Update October 17, 2016: Apple has just released iOS 10.0.3 for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with a fix for cellular connectivity problems. You can download iOS 10.0.3 using the same procedures as previous updates. Details below!
How do I install iOS 10? Here's how!
You can delete built-in apps, control all your smart-home devices from one app, use Siri with third-party apps, and a whole lot more in iOS 10! Here's how to download and install the update on your iPhone or iPad
- How to install iOS 10 using Software Update on your iPhone or iPad
- How to install iOS 10 using iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC
- How to make sure you have the release version of iOS 10
How to install iOS 10 using Software Update on your iPhone or iPad
The easiest way for most people to download iOS 10 is over-the-air, directly on their device. It's fast, it's efficient, and it's simple to do.
- Make sure you have a recent iCloud backup.
- Launch Settings from your Home screen.
- Tap on General.
Tap on Software Update.
- Tap on Download and Install.
- Enter your Passcode, if prompted.
- Tap Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
Tap Agree again to confirm.
The download will begin automatically. If the download does not begin right away, you may see a notice: "Preparing to download." Give it a couple of minutes and the download will begin shortly.
How to install iOS 10 using iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC
If you have limited space on your device or software update isn't working for whatever reason, you can update using iTunes.
- Make sure you have a recent iTunes backup. Make it encrypted so all your password and other private data is preserved.
- Launch iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC.
- Plug your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in using your USB to Lightning or USB to 30-pin Dock cable.
- Click on the device icon at the top left to go to the device tab.
- Click on Check for Update in the Summary pane.
- Click on Download and Update
- Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Enter the Passcode on your iPhone or iPad, if prompted.
How to make sure you have the release version of iOS 10
If you're running a the developer or public beta, Apple might push you an update if the build numbers are different (we're still checking on that). If for some reason nothing else works, you can always force an update at any time if you're willing to go through the trouble:
- Make sure you have a recent iTunes backup. Make it encrypted so all your password and other private data is preserved.
- Launch iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC
- Plug your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in using your USB to Lightning or USB to 30-pin Dock cable.
- Click on the device icon at the top left to go to the device tab.
- Click on Restore in the Summary pane.
- Confirm that you want to restore.
- Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Enter the Passcode on your iPhone or iPad, if prompted.
Reader comments
How to download and install iOS 10.0.3 on your iPhone or iPad
Anyone else having weird results when plugging into iTunes for a non-OTA update? On my MacBook it's telling me to update to 9.2.1 on both my iPad Air 2 and my iPhone 6s+ ... even though both are running 9.2.1.
Yup, it indicates iOS 9.2.1. However, it will download iOS 9.3.
That happened to me when 9.2.1 had just came out when I got my 6s Plus, but it was fine with 9.3.2. Just finished updating my 6s Plus and in the middle of updating my sister's 6s Plus to 9.3.2
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Downloading 9.3 now on my iPhone 6
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i'm downloading OTA via iPhone 6 Plus
Via iTunes is better.
Why? It installs faster OTA as it downloads directly through the phone
What kind of crap is this? The 3D Touch shortcuts for Weather app is not there for me! And not the new shortcuts for AppStore not iTunes! Is this another region-restricted update?!
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Why does it every time, Apple .com expect me to download another unapproved update? After experiencing a psycho apps opening on its own without me physically engaging with my finger, I had to repeatedly remove the offending update only to have the whole dang thing updated despite my anguish and protest. AND now this, a money grubbing, heart pounding finale, fully sponsored by your neighborhood Apple tree. WIth the worms included. Bah Humbug!
I know this is 4 months old but can we still nominate this post for "Most Idiotic". At least "Most Misinformed"
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Hello, I am still new to iOS, coming from Windows Phone, then Android before that. I have the 6s Plus, about to install the update. My question is, how does installing the update through iTunes on a PC help with storage than updating OTA?
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When installing iOS updates using iTunes, it's a complete install as your firmware is upgraded than if you update OTA and you save some storage space on your iOS device updating via iTunes. The only advantage of updating OTA is it's a faster update, that's it.
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How do you know if a firmware update is available so I can update via iTunes vs OTA? Also, if a firmware update is available but I already updated iOS OTA how can I update the firmware? Thanks.
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What I understood is that if you update iOS OTA, is going to be faster but it will take more storage because of file substitution. If you do via iTunes, it will be like a firmware update, but not necessarily a "firmware update", and that's because you download the entire iOS firmware and iTunes flash it directly to your device. I'm not an expert but i think updating via iTunes would be better because it wipes and rewrite the OS completely rather than leaving OS garbage. Again I'm not an expert so I could be wrong.
