All iPads Do you recommend always backing up before an iOS or an iPad OS update AND upgrade?

[Saturn007]

Curious what people's habits are — and what their general advice is about installing new versions of the iOS and iPad OS software. And, whether your approach differs between updating and upgrading.

For example, updating, say from 17.6.1 to 17.7, seems straightforward, whereas upgrading, that is, jumping a version, say to 18, seems risky. (As shown by some people's recent experiences…)

I routinely do *updates* without making sure to back up first… and without thinking about it.

I regularly back up my i-devices to my Mac, but don't routinely make sure I back up *right before* ALL updates AND upgrades.

Perhaps, it is now time to *always* do backups even before an update!

What's your take or considered judgment on this?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

There's no option to "Downgrade" so personally, I don't bother with a special backup. They're always backed up to iCloud, of course, so if something weird happened I could get it from there. But it's never happened, and I've been using iPhone since 2008 and iPad since 2010.

 

[russell_314]

I always backup but not because I might want to downgrade. What happens if the update fails and bricks the device

 

[Reverend Benny]

Before any update, Windows, Android, Mac, iOS its always a good idea to make a backup of data.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I always backup but not because I might want to downgrade. What happens if the update fails and bricks the device

I mean… I always have a backup, iCloud backs up nightly. Just nothing special before an update/upgrade.

 

[Saturn007]

Alas, for us, iCloud backups are not an option. We don't trust 3rd party servers, even Apple's, with our personal, confidential data. But I can see how convenient that would be.

Like others, I've never had an issue with updating or upgrading, but that doesn't me we shouldn't be prepared!

I'm with Russell on this -- a concern about bricking is what prompted my original post. In particular, it's the recent reports of iPads and iPhones being bricked by iPad/iPhone OS 18 that made me think about all this.

A "just-before" backup means that, at least, you have preserved your data, so if Apple has to replace your bricked device, you can restore your information. Otherwise, you'd lose all your information since the last time you backed up. Alternatively, if somehow the update or upgrade corrupted your data and settings, the backup means you'd be back in business ASAP.

The more I think about this, the more I think I should follow the Rev's advice -- always back up to my Mac via cable and the Finder -- and by iMazing -- before updating and upgrading.

 

[Abazigal]

I just upgrade. The patch typically gets released at 1 am on a Tuesday in my country, and I normally wake up at 5 am for work. So on iOS release days, I set my alarm half an hour earlier, wake up, then hit update on all my devices before I go to wash up.

Yep, I live dangerously.

 

[Saturn007]

“Upgrade 007: The Year of Living Dangerously!”

In any event, updating here to iPad and iOS 17.7 and to Sonoma 14.6.2 (or whatever the latest # is) went without a hitch. Naturally, because I backed up first!

Took a long time wirelessly, though.