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Software Updates · 5 min read

How to Update iPhone

By iPhone Update Editorial Desk · Reviewed September 19, 2026 ·5 min read
DIRECT ANSWER

The current major iOS is iOS 27 (14 September 2026). On a compatible iPhone: back up, join Wi-Fi, plug into power, then Settings → General → Software Update → Download and Install. iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation) are the floor. iPhone XS and older will never see 27. This page is the generic “how to update iPhone” path; the iOS 27-specific walkthrough is a child of it.

1. See which iOS you have

Settings → General → About → iOS Version. If it already says iOS 27, you are current unless a 27.x point release is listed. How to read that screen: check iOS version.

2. Confirm the phone can take the current train

Apple’s list is iPhone 11 through iPhone 18 Pro / Duo, plus SE 2nd gen and later. Full names: iOS 27 compatible iPhones. XS, XR, X, 8 and earlier stay on their last signed major OS.

3. Back up, then give the installer room

Apple’s download article still says back up first. iCloud Backup or an encrypted Finder/Apple Devices copy. A major update needs more free space than the listed file size — often ~10–15 GB on this train. If Storage is tight, use iPhone storage full or install from a computer.

4. Install from Settings

  1. Wi-Fi, not a hotel portal. Stay on power.
  2. Settings → General → Software Update.
  3. Download and Install, or Automatic Updates → Automatically Install (overnight, charging, Wi-Fi).
  4. If the 27 row is titled 26.7, that is a known launch-week catalog bug — read that page before downloading twice.

Version-specific screenshots and pitfalls: update to iOS 27.

5. If Software Update is blank or fails

Do not do these

  • Do not start a major install below 50% without a charger.
  • Do not judge battery life until indexing finishes.

Questions this page actually answers

How long does an iPhone update take?

Download is your network. Install is typically 10–20 minutes when the phone is unusable. “Preparing” can sit still for 20 minutes without being frozen.

Is this different from “update to iOS 27”?

Same operator path. This page is the durable query. The iOS 27 page is the current-train detail.

Next useful pages

Sources

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