Updating through the phone won't leave any garbage, installation files get removed after installation, this is standard procedure for OS updates. Unless you can find proof that it leaves files behind, it's safe to say that the only benefit updating through iTunes has is that it uses up less storage. I personally prefer OTA because of the speed, plus I don't need to be tethered to a computer (with iTunes) while it's doing it
Anyone running the update on an iPhone 5? Mine automatically downloaded it and says it's ready for install, but I'm not sure it's gonna be good for it. Every update on an older phone like this worries me. BTW, is there a way to shut off auto updating?
Should be a way to change it in the phones general settings.
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Apple does test this on all devices that it gets pushed out to. The testing isn't always perfect, but if it's not they will soon push out another
Just came over from Android a month ago, and updates are a breeze. I'm not sure if iMore is targeting less technical readers, and I don't want to come across as an expert when I'm actually quite new to iOS. When I first got my 6s, it had shipped with 9.3, so updating to 9.3.1 was a breeze. My phone was new, and it was my first iPhone, so I was looking at all the settings. First thing I do with any phone (or ROM, on Android). So I saw that there was an update, and applied it. Yesterday, it was just as easy as going back to the same place. I didn't recall the exact path (and I still don't) but it was no problem at all.
Have we always (since 9.3) been able to swipe down on the main screen to access search? I know search is on the leftmost page, but either I never swiped down before or it's new. Probably the former. I mean, I knew you could drag the status bar down (or do you call it something different in iOS) and, like Android, you get your notifications, but I mean dragging down below that. Probably always been there. I'm probably just a newbie discovering something. But it was new to me.
Newer IOS user here. Yes, the swipe down to search (I think it's called Spotlight) has been there for a while. They took it away with IOS8? but I think brought it back with IOS9.
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No, downswipe Spotlight Search was in iOS 8 as well. The leftmost search page (personally wish I could disable that since I never use it) is new for iOS 9.
Plz help me my ipad cloud lock
RIP iOS 9.3.3 Jailbreak!!!!! ****** Apple, I HATE YOU!
You are not forced to update, if you are jailbreaking you really should know this by now.
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You are quite welcome to leave your iPhone open to hackers who will take your indentity and your money.
Jailbreaking is nice to have, and as long as you don't install any dodgy apps you will still have pretty much the same security as you would have unjailbroken (for the version that you're running).
Android is that way if you'd prefer.
If you're a jailbreaker the first rule is don't update before checking there's a jailbreak compatible with your version. I use this website to check: https://canijailbreak.com
I tried to update through iTunes about an hour ago and got an error message. Guess I'll try it again this afternoon.
If it still errors just try it OTA :)
9.3.4 is Apple's response to the 9.3.3 jailbreak. If you have recently jailbroken your phone, do not install this update!
Did you read the release notes? Did you notice who Apple credited with the find? It was Team Pangu. So of course it kills the jailbreak. Duh!
iOS engineer to colleagues, “Hey guys I was taking a look at the new jailbreak and guess what I found? Well, lookie here. This is how they got in. Gee thanks Team Pangu!” We’ll fix that right away.
You jailbreakers aren’t very smart are you.
If you were a little bit smarter, you would realize that you and I are saying the same thing.
I know. Security and stability mean nothing to your ilk. It’s all about bragging to your little brother how smart you are. Your identity probably isn’t worth stealing in the first place.
You basically just made jailbreakers out to be idiots just because they want to open their phone up. I love iOS, I love the stability, the smoothness and the quality and quantity of great apps on the App Store. But I do also love the openness of Android. Jailbreaking gives the best of both worlds. I used to jailbreak back in the days of the iPhone 3G, these days I'm ok with being unjailbroken but I can understand why people would still want to. You can still have security and stability with a jailbreak, just be careful of what apps you install
Try getting a clue. Apple doesn’t give a rat’s dirty behind about jailbreakers or how many of you do it for whatever reasons. They are using the jailbreak developers as security researchers these days. When a jailbreak comes out you can bet your paycheck Apple engineers are on it like leeches to see how it works. That’s how they found this flaw and they even credited Team Pangu for the find. Hilarious!
You can thank the jailbreak community for all the new features that you currently aren't enjoying on your phone, but will be enjoying in a few years when Apple's developers get around to "inventing" them.
+1. I can't count how many times I saw something in the jailbreak scene get ridiculously popular, then suddenly in the next major iOS version it was included in the OS
OTA update ran smoothly and quick. Only a 25MB update.
iPhone 6
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Ha ha I think I'll wait until see how many bugs are in this one I just updated to the most recent one I thought Other day.
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There usually isn't really any bugs in minor releases, they're usually designed to fix prior bugs, and obviously there's security patches as well. Going from iOS 7 to 8, or 8 to 9, or 9 to 10, major releases, you're gonna see some bugs
Just updated my 6s Plus to 9.3.4, Apple mean business in clamping on jailbreaking.
