any known issues. Apple provides frequent software updates for all of its devices, and it’s essential to keep them all up-to-date. These updates deliver software improvements, bug fixes, and new features to enhance functionality and security. So, whether you have a new iPhone 13 Pro Max or an iPhone XS used, you should keep it up to date.
This brief guide will explain how to update your iPhone, iPad, and Mac to the latest software. We’ll start with the star of Apple devices: the iPhone.
How Do You Update Your iPhone?
Before you update your iPhone, you need to know what iOS version it’s running on. If you’re not sure about your iPhone’s current iOS version and wondering how to see what update your iPhone is on, here’s what you need to do:
- Open Settings
- Go to General
- Tap on Software Update
On this screen, you’ll see your device’s current version on iOS. You’ll also find any newly available updates here.
Now that you know your device’s iOS version, you can update your iPhone using different methods. You can update iOS on your iPhone automatically as well as manually. Moreover, you can also update iOS on an iPhone using your computer.
We’ve explained all these methods below:
Update iPhone Automatically
If you’re wondering how to update your iPhone to iOS 15 or iOS 16, the easiest way is to turn on automatic updates.
To turn automatic iOS updates on, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app
- Go to General
- Click Software Update
- Tap Automatic Updates
- Turn on Download iOS Updates and Install iOS Updates
After you’ve turned it on, whenever there’s a new update available, your iPhone will automatically download and install it. However, your iPhone needs to be connected to Wi-Fi and have sufficient charge or be on charging for the new update to install.
Update iPhone Manually
Wondering how to update your iPhone manually? It is an easy method, but instead of your updates installing automatically, you’ll have to do them yourself.
You can check your iPhone for software updates at any time by following these steps:
- Go to Settings
- Open General
- Tap on Software Update
Here, you’ll see the currently installed iOS version and if any update is available. If an update is available, you can choose to download and install it on your device.
Update iPhone Using Your Computer
To update your iPhone using your computer, you will need to have a USB cable that can connect your phone and computer. After connecting your iPhone to your computer, follow one of these methods:
- Mac’s Finder sidebar: Select your iPhone and tap General at the top of the window
- iTunes on Windows PC: Tap on the iPhone button in the top left corner of iTunes and select Summary
After you’ve done one of these, you can click Check for Update and tap Update if there’s one available.
Note: Before updating your iPhone to the latest iOS, make sure you create a back up.
How Do You Update Your iPad?
If you’re wondering how to update your iPad, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap on General
- Tap on Software Update
Here, you can install any available updates.
Now that you know how to update your iPad operating system, you may have a question: What happens if you don’t update your iPad?
If you don’t want to update your iPad, you can live like that for a while. But ultimately, most apps will stop supporting your device’s current iPadOS version. As a result, they’ll not function as flawlessly as they would on a more recent OS. So, it is better to keep your iPad up to date.
How Do You Update Your Mac?
If you’re running macOS Sierra or later, you can easily update your Mac using the App Store. Just open the App Store and click on the Updates tab. Your Mac will automatically check for updates and prompt you to install them.
Wondering how to update your Mac running on an older version of macOS? You can update your older Mac by downloading the most recent macOS installer from the App Store and running it. However, you will need to make sure that your Mac is compatible with the latest version of macOS before proceeding.
To check compatibility, open the App Store and search for the latest macOS update. If the update is compatible with your Mac, you’ll see a button to download it. If not, you’ll see a message saying the update is unavailable for your Mac.
Once you’ve downloaded the installer, double-click on it to begin the installation process, and follow the prompts to complete it. Once the installation is finished, your Mac will be running the latest version of macOS.
What to Do If an OS Update Goes Wrong?
If an update goes wrong, you may need to reinstall the software.
First, try restarting your device and updating again. You can try restoring your device from a backup if that doesn’t work. If that still doesn’t work, you may need to contact Apple Support.
So, can you un-update your Mac, iPad, or iPhone? In most cases, yes.
How To Stay Informed About New Apple OS Updates?
To stay informed about new updates, you can sign up for Apple’s Software Updates. This will send you an email when a new update is released besides sending you a notification on your device.
You can also follow Apple on Twitter or Facebook to get updates on the latest software releases.
