How Long Does An iOS Update Take? Here’s the Answer

As an iPhone user, you cannot avoid updating iOS. When Apple releases the package of the latest iOS, it is mainly used to repair the known bug or add new features to the iPhone. Now iOS 18 has been released. Are you ready for that?

iPhone’s good quality makes it still usable after years. During its lifespan, you need to update the iOS many times. When the iPhone becomes old, you might find that it takes a longer time than usual to update the iPhone. Sometimes you can just leave the iPhone alone and wait for the process to be completed by itself, but sometimes the update is stuck for some reason. You can follow this guide to learn more about iOS updates and how to rescue your iPhone from the abnormal update.

How Long Does an iOS Update Take?

How long does iOS update take? A complete iOS update contains downloading the new iOS installation package, installing the package, and setting up the iPhone. The internet speed and the quality of your hardware will influence the process. Updating to the latest iOS takes about 30 minutes on average.

Before you update iOS, it is suggested to save important data like photos to a computer or iCloud. If you just enable Photo Steam on iPhone, your photos are facing the risk of being removed. Many users reported that their photos disappeared after updating iOS for this. You can backup iPhone photos to computer to make them always safe.

If you failed to download the iOS installation package in Software Update on your iPhone or got stuck at the loading screen, there are possible reasons for that:

• The network conditions are poor or not stable.
• Other apps have occupied the network in the background.
• The process has been stopped for unknown system issues

How to Rescue iPhone from Taking Forever to Update iOS?

A failed iOS update can’t stop you from enjoying the new features. This section will give the solutions to rescue the iPhone and make your iPhone well-prepared for iOS updates.

Solution 1. Check Network Conditions and Restart the iPhone

If you cannot download the iOS installation package, you should check the Internet you are using, to see whether you can use Safari or other apps.

Step 1. Reset the network on the iPhone and connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi again. Go to iPhone Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Step 2. Restarting the iPhone to make sure the background is relatively clean.

Solution 2. Leave Enough Space on iPhone for iOS Update

Except for knowing how long does iPhone update take, you need to prepare for iOS update. It requires at least 2GB of storage space for that. Photos, videos, music, and films often take most storage on iPhone. You can use the best iPhone transfer AOMEI FoneBackup to easily export large files from iPhone to computer for free.

Below is how to transfer files from iPhone to PC via AOMEI FoneBackup:

Step 1. Begin by downloading, installing, and launching AOMEI FoneBackup > Establish a connection between your iPhone and PC using a USB cable.

Step 2. Once AOMEI FoneBackup identifies your device, navigate to Phone Transfer, then proceed to iPhone to PC. Initiate the transfer process by clicking Get Started.

Step 3. Enhance your transfer selection by clicking on the Plus icon > Handpick the songs you wish to transfer.

Step 4. Choose a preferred storage location, external hard drive, or flash drive > Execute the transfer by clicking Start Transfer.

Solution 3. Force Restart iPhone to stop iOS update

If you find that the iOS update taking forever you need to manually stop the process by force-restarting the iPhone.

• iPhone 8 or later: Press the volume+ button and then quickly release. Press the volume- button and then quickly release. Press the power button for seconds and wait for the Apple logo appearing.
• iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press both the power button and volume- button for seconds and wait for the Apple logo to appear.
• iPhone 6s or earlier: Press both the power button and the Home button for seconds and wait for the Apple logo to appear.

Solution 4. Update iOS via iTunes on the Computer

If your iPhone update failed for many times on iPhone, you can try updating iOS via iTunes on computer. The network conditions are better on PC.

Step 1. Download the latest iTunes on computer, connect iPhone to computer with USB cable, and click the device icon in the upper-left corner.

Step 2. Go to Summary > Choose Check for Update to begin the task.

Related Questions About the iOS Update

How long does it take for iPhone to update? The time it takes to update an iPhone varies widely, usually 30 minutes to an hour. Here are some questions related to the iOS update.

Q1: Why is my iOS update taking so long?

Updating your iOS device to a new version, such as iOS 18, is usually a simple process that brings new features and security updates. However, the duration of an update can vary from device to device and depends on several factors:

Internet Connection Speed: Slow Internet speeds can significantly affect the time it takes to download iOS updates.
Insufficient Storage: Not having enough space may cause the update to take longer or not complete.
Background Processes: Your device may run background processes or other resource-consuming applications.
Battery Level: If your device has a low battery, it may take longer to complete the update, or the installation may be delayed until the battery is fully charged.

Q2: Is it normal for an iPhone update to take hours?

Yes, it is normal. The duration depends on the number of files on the device and whether you're wiping, updating, or upgrading iOS or iPadOS. if the device has very little data or you're in the process of wiping data, the process may only take a minute.

Q3: Can I use my iPhone while updating?

You can continue to use your device as normal while the update is downloading and your iPhone will alert you when the update is ready to install.

Conclusion

How long does an iOS update take? It usually takes 30 minutes to complete the whole process. If you find that it is stuck for some reason, you can use the 5 solutions in this passage to fix the issue. If you find there is not enough iPhone storage space to update to iOS 18/17/16, you can use AOMEI FoneBackup to transfer files to your PC to free up some iPhone storage for the iOS update.