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I'd love to know what the "performance enhancements" and "bug fixes" for this update are (especially since Apple did not state there was any of either). This patch is just a security update to fix the latest Jailbreak exploit.
I hope this fixes the health app. Since the last update last week (9.3.3) the Apple health app stopped and won't record distances for my daily walks. Rick
Rene, this article is an example of the new iMore not quite working as expected for more savvy readers. The news is that 9.3.4 was released but that isn't in the title. The title is perfect as a how-to article but I went to another Mac news website to confirm that 9.3.4 is a new update and officially released. Later I saw that the news is in the how-to article but I'm competent in installing updates so I have no reason to read the how-to article.
Same here. When I went looking for it Apple hadn't updated their support site with the release notes either.
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Haha why should I update when the jailbreak for 9.3.3 is out????
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That's probably why Apple released a new version ;)
Do you realise that jailbreaks are only possible because of a security flaw in that version of the OS? So you are "ha ha ha"-ppy that you have a vulnerable device?
https://media.blackhat.com/bh-us-11/Esser/BH_US_11_Esser_Exploiting_The_...
And did you know patches for these vulnerabilities are also available on Cydia after Jailbreaking (I.E. TIFF Diasbler), so yes you are correct that Jailbreaking is a result of vulnerabilities, but to say the device is completely vulnerable on just the jailbreak alone is kind of wrong here.
Out of all the years of being Jailbroken I never have had any security issues.
In the end, it's the same as using a PC: it's you do with that the device that counts.
+1. All jailbreaking does is give users freedom, like you would have with a desktop computer
Why hate on jailbreakers? Is it wrong that people want to be able to do whatever they want with a device that they paid so much for?
I have been using iPhone ever since the iPhone 3G which I love. What I don't seem to understand is that the iOS software and a lot of their apps now always have update to it like every week almost and I honestly don't know if it's making the phone better or worse but o just know I don't see much of a difference.
Updates come as they're needed or if there's a jailbreak that comes out. They will overall make it better, if you can't see a difference it's most likely fixing a bug that you haven't come across
Don't know why this got downvoted. I guess some people don't like updates?
Smooth update to 9.3.5.
Please stop posting these types of articles, we are all smart enough to use a iphone.
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Sadly not everyone. That's why these articles exist to help maybe first time buyers and those that are not tech savvy.
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9.3.4 rendered my Google Maps and Google calendar useless. Kept crashing. Now after resetting my phone to fix it, I think I will steer clear of this one.
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I don't know why I keep coming back to this site. There's no news anymore, just fanboy articles and adverts. If you weren't so scared about upsetting the company you report on you'd tell us what really is in 9.3.5. I don't need to know it's out if you can't tell me anything more than the incoming stream of nags that my idevices are going to start badgering me with.
I think this article will explain it.
I have to admit though that it's disappointing that I get more info about this vulnerability from the BBC than here.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37185544
Thanks for this.
It's iOS for Dummies here now. If you want well thought out and informative content, look some where else. Like literally anywhere else...
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Then why do you come back? Just to tell people you don't like it anymore?
This site has gone to ****
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But yet, here you are, still here but shitposting
Plus you still use the app!!
Why do people jailbreak their phones? What are the benefits of doing this?
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Making your phone unique. Themes, new features etc.
It gives you the freedom to bypass any of Apple's restrictions. So you can have access to the filesystem, install apps that are not from the App Store like emulators for example. Apps can directly integrate themselves within the OS as if it was part of iOS, and if you like customising your phone's look it will allow you to theme any part of the phone's interface
nowadays it's not needed i think .. but till ios 6 it was very nice... before ios 4 for example it was not possible to set a homescreen wallpaper :)
and ios it's so powerful that can be modified and still remain stable..
go and search activator for ios.. it's a tweak that allow to the user replicate every physical button function with swipe gestures ... I mean you can customize everything .. select a swipe or touch in a specific area and select what you want to start with that.. start wifi, open specific app, simulate a button press.. just use your imagination and use it :)
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Jailbreaking is never "needed", but there will always be things that require a jailbreak to do. E.g. complete OS theming, emulators, directly modifying parts of the OS itself.
I'M NEVER UPDATING UNITL A NEW JAILBREAK COMES OUT FOR IOS 10!!!!!
And if you're happy for your iOS device to vulnerable to this current security exploit so you can have more" freedom" then by all means don't update.
