iOS 16.1 Is Here. How to Download the Latest iPhone Update Right Now - CNET

This communicative is portion of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's postulation of news, tips and proposal astir Apple's astir fashionable product.

After releasing iOS 16 back successful September this year, Apple is present dropping the latest bundle update for the iPhone -- iOS 16.1. Aside from fixing bug issues and immoderate insignificant refinements, iOS 16.1 besides brings respective caller features, including Live Activities for sports and different real-time events, iCloud Shared Photo Library for much easy sharing photos and videos with friends and family, a fewer Clean Energy Charging options to chopped down your c footprint and more.

iOS 16.1 besides brings a much-anticipated redesign to the caller artillery percent indicator, which galore users disliked connected iOS 16.

Read connected for a step-by-step usher to the process of putting iOS 16.1 connected your compatible iPhone. You tin besides cheque retired immoderate of the champion existing features connected iOS 16 and a fewer hidden features we were amazed to find. And if you precocious got a caller iPhone, present are the champion iPhone 14 cases truthful far. 

Before you start, is your iPhone adjacent compatible?

Unfortunately, not each iPhone volition person the iOS 16.1 update. You request astatine slightest an iPhone 8, which was released backmost successful 2017, to tally iOS 16. That besides includes the iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone SE (second procreation and up) and the new iPhone 14. 

The iPhone 14 volition travel preinstalled with iOS 16.

James Martin/CNET

Next, backmost up your iPhone

Getting your hands connected caller bundle tin beryllium exciting, but determination are precautions you should instrumentality earlier updating. You whitethorn not beryllium blessed with immoderate of the features that iOS 16.1 has to connection (although you tin hole immoderate of the astir annoying ones), truthful you request to beryllium capable to downgrade backmost to iOS 16 for immoderate crushed -- and that requires you to backmost up your iPhone earlier you update.

By default, your iPhone should backmost itself up each clip it's connected to powerfulness and Wi-Fi during your regular slumber hours. However, if this backup diagnostic is disabled, you tin spell to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup and past deed Back Up Now to backmost up your device.

You tin (and should) besides backmost up your iPhone connected your Mac.

Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Additionally, you tin backmost up your iPhone via Finder connected your Mac. Simply link your instrumentality to your computer, unfastened Finder, take your instrumentality and past make a backup. Apple besides recommends archiving your backup, truthful that it's not overwritten by different backups.

Also, marque definite to bash these 3 things

You privation the download and installation process to spell arsenic smoothly arsenic possible, and the champion mode to bash that is to bash the following:

• Make definite your iPhone is connected to power. You won't beryllium capable to download iOS 16.1 if you're nether 50% battery, truthful it's champion to conscionable plug successful your telephone portion you update.
• Connect to Wi-Fi. You besides won't beryllium capable to download iOS 16.1 with cellular data, truthful link to a unchangeable Wi-Fi network.
• Clear up capable retention space. If you're moving retired of storage, you'll request to wide immoderate up earlier you tin download and instal iOS 16.1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to delete ample files and apps.

Here's a usher connected however to get much iPhone storage.

How to download and instal iOS 16.1

Now erstwhile you person each that set, unfastened your iPhone and spell to Settings > General > Software Update, wait a fewer seconds (or minutes) for the update to look and then hit Download and Install for iOS 16.1.

You tin besides usage Finder connected your Mac to download iOS 16.1 connected your iPhone.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

You should past spot a loading bar, on with a unsmooth estimation of however agelong the download process volition take. Once the download is complete, reboot your instrumentality and hold for iOS 16.1 to install. When your iPhone boots up, travel immoderate prompts and you should past spot iOS 16.1 downloaded connected your device.

For much connected the caller OS, here's a look astatine all the champion caller features that are disposable connected iOS 16, arsenic good arsenic immoderate of the cool hidden features you mightiness not cognize about.