The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →If your iPhone can’t update wirelessly, connect it to a trusted computer and update through Finder on a newer Mac or Apple’s update app on a Windows PC. Back up the iPhone first. Use recovery mode only if the device has entered a specific recovery state or a normal computer update cannot proceed.
Choose the right app for your computer
| Computer | App to use |
|---|---|
| Mac with macOS Catalina or later | Finder |
| Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier | iTunes |
| Windows PC | Apple Devices or iTunes; Apple’s update instructions document the iTunes steps, and its troubleshooting guidance recommends the latest Apple Devices app or iTunes. |
Apple describes the computer route as an alternative when a wireless update will not work: “If you can’t update wirelessly on your device, you can update using the Finder on a computer that you trust.” See Apple’s Finder update instructions and iTunes update instructions.
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Prepare the iPhone and computer
- Back up the iPhone. Use iCloud or back it up to the computer before updating.
- Use a trusted computer. If the computer is connected to the internet through the iPhone’s Personal Hotspot, switch the computer to another Wi-Fi or Ethernet network before updating.
- Check the computer app and operating system. Update macOS or the Apple app you plan to use if needed.
Update with Finder on a newer Mac
- Open Finder and connect the iPhone to the Mac.
- Select the iPhone in Finder’s sidebar.
- Choose General, then select Check for Update.
- Select Download and Update and follow the onscreen instructions. Enter the iPhone passcode if asked.
Update with iTunes on Windows or an older Mac
- Open iTunes and connect the iPhone to the computer.
- Select the iPhone using the device button.
- Open Summary, then select Check for Update.
- Select Download and Update and follow the prompts. Enter the iPhone passcode if requested.
If the computer does not recognize the iPhone
Work through these checks in order when the iPhone does not appear in Finder or iTunes, or you see an error code or alert:
- Update macOS or the Apple Devices app or iTunes, then reconnect the iPhone.
- Connect the iPhone directly to a USB port on the computer, not to a keyboard or USB hub.
- Unlock the iPhone and accept the Trust This Computer prompt if it appears.
- Try another computer USB port or a different Apple USB cable. Connector compatibility depends on the iPhone and computer; a new cable is not automatically necessary.
- Restart both the iPhone and computer, then try again.
- Check whether security software is interfering with the Apple app. If the issue persists, try a different computer on another network.
Apple’s troubleshooting steps for a computer that does not recognize an iPhone or iPad cover these checks.
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If the computer cannot contact Apple’s update server
- Check that the computer can access the internet by opening a webpage in a browser.
- Try a different network or computer if the connection is available but the update server remains unreachable.
- Consider whether security software is outdated or misconfigured and blocking the connection.
- If the computer uses a hosts file that redirects or blocks Apple’s server, that entry may need attention. On a work computer, ask the administrator before changing the hosts file.
Apple lists these network and computer-side causes in its guidance for errors connecting to the software update server.
If the iPhone’s wireless update will not download or install
A computer update is one option, but first check the causes Apple identifies for an iPhone that will not update:
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- Confirm the iPhone model supports the iOS version being offered.
- Check that the iPhone has enough free storage.
- Check the internet or Wi-Fi connection; try another network if the download fails.
- If the update package appears under iPhone Storage, delete it and download it again.
If the problem returns after deleting and downloading the package, Apple recommends updating with a Mac or iTunes. See Apple’s iPhone update troubleshooting guidance.
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Recovery mode is not the normal first step for a failed wireless update. Use it if the iPhone displays the Connect to computer screen, the computer reports that the iPhone is in recovery mode, the Apple logo has remained on screen for several minutes without a progress bar, or Recovery Assistant repeatedly starts without recovering the device.
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If the computer offers Update or Restore, try Update first. Restore reinstalls iOS and erases the iPhone. If the software download takes more than 15 minutes, Apple says the iPhone may leave the Connect to computer screen; let the download finish, then repeat the recovery-mode connection steps. Follow Apple’s recovery-mode instructions.
For an Apple logo progress bar that has not moved for more than an hour, Apple’s separate stalled progress bar guidance says to connect the iPhone to a computer, enter recovery mode, and choose Update when offered. Restore erases the device. Contact Apple service if recovery mode cannot update or restore the iPhone, or if a required button is broken or stuck.
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