An iOS update will not just bring new and improved features to your iPhone or iPad, it is also a great way to improve the security of your device and fix some of the problems that may occur with the device. But as you may now, updating your device can be hassle and the process often takes a long time especially if you are doing it over the air. This is one of the reasons why Apple recommends updating your device at night or when you are not using it.
Yet, even then there are some iOS users who report that the update is taking too long or freezes midway. If this happens, you can go for long hours without use of your device, a factor that is not very desirable for many. So what can you do when iOS 14 is taking forever to update? In this article, we provide you with several very effective solutions for this all-too common problem.
When we talk about an iOS 14 update is taking too long, the biggest question becomes: how long should the update process really take? The simple answer is that the average over the air iOS update should take no more than 30 minutes. Therefore, if the process takes more than an hour and a half to complete, you likely have a problem on your hands and you should try some of the solutions below.
The following are just some of the most effective solutions to deal with an iOS 14 update that is taking forever over the air.
An iOS update over the air relies heavily on a strong network connection. Therefore when you encounter an iOS 14 update that is taking too long or freezing midway through the update, the problem could be the network. To check your network's strength, follow these simple steps:
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and turn it off.
Wait a few seconds and then turn on Wi-Fi again.
You can also turn on Airplane mode for a few seconds and then turn it off again. This will reset the network, giving you a stronger network connection.
Another great way to supercharge the update process is to simply restart the device. Here's how to do it for different iPhone models:
For iPhone 8 or later: Press the volume up key, then press and release the volume down key. Lastly, press the power key until you see the Apple Logo on the screen.
For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the volume key and the power key at the same time until the Apple Logo appears.
For iPhone 6 or earlier: Press and hold both the home and sleep buttons for about 10 seconds until the Apple Logo appears.
It is also worth pointing out that the iOS 14 update will take a considerable amount of space on your device. As such, the update may fail to work if there is no enough storage space on your device. To check the storage space on your device, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
You will also see how much storage every type of data is taking up and therefore you can easily decide the data to delete from the device if you don't have enough space for the iOS update.
When too many people are trying to update their iOS devices at the same time, the Apple server can experience some problems as a result of the tremendous amounts of traffic it has to deal with. It is also possible that you may be trying to update your device when the Apple server is undergoing maintenance which may explain the delays. In this case, it is a good idea to wait a few days after the release of the new iOS 14 update to try and update your device.
If you are still having problems updating your device, resetting the network settings is one of the best ways to get your device communicating with the servers again and update much faster. Here's how to do it:
Tap on Settings > General.
Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode to confirm the selection and once you rejoin your Wi-Fi network, you should be able to connect easily and download the update.
If you encounter this problem while trying to update iOS via iTunes, the following are some solutions to try:
The best workaround for this problem is to use FoneGeek iOS System Recovery. This is a tool that is designed to help you fix any iOS related issues without data loss and as such can be very helpful when you are unable to update the device to the latest iOS 14. Here's how to use it:
Step 1: Download and install this iOS System Recovery on to your computer and then launch it. Choose "Standard Mode" from home page to proceed.
Step 2: Connect your iPhone or iPad to the computer and click on "Next". Wait for the program to detect the device. If your device is not detected, you can follow the on-screen steps to put it into Recovery/DFU mode.
Step 3: The program will provide the latest firmware for the device. Click on "Download" and the software will automatically begin downloading the iOS onto your device.Wait while the program install the newest iOS 14 onto your device.
You can also restore the device in iTunes, a process that will automatically install the latest iOS firmware onto the device. Here's how to do it:
Connect the iPhone to the computer and launch iTunes.
Put the device in recovery mode. You can follow the steps we mentioned to force restart the device in the first part of this article. But don't let go of the buttons until the "Connect to iTunes" icon appears on the screen.
iTunes will detect the device in recovery mode. Click "OK" and then choose "Restore iPhone". Confirm your selection and iTunes will begin restoring the device and also install the latest firmware.
If it takes more than 2 hours to update the device, it is officially too long and you may want to try some of the solutions above to try and fix the problem. The good news is these solutions will always work. Most of the time, it is only a network problem or a problem with adequate storage; both of which you can easily overcome.
By Fay J. Melton
Posted on Jul 07, 2019, 22:57:45
Fay J. Melton has explored the area of technology and software for more than 5 years and he is enthusiastic about helping users solve various technology issues.
Fay J. Melton
Last updated: Friday on Feb 19, 2021, 16:28:57
iOS 14