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You can patch the vulnerability after jailbreaking. And I don't know why you put freedom in quotation marks apart from being a ****. Jailbreaking gives you freedom over a device that you've spent a considerable amount of money on that you own, there's nothing wrong with it
I did it OTA and it when it was done it said I had to connect to iTunes. Then iTunes told me it had to restore my phone to factory default. Grrrr
Whoa! Updated two iPhone 6s Plus 128GB to 9.3.5 and can almost hear the juice drain from the battery!
Don't update if you value your juice! Both phones now running hot! =-/
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No way!? How?
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Are you sure? Sometimes devices use more battery straight after updating. See how it is after a day, if it's still draining the battery fast, try restarting your phone
im confused as to why there's so many comments here about iOS 9.3??
anyone having a problem with iOS 10 OTA? Mine came back with a connect to itunes screen and no computer nearby cuz im at work. so needless to say, frustrating
Same issue here. Luckily I have my personal computer with me and can connect to itunes but it's downloading ios 9.3.5. Seems there are some issues with the OTA update.
Most of those comments are MONTHS or WEEKS old!
I read warnings about the IOS 10 OTA, so I will backup to MBP first!
Got iOS 10 but says 10.0.1 ???
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Same issue, the update bricked my 6s with a connect to iTunes prompt.
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same thing here for me... it got my iPad pro and iPhone 6s.... luckily I have my macbook with me... its trying to download the update now through iTunes. hopefully this works... i use my phone for work, so if this doesn't work, I'm basically screwed until I figure this out!
Got the iTunes prompt as well trying an OTA update. Left work and now iTunes is reporting it must do a factory reset.
And not very good "breaking news" coverage here on iMore for iOS 10's release. I've been generally supportive of the name change, web rebuild, etc. But getting better intel from lots of other sites.
agreed. comon' iMore
i just finished through iTunes with my phone, its working just fine now.
Rene recycles the articles, changing a bit of text here and there then calling it a new piece. But look at the earliest of these comments -- 5 months ago, discussing iOS 9.2! Combined with all the ads and useless Pokémon stories, this site is becoming useless.
I don't want to call it "useless," but this does seem to be an unfortunate trend lately - here and at Android Central. Seems a sure sign they're either hemorrhaging staff or resources, which is too bad.
My 5 updated OTA fine. My Ipad Pro and 6S both have connect to Itunes screen
Finally got those three done and my watch. Had to connect to Itunes. That download is 2 plus gb. Now just have to get home and do apple tv,s
My update has been trouble free. Took 30 min all in
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Both my iPhone 6S Plus and iPad Pro 9.7" are bricked. My in-laws 6 Plus went fine. My restore is stuck in an infinite download loop...after halfway, kicks an error and download restarts. I have no form of communication besides my PC...
Me either. Needless to say I am beyond ****** at this. Cannot get anyone at apple on the phone or chat either.
Update, working through ITUNES now.....thank god!
Why are there comments from five months ago, on this article that was written today?? I guess Rene realized that you update to iOS 10 the same way you've updated to every other iOS version, and he re-purposed an old post. This site...! LOL
LoL, was wondering the same thing while reading this article as well as other News.
Essentially it's for SEO, so when people are searching for how to install an iOS update this article will come up higher because it's "recent". And yeah, why reinvent the wheel, might as well re-use the old article
my iPhone bricked any serious guy can help me i don't know how to use itunes
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Can someone post the release number? I'm on the GM which is 10.0.1 (14A403) thanks!
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Hoping this fixes my battery issue. This iPhone 7 plus battery dies faster than any one I ever remember.
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I keep getting no service and dropping to 3G or 1x WTF on iOS 10
i hope this is the next fix its needed
anyone else on Verizon?
Yes. Had the same issue with my iPhone 6S on Verizon toward the end of iOS 9, too.
Another iOS update another round of bugs .
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Another round of douchebags commenting on Apple-related websites
iOS10.1 beta os here but this update isn't showing. Should it ?
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Aha
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... also, is it safe to perform a back up via the handset whilst on this beta os ? Thanks.
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No update here. 10.0.2.
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For iPhone 7/Plus only
Yeah. Saw that on The Verge. iMore should probably update the post
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Ack! Can't edit in the app. I don't recall seeing the note originally about the iPhone 7 but it's there now either way. Maybe they updated the post or I'm having a bad case of the Mondays.
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No update here. Was looking forward to it as since my last update, my Apple watch occasionally disconnects and has to be put on and off airplane mode to reconnect.
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iPhone 7 here, just completed the update.
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I don't think you will get the update on 10.1 Beta until they release another Beta update. Or, it may have been included in the last beta update... you just never know. Not sure when they are going to release 10.1 to the general public... I thought it was going to be at the end of October.
Is this update only for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
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Yes
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10.what? When was this released? My iPhone says I have the latest update of 5.1.1
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Is this update available for the iPhone 6 Plus?
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