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Software Updates · 3 min read

How to Turn On Automatic iPhone Updates

By iPhone Update Editorial Desk · Reviewed September 19, 2026 ·3 min read
DIRECT ANSWER

Settings → General → Software Update → Automatic Updates. Automatically Install needs the phone charging, on Wi-Fi, and overnight. Automatically Download only fetches the file. You still need a compatible model; automation will not install iOS 27 on an iPhone XS.

1. Open Automatic Updates

  1. Settings → General → Software Update.
  2. Automatic Updates.
  3. Choose Automatically Install (full overnight install) or Automatically Download (fetch only).

Apple’s iOS 26 download article: Automatically Install notifies you before it applies the build. To see Automatically Download, turn Automatically Install off.

2. What automation will not do

  • It will not skip a backup. Take one before a major train.
  • It will not install a train your SoC cannot run.
  • It will not finish on a captive portal or with a full disk.

Do not do these

  • Low Power Mode plus a dead charger overnight means the install never starts.

Questions this page actually answers

Will automatic updates install betas?

Only if a beta profile is installed. Remove it under VPN & Device Management if you want the public train only.

Next useful pages

Sources

Prepared by the iPhone Update Editorial Desk. Independent technical reference. Not affiliated with Apple Inc.