iPhone no longer automatically updating iOS

[Captain kidd]

Hi,

wondering if anyone can help explain why my iPhone 7 is no longer automatically downloading and updating iOS. I’ve read through the various online pages and have my phone set up correctly, plenty of space, automatic downloads set up, I charged at night and it’s connected to WiFi. Since iOS 14 it seems to have just stopped. I see 14.2 is there and available but it’s not installing automatically. Thanks for any help.

 

[Buadhai]

Over the years I've had three iPhones, two iPads and two Apple Watches. Not once has any of my devices done an automatic update. I've always set up all my devices to update automatically, but it never happens. Overnight I charge my iPhone and iPad in a location that is about one meter from and in line of sight of my AirPort Extreme. So, both devices are fully charged overnight and connected to WiFi. Still, automatic updates never happen.

My iPhone should have updated to 14.2 last night. It did not and will not. I'll have to do it manually as I always have.

 

[Captain kidd]

Thanks for the reply, mine always did download automatically, on the software update page when an update was available it always had a note saying this will be downloaded tonight when charging and connected to the internet. Though it hasn’t with the last few updates, I’m pretty sure since I installed iOS 14.

 

[Buadhai]

I just asked my wife and she says her's always updates automatically. The difference is that her phone spends the night in our bedroom which is about ten meters from the router and behind two concrete walls. Go figure.

 

[C DM]

My iPhone should have updated to 14.2 last night. It did not and will not. I'll have to do it manually as I always have.

With iOS 14.2 being just released it would usually take a while to have that automatically pushed to a device, so it would have been quite unlikely to get an automatic update for it as soon as last night.

 

[Buadhai]

Probably true. But, as I said, I’ve never had an automatic update.

 

[nicho]

Probably true. But, as I said, I’ve never had an automatic update.

What's the longest you've ever waited for it to happen before intervening...?

 

[Buadhai]

When I was young I always jumped on OS updates. These days I’ve learned to be patient. I generally wait until the first security update (n.n.1) is out. However, I will manually install the 14.2 update wondering if I might get my workout GPS data back.

 

[nicho]

When I was young I always jumped on OS updates. These days I’ve learned to be patient. I generally wait until the first security update (n.n.1) is out. However, I will manually install the 14.2 update wondering if I might get my workout GPS data back.

One reason you've never had an automatic update is that Apple generally takes the same approach. I've found it downloads at least 2-3 days later and then waits up to a week before actually installing it. Both of my watches updated automatically last time an update was released.

 

[Captain kidd]

Thanks for all that, I shall leave it as I’m in no particular rush and update if/when it might automatically download. I always thought it would do so on the day of an updates release. Thanks again

 

[Buadhai]

Eight days later and still no sign of an Automatic Update.

 

[Captain kidd]

It’s the same with me

 

[Buadhai]

It’s the same with me

Same with my wife's iPhone and iPad.

Apple ought to put some information on the Automatic Updates screen warning people that it can take over a week from the date the update was released.

 

[Buadhai]

One reason you've never had an automatic update is that Apple generally takes the same approach. I've found it downloads at least 2-3 days later and then waits up to a week before actually installing it. Both of my watches updated automatically last time an update was released.

Ten days and still no automatic update.

This process should probably be called "Rationed Updates", because it allows Apple to have better control over server load and bandwidth.

Now I'm curious to see how long it actually takes.

 

[Buadhai]

Fifteen days and still no automatic update. I see that there's already a revised 14.2 and a 14.2.1 for iPhone 12s.

I'm gonna be on the road for a couple of weeks so I'll have to end this waiting experiment and manually install 14.2.

However, I think this confirms my recollection that I've never had an update install automatically. It just doesn't work for me.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I was under the impression that the phone will only auto update if on wifi and charging...

 

[Buadhai]

I was under the impression that the phone will only auto update if on wifi and charging...

Yes, I think you're right. My iPhone is on the charger from about 7:00 PM to 5:00 AM every night and sits about a meter from and within line of sight of my AirPort Extreme. Does that not qualify as "on wifi and charging"?

I thought I made that clear in post #2 of this thread:

Overnight I charge my iPhone and iPad in a location that is about one meter from and in line of sight of my AirPort Extreme.

 

[differentapple.com]

Hey, there probably are two reasons as below that suspended your update:
1. Internet issues. You can go to settings - General-reset-reset network settings. ( This will not wipe out your data at all, only will clear all password of your wifi connections)
2. The automatic update was shut down. Go to settings - itunes & Appstores and cehck if app updates is open or not.

 

[Buadhai]

Hey, there probably are two reasons as below that suspended your update:
1. Internet issues. You can go to settings - General-reset-reset network settings. ( This will not wipe out your data at all, only will clear all password of your wifi connections)
2. The automatic update was shut down. Go to settings - itunes & Appstores and cehck if app updates is open or not.

1. I have absolutely no network problems with this phone:

2. You'll have to do more to convince me that Appstore updates have anything to do with System Software updates:

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Yes, I think you're right. My iPhone is on the charger from about 7:00 PM to 5:00 AM every night and sits about a meter from and within line of sight of my AirPort Extreme. Does that not qualify as "on wifi and charging"?

I thought I made that clear in post #2 of this thread:

Sure does qualify, sorry I missed the charging details in your post. Only experience I've had was when I was trying to stay on iOS 12 when iOS 13 was released. I had no interest in upgrading to iOS 13 so I played to download and install later (in my case delete the update) game for quite awhile. I noticed that when my phone did download the newest update it was usually a week or two after it was released. You probably have to just wait if you don't want to do it manually..

 

[Buadhai]

I just had no idea that it could take that long. Apple ought to put some sort of notice to that effect in the "Download iOS Updates" section of Software Update.

I understand why they do it, though. Here's an interesting article (PDF) discussing the loads faced by Apple's content delivery network (CDN) during an iOS update. I think this was written prior to automatic downloads of system updates:

Dissecting Apple’s Meta-CDN during an iOS Update

 

[Buadhai]

20 days and still no automatic update.

 

[Captain kidd]

Just for future reference, my phone is now telling me the auto update will be installed tonight, so about a month after update became available.

 

[C DM]

Just for future reference, my phone is now telling me the auto update will be installed tonight, so about a month after update became available.

Well, the latest iOS 14 update was released less than three weeks ago.

 

[Captain kidd]

Well, the latest iOS 14 update was released less than three weeks ago.

OK thanks. I posted first on the 6th, that was 19 days ago, I assumed it was out a few days before but just trying to help people that might come across this in the future, don’t worry it’s not a conspiracy.