Apple’s iOS 16 is here, and there’s a collection of cool new features for you to try out. There are also some annoying features, but you can always turn them off. The latest mobile software update includes the ability to unsend and edit text messages, a customizable lock screen, a smart photo cropping feature, and battery percentage returning to the status bar. But you can’t try them until you install iOS 16.
Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to install iOS 16 on your compatible iPhone. (And if you’re worried, here’s why you might want to wait before upgrading to iOS 16.) Plus, check out the best iPhone 14 cases so far.
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Before you start, is your iPhone compatible yet?
Unfortunately, not every iPhone will receive the iOS 16 update. You need at least an iPhone 8, which was released in 2017, to run iOS 16. This also includes the iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone SE (second generation and newer), and the new iPhone 14. The iPhone 14 will come pre-installed with iOS 16. James Martin/CNET
Then back up your iPhone
Getting new software can be exciting, but there are precautions you should take before updating. You may not be happy with some of the features iOS 16 has to offer (although you can fix some of the more annoying ones), so you should be able to downgrade to iOS 15 for any reason — and that requires you to back up your iPhone before updating. By default, your iPhone should back up whenever it’s connected to power and Wi-Fi during normal sleeping hours. However, if this backup feature is turned off, you can go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then tap Back Up Now to back up your device. You can (and should) back up your iPhone to your Mac. Photo by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Additionally, you can back up your iPhone through the Finder on your Mac. Just connect your device to your computer, open Finder, select your device, then create a backup. Apple also recommends that you archive your backup so that it is not overwritten by other backups.
Also, make sure you do these three things
You want the download and installation process to be as smooth as possible, and the best way to do that is to do the following:
Make sure your iPhone is plugged in. You won’t be able to download iOS 16 if your battery is below 50%, so it’s best to just plug in your phone while updating. Connect to Wi-Fi. Also, you won’t be able to download iOS 16 with cellular data, so connect to a stable Wi-Fi network. Clear enough storage space. The iOS 16 file size is about 5GB, and if you run out of storage space, you’ll need to clean up a bit before you can download and install iOS 16. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to delete large files and apps.
Here’s a guide on how to get more iPhone storage.
How to Download and Install iOS 16
Now, once you have all these set, open your iPhone and go to Settings > General > Software Update, wait a few seconds (or minutes) for the update to appear, then tap Download and Install for iOS 16. If you see the option to download and install iOS 15.7, tap the Upgrade to iOS 16 button at the bottom of the page, then tap Download and Install iOS 16. Enter your passcode to start the update process. G Tara Brown and Nelson Aguilar/CNET You should then see a loading bar, along with a rough estimate of how long the download process will take. Once the download is complete, restart your device and wait for iOS 16 to install. When your iPhone boots up, follow any prompts and then you’ll see iOS 16 downloaded to your device. For more on the new operating system, here’s a look at all the best new features available in iOS 16, as well as some cool hidden features you might not know about.
