You can prevent iOS updates from installing even after the installation process has started. Although there is no button to make it easy, you can do it if you know the right tricks. This article shows you how to undo an iPhone update.
Can you stop an iPhone update in the middle?
There are two parts of the iOS update process where you can stop the update: during download and during installation. This is because over-the-air iOS updates take place in two steps: the iPhone first downloads the iOS update file to your iPhone before installing it.
There is no button to stop a download in progress, so you have to temporarily disconnect your iPhone from the internet. To stop downloading the update file itself, even if the download is partially complete, follow these steps:
1. Open Control Center (by swiping down from the upper right corner on iPhone X and newer, or swiping up from the bottom of the screen on earlier models).
2. Tap the airplane mode icon in the upper left corner so that it lights up.
3. Close Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen or tapping an empty area of the screen.
3. Confirm that the iOS update download has stopped by going to Settings > General > Software Update . If the Download button is lit, the download has stopped .
Important: You'll probably want to change your settings for automatically downloading and installing iOS updates before exiting airplane mode. See the last section of this article for instructions.
How to undo an iPhone update?
If the iOS update file was partially or fully downloaded on your iPhone, you can still prevent its installation on your smartphone and change your iOS version. You can even do this if the update has started but hasn't finished yet.
If your iOS update is in progress and you want to stop it, here's what to do:
1. Tap Settings > General .
2. Select iPhone Storage .
3. Find the iOS update file and tap on it.
4. Tap Delete update .
5. In the pop-up confirmation window, tap Delete update again .
If you haven't turned off airplane mode yet, turn it off here so you can start using the internet again on your smartphone.
How to control automatic downloads and installations of iOS updates
You can set your iPhone to download iOS updates and install them automatically. This feature makes it easier to update your smartphone, but you might prefer to have more control over when those downloads and installs happen. To choose your iOS update settings, follow these steps:
1. Press Settings .
2. Tap General > Software Update .
3. Then, tap Automatic Updates .
4. On this screen, your options are:
- Download iOS Updates: This controls whether updates are downloaded but not installed (this is the next setting). Move the slider to off/white to prevent automatic downloads. This will hide the second option. However, you can keep this slider on/green to download files while controlling the installation with the following option.
- Install iOS Updates: This controls whether updates that have already been downloaded are installed automatically or manually. To manually install updates, move this slider to off/white.
FAQs
How do I update my iPhone?
To update your iPhone's iOS wirelessly, launch the Settings app and tap General > Software Update . Your phone will search for and display all available iOS updates. If one is available, tap Download and Install , then tap Install Now .
Why is my iPhone not updating?
If your iOS iPhone is not updating, it might be because there is no iOS update available to install. If you see an available update that does not install, or if the installation freezes, you may not have enough storage space for the update. Try using your PC to update your iPhone. It could also be an internet connection problem that is interfering with your update.
How do I update apps on an iPhone?
To keep iPhone apps up to date, open the App Store app, tap your profile picture, and view all available app updates. Tap Update to install an update or tap Update All to install all available updates. To have your apps automatically updated, go to Settings > App Store and turn on Automatic Downloads .
Conclusion
In this guide, you learned how to undo an iPhone update. If you also have any questions or suggestions, let us know in the comments.
