iOS 7 is released in the UK at 6pm tonight, giving Apple devices a fresh new look and exciting new features, such as Control Centre. Here are Geek Squad’s tips to help the update process go as smoothly as possible.
Are you updating to iOS 7?
iOS 7 is only being released for newer Apple devices. The full list is as follows:
- iPhone – 4, 4S, 5
- iPad – 2, Mini and current iPad wih retina display
- iPod touch – 5th generation 16GB and upwards.
The newly released iPhone 5S and 5C will ship with iOS 7 so won’t need updating. However, if you have an older Apple device, then you’re going to miss out .
Back everything up
You should be backing up regularly, but it’s even more important before an update. Updating the software on your device should be a straightforward process but there’s always a chance that something may go wrong. An up-to-date backup ensures that you can bring all your data back should there be any hiccups.
Update iTunes
If you want to update your device using iTunes you’ll need the latest version of the software. Likewise if you want to continue syncing media to your device through iTunes you might find you need a newer version. Update day is the perfect opportunity to finally accept those ‘Update iTunes’ prompts that have been nagging you for the past few months!
Connect to Wi-Fi
Software updates can be quite large, particularly if there are wholesale changes to the operating system, which is exactly what Apple are doing with iOS7. If you’re updating on the device itself then connecting to Wi-Fi means you’re not making a large dent in your precious mobile data allowance.
Charge your phone
Losing power in the middle of an update is potentially catastrophic and can render a device inoperable. To minimise the chance of this happening, we’d recommend having at least 50% charge in the battery and also leaving the phone connected to the mains charger whilst updating.
Updating your device
Once you’ve checked all the above steps, you can go ahead and start upating! Once the update becomes available you should get a message in the notification centre telling you there is a Software update. You can also check manually by tapping on Settings, then General, then Software Update. If the iOS 7 update is available you can simply tap Install Update to start downloading it direct to your device.
Alternatively, you can do the update through your computer. Simply open iTunes and connect your device. Your Apple device will automatically check for updates when it first connects. If you get a prompt telling you the iOS 7 update is available then you can click OK to install it.