iOS 16 is here. First as a Public Beta (July 2022) and later as a full iOS release (September 2022). Users get a plethora of Lock Screen customization options and, overall, the update seemingly brings more interesting features than iOS 15 did. If you can’t update to iOS 16, be that Beta or Stable version, check the instructions we provided below.
Disclaimer: We based the information provided in this article on the iOS 16 Public Beta. The instructions perfectly apply to the Stable version.
Table of contents:
- Confirm that your device supports iOS 16
- Make sure to connect to an unmetered Wi-Fi network
- Check the storage space
- Remove the update and try again
How to update my iPhone to iOS 16?
You can update your iPhone to iOS 16 in September when the update drops. You can also navigate to the Apple Beta website and, once you sign in with your Apple ID and enroll in the Beta Program, download the Beta version of iOS 16. The stable public version is expected in the second half of September 2022.
1. Confirm that your device supports iOS 16
If you want to install the latest iOS version on your iPhone, you need to make sure that your iPhone or iPad supports it. iPhones that will get iOS 16 are:
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone SE (2020)
- iPhone XS and XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 series.
If you own iPhone 7 or older device (like iPhone 6S), you won’t be getting iOS 16.
2. Make sure to connect to an unmetered Wi-Fi network
You’ll know that the wireless network is the problem if you get either “Unable to Check for Update” or “Unable to Install Update“. So, ensure your iPhone has a connection to a stable unmetered Wi-Fi network. Restart your iPhone and give it another try.
If your iPhone won’t connect to Wi-Fi, or you only have access to fast cellular data (with a big enough plan), you can also use cellular data to download and install updates. You just need to do it manually.
3. Check the storage space
iOS 16 update takes a few gigabytes. Ensure that you have enough storage space before downloading and installing the update. The first thing to look at is the Photos app, especially if you have a lot of locally-stored high-resolution videos.
Usually, your iPhone will inform you that the storage is full (or close to full) and you can ignore it in most cases. Unless you want to download a new system update, in which case you should back up as many files as you can (to iCloud, Google Drive, or your PC/Mac) and delete them. Or at least delete enough files to make space for the iOS 16 update. The update file is temporarily stored on your iPhone and gets automatically deleted after the system is installed.
4. Remove the update and try again
If you manage to download the update but it won’t install, you can remove it from Settings > General > iPhone Storage and download it again in Settings > General > Software Update. This often helps if you can’t verify an iPhone update for some reason.
Also, we can’t neglect possible server-side issues. Especially in the first few days when the update drops. So, be patient. With that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions with us and other readers in the comments section below.
FAQ
iPad won't update to iPadOS 16. What to do?
The instructions we provided above for iPhones apply to iPads, as well. You should check the network and storage, restart your device, or delete the downloaded update file and get a new one from Settings > General > Software Update.
