The latest iOS 18 is now available for everyone! Today, on September 16, 2024, Apple rolled out the final, polished version of iOS 18 for iPhones. The newest major update for iPhones arrives with a bunch of exciting additions like revamped Control Center, Home Screen Customizations, and more. So, whether you’re on the previous iOS 17 or running iOS 18 beta, it’s time to update to the stable version and get your hands on all the latest features. While it’s easy to update your iPhone, it might be a little confusing for beginners or users on Beta testing. You need not worry as we’re here with a step-by-step guide on how to install iOS 18 right now. Without any ado, let’s begin!
Note: If your iPhone is running iOS 18.1 beta, you won’t receive iOS 18 stable even if you turn off the Beta Updates from Settings. The only way to get iOS 18 is to downgrade to iOS 17 stable version and then check for the iOS 18 update.
How to Upgrade to iOS 18 from iOS 17
Fortunately, it’s pretty straightforward to download and install iOS 18 on your iPhone if you’re currently running an iOS 17 version. Before you begin, we recommend you back up your iPhone. Although it’s rare, you might face some problems while updating to the latest iOS release. To be on the safer side, you must back up all your important data.
Once you’ve created a backup, follow the below steps to install iOS 18:
To install iOS 18 without any issues, make sure your iPhone has at least 50% of the battery and you’re connected to a stable internet connection.
- On your iPhone, open the Settings app and tap on General.
- Here, tap on the “Software Update” section.
- Allow your iPhone to check for available updates. You should see the iOS 18 update notification.
- Simply tap on the Download and Install button to initiate the process.
- Be patient while your iPhone downloads the iOS 18 update.
- Once downloaded, follow the on-screen instructions to install the update.
If you were running iOS 18 beta already, you’ll need to downgrade to iOS 18 stable update from beta.
iOS 18 Update Size and Download Time
The iOS 18 update size varies slightly across different iPhone models. If you’re upgrading from iOS 17.6.1 to iOS 18, the update size will be around 3.5GB. Bear in mind that if you are upgrading from an older iOS version, the update will be larger, and hence it will take more time.
The time to download the iOS 18 update depends on your internet speed. I was able to download the iOS 18 update package in 5 minutes with a 100 Mbps internet connection. It’s worth knowing that once you download the update, it will take around 10-15 minutes or more to install iOS 18 on your iPhone.
iOS 18 Compatible iPhones
If you’re wondering whether you can download iOS 18 on your iPhone or not, we have got you covered. This time, Apple didn’t drop support for any models with the latest version. All the iPhones are compatible with iOS 17 and also compatible with the new iOS 18. So, if you have been running iOS 17, you should be able to upgrade to iOS 18 without any issues.
Here are all the iOS 18-supported devices:
- iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd gen)
- iPhone 12, 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13, 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (3rd gen)
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15, 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 lineup comes with iOS 18 right out of the box.
What’s New in iOS 18
The latest iOS 18 brings a boatload of new features like a customizable Lock Screen, a personalised Home Screen experience, the ability to lock & hide individual apps, a new Password app, Vehicle Motion cues, and much more. Also, there are some hidden iOS 18 features that bring quality-of-life improvements. That’s not all. If you’ve got an Apple Intelligence-compatible device, you can access Writing Tools, phone call recording, New Siri, and more. Apple will add Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, Image Playground, and other Apple Intelligence features in the coming months.
Right from the day when Apple announced iOS 18 at WWDC 2024, we have been using iOS 18 developer betas and public betas at Beebom. We’ve got our hands on a lot of new features, noteworthy changes, and customization options, which makes us feel that it’s worth upgrading to iOS 18.
How did you find the new iOS 18? Are you planning to install iOS 18 right now? Don’t forget to share your views in the comments below.
