Are you so ducking excited for iOS 17? All of those features Apple showed off in June at WWDC are rolling out now, including autocorrect finally letting you curse.
With iOS 17, you’ll be able to create a Contact Poster of yourself with a customized photo and font, watch transcription of voicemail in real time as someone leaves a message, send a Check In to make sure those you love get home safe, NameDrop your number to new friends, and even make time for some gratitude and reflection with Journal.
Read our guide below on how to get iOS 17 and how to move to the front of the line for iOS 18.
Can My iPhone Run iOS 17?
Even if your old iPhone is still up and running, it can't necessarily handle iOS 17. If you have one of these iPhones, though, you're good to go:
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2022)
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2020)
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XR
General Release
General release means the software is available to everyone whose phone can run iOS 17. You can either wait for your phone to remind you with a pop-up alert that it's available, or you can force a manual update. (Before you update, it's always a good idea to back up your data.)
Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. You might have to tap Upgrade to iOS 17 at the bottom of the screen and then Download and Install, or you'll be directed to Download and Install automatically. Either way, if your iPhone has a passcode, you'll be prompted to enter it. Agree to Apple's terms, and then wait.
You'll see Update Requested on the screen, which means Apple has added you to its download queue. Once iOS 17 begins downloading, you'll see a time-estimate bar up top; how long you'll wait depends on how many people are trying to upgrade. Your phone will then have to reboot, which could also take a few minutes.
If there's not enough room on your device for the new iOS, you'll get a message asking to temporarily remove apps. Hit Continue, and the apps will be restored when the installation is finished. If you have trust issues, hit Cancel and remove apps manually before updating.
When you need your phone during the day, there's also the option to Install Tonight, which will do exactly that—install iOS 17 while you sleep, provided your device is charging.
You can also turn on automatic updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. Your iOS device will update to the latest version of iOS overnight when it's plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.
Become an Apple Developer
If you want to be the very first to try out software updates from Apple, join the Apple Developer Program. It's designed for individuals and companies, but anyone can join for $99 per year.
A note of caution, though: Since you'll have early versions of iOS—including iOS 18 next year—you'll face more bugs than the minor annoyances you're used to on stable versions. The entire point of developers having the software is to test it out with their apps, so you might find that some of your apps become unusable or that you lose information. Make sure you're comfortable with that before signing up. Or install the dev version on a second, non-primary iOS device.
Join the Public Beta
If you want to get in on the iOS action and don't want to spend any cash, consider joining the public beta, which generally starts rolling out a month after Apple unveils its latest mobile OSes at its Worldwide Developer Conference each June.
Some existing apps might not work with the new software, and you could lose data—but if you're willing to try it out, there's no fee to join.
The point of a public beta is to find bugs developers have not yet uncovered. For iOS fans, this can be an interesting side project, especially if you have an older iOS device you can afford to upgrade with possibly buggy software. Join the Apple Beta Software Program and you'll be ready to test out early versions of iOS when they drop next summer.
Once it's available, here's how to get it:
- On the Apple Beta Software Program page, click on the software you want to test.
- Follow the instructions to add your device.
- Download the beta software to add it to your iPhone.
- Open Settings, tap on the profile, and hit Install.
- Your phone will reboot.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Download and Install.
When you need your phone during the day, there's also the option to Install Tonight, which will do exactly that—install iOS 18 while you sleep, provided your device is charging.
You can also turn on automatic updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. Your iOS device will update to the latest version of iOS overnight when it's plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.