iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update? 10 Quick Tips to Fix It

User Concern

“My iPhone 13 tried to install the iOS 16 and was stuck on verifying update for hours. I tried to reboot it but the screen is not working. I also tried the iTunes but it didn't recognized the iPhone. Is there any other way to turn it off?”

When you're doing an iOS update on your iPhone or iPad over the air, you will see the "Verifying Update..." screen. Usually, it just takes a few minutes to finish the verifying process. But things can go wrong and your iPhone gets stuck on verifying update.

What Does “iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update” Mean?

When the "Verifying Update" screen isn't going away on your iPhone when you tried to install the latest iOS 16, it doesn’t mean that the device is stuck in update process. Rather, it means that the verification process takes longer than it should.

This issue typically arises when millions of users attempt to download the latest software update simultaneously, causing Apple servers to become overwhelmed and slowing down the verification process.

If you see the "Verifying Update" screen on your iPhone, give it a few minutes to complete the verification process. However, if it takes longer than 15 minutes, it's likely that your device is stuck, and you'll need to take action to resolve the issue. In this article, we will show you all the potential solutions to fix this problem. Read on and check out.

How Long Should My iPhone Say Verifying Update?

Actually, there is no clear-cut answer to this question. The Verifying Update time depends on various factors like the WiFi connection and the update size. Usually, the whole verifying process will not be more than 15 minutes. We did an interview about this topic, most users say that it wouldn't take more than 10 seconds for the verifying.

On the other hand, if the iPhone is stuck on "Verifying Update..." screen for more than 15 minutes, 30 minutes or even 1 hour, it means that something might have gone wrong on your iPhone. The solutions below will do a favor to bypass this error.

What Do I Do If My iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update?

Besides software or hardware issues, other external factors could also affect the verifying update process. You'd better check out these factors first to save your own time.

• Ensure a stable WiFi connection: the update or verifying process will be interrupted due to weak WiFi connection. Thus you need go to Settings > WiFi to make sure that the iPhone is connected with good and stable WiFi network.
• Ensure iPhone is fully charged: the update verifying process may be stuck if the iPhone battery is lower than 10%. Thus you should keep the iPhone well charged during the update process.
• Ensure enough free space on iPhone: Enough space on your iPhone should be spared to install the newest iOS 16 package, or the device will get stuck in the verifying process for less space.
• Back up iPhone first: There is a great chance that your iPhone data will get lost while installing the new iOS version. It is always reliable to make a full backup of the iPhone data.

How to Fix iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update on iOS 16

Tip 1. Lock and Wake Your iPhone

The easiest way to fix iPhone stuck on verifying update issue is to lock the iPhone by pressing the power button on the side or top of the device and then wake it up. If the first try is not working, try to repeat the lock and wake up process for 5 and 10 times.

Tip 2. Hard Reset Your iPhone

Your iPhone may get stuck on verifying update due to software error. You can try to hard reset your iPhone to fix the problem.

For iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then do the same with the Volume Down button. After that, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo shows up.

After hard resetting you iPhone, try to download and install the iOS 16 update again. If your iPhone still gets stuck on verifying update screen, move on to the next solution.

Tip 3. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

There is a tendency that the iPhone experiencing update issue if there are network connectivity errors. In this case, toggle the Airplane mode on and off should help:

1. Go to Settings on iPhone and click on Airplane Mode.
2. Turn on the Airplane Mode and the wireless radios will be turned off.
3. Then restart the device and turn off Airplane Mode again.

Tip 4. Delete iOS Update and Download Again

The iPhone will not successfully verify the update if something went wrong with the installation. Thus simply delete and reinstall iOS 16 with the steps below and try it again.

• Go to Settings on your iPhone, click on General and choose "iPhone Storage", all the apps will be listed. Select the software update and tap on "Delete Update".

• After deleting the iOS update package, you can then go to Settings > General > Software Update to reinstall the new iOS version.

Tip 5. Reset Network Settings on iPhone

Incorrect network configurations can also trigger the "Verifying Update" stuck issue. If this is the case, performing a network settings reset can help.

To do this, go to Settings, then tap General. Scroll down to Reset and choose the option to Reset Network Settings. If prompted, enter your passcode, and then confirm that you want to reset network settings on your device. Your device will automatically restart, and you can set up and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network.

Tip 6. Fix iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update without Data Loss

This method would be the most advisable choice if you want to fix this iPhone stuck on verifying update issue without losing the device data. FoneGeek iOS System Recovery is such a tool to fix all iOS issues and bring your iPhone/iPad to normal.

Key Features of FoneGeek iOS System Recovery:

• Fix all issues related to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch system, including iPhone stuck on iOS upgrade, iPhone black screen, iPhone won't turn on, etc.
• All iTunes errors could also be handled with this program, such as iTunes error 9, 4013, 27, etc.
• Supports to downgrade or update iOS system without any data loss.
• Works with all iPhone models and iOS versions, even the newest iPhone 14/13/12 and iOS 16.

Then take a look at how to fix this verifying update stuck issue with FoneGeek iOS System Recovery.

Step 1. To begin the fixing process, you need to download and install this iOS repair tool on your computer. The choose "Standard Mode"to move to the next screen.

Step 2. Connect the iPhone to the computer via an USB cable. The device will be automatically detected by the software. If not, follow the on-screen instructions to put your iPhone in DFU or Recovery mode.

Step 3. When the program detects that the device is in DFU/Recovery mode. Check the device model and then click "Download" to download the latest iOS firmware package.

Step 4. When the firmware is downloaded, click on "Fix Now" to update the connected iPhone to the latest iOS version.

Tip 7. Update iPhone with iTunes

If all else failes, iTunes is a great alternative to help you perform the iOS update on a computer. Here are the simple steps to update iPhone with iTunes:

1. Check whether the iTunes on your computer is of the latest version. If not, update it to the newest one.
2. Connect your iPhone to the computer with an lightning cable and iTunes will recognize the device.
3. Then tick the Summary option on the screen and click the button of "Check for Update".
4. Click the "Update" button and the newest iOS version will be installed to your iPhone. The Verifying Update message will be bypassed when using iTunes to update.

Tip 8. Restore iPhone with iTunes

Updating your device in iTunes will usually fix the issue. But if you find that after an update, the device is still stuck or if you encounter any other issues after the update, you may want to restore the device in iTunes.

Please note however that restoring your iPhone in iTunes may cause you to lose data on the device. You may therefore want to back up the data on your device before restoring it. Restoring an iPhone in iTunes is a very simple process, just follow the steps below:

1. Run iTunes on computer and plug the iPhone into computer.
2. Click on the device icon on the screen when iTunes recognizes the device.
3. Click on Summary at the left and tap on Restore iPhone.

Tip 9. DFU Restore Your iPhone

If none of the above methods work, there may be a deeper software issue causing the problem. A DFU (Device Firmware Update) restore can help eliminate this problem by erasing and reloading all the code on your iPhone. This process is more complex and involves a series of steps that need to be followed carefully. You can find detailed instructions on how to perform a DFU restore online.

Tip 10. Contact Apple Support

If you've tried all of the solutions above, but your iPhone is still getting stuck on "Verifying Update..." screen, there may be some hardware issues on the device. The hardware issues could not be resolved by iTunes restore or hard reset. You'd better take the device to the nearest Apple Store to have it repaired.

The Bottom Line

The issue of iPhone stuck on verifying update is very normal when installing the new iOS 16. Try the 10 solutions introduced above if the verifying update process takes for more than 15 minutes. FoneGeek iOS System Recovery is the most recommended solution to resolve all issues with the fastest way.