MacMost Q&A Forum • View All Forum QuestionsAsk a Question

How Do I Set My Apple Products To Automatically Update To Current iOS Releases?

Do iPhones, iPads fetch new iOS updates somatically? I am a relatively new user of Apple devices. I checked all my settings in system preference, and they are all set for automatic updates, download iOS updates, and install iOS updates. However, they never do when it comes to new iOS updates or iOS version updates. This happens not just on my iPhone 12 Pro and my 7th gen iPad but also across the board with 2019 iMac and MacBook Air both running macOS Monterey.
—–
Nick

Comments: One Response to “How Do I Set My Apple Products To Automatically Update To Current iOS Releases?”

    2 years ago

    On your iPhone and iPad, go to Settings, General, Software Update. Tap on Automatic Updates. Make sure both items under that are checked.

    On your Mac, go to System Preferences, Software Update. Check Automatically Keep My Mac Up To Date. Click Advanced and check everything there.

    Note that these automatic updates only apply to the "updates" not the "upgrades." What's the difference? On your iPhone, iOS 15.3 is an update. iOS 15.2.1 was an update. These should be automatic. But going from iOS 14 to iOS 15 is an "upgrade." Same for macOS Big Sur to macOS Monterey. These happen once a year. These are not automatic. They require a lot of time to download and apply the changes. They will change some major things about how your devices work. So you'll get plenty of notifications about these, and you can upgrade when you are ready, but it won't be automatic.

    Another thing to note is that updates won't happen if you aren't letting your devices sleep at night while plugged in. Automatic updates will not happen when on battery power so as not to use your battery unexpectedly and to not have the chance of running out of power in the middle of the update. Also, they won't just start happening automatically while you are using your devices, so as not to interrupt your work.

    Sometimes an update will download and the conditions won't be right, like above, so you'll get a notification that the update is there and you can install it when you are ready, or it will be installed that night.

Comments Closed.