Apple is all set to release iOS 15 for all compatible iPhones on September 20. iOS 15 is light on major features, but it does come with plenty of usability improvements and minor new features. There’s Focus mode that lets you set different profiles, improved FaceTime experience, Notification Summary, and more. Before you install iOS 15, check out our guide below to prepare your iPhone for the update.
Before installing a major iOS update, it’s recommended that you free up space on your iPhone for a smooth installation, backup all data on it, remove junk apps, and more. Here is the complete checklist to get your iPhone ready for the iOS 15 update.
1. Check for Device Compatibility
If your iPhone supports iOS 14, you’re in luck — iOS 15 is compatible with the same set of iPhones. The cutoff point, and the oldest devices to support iOS 14, will be the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, released in September 2015.
These requirements are typical of what we have seen in the past, with Apple supporting older devices up to about half a decade after release.
The devices eligible for the iOS 15 update include the following iPhones:
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- 2020 iPhone SE
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone SE
- iPod touch (7th generation)
2. Delete Unused Apps
A major OS upgrade is a good time to think over your installed apps and delete ones you hardly use. While you can always delete apps from your home screen, another way is to go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and then tap on the app you don’t need and hit Delete App from the following menu.
You will be able to see how much space is being occupied by the apps, so you can at least delete the ones that are taking up too much storage space and leave the ones that consume low storage.
3. Free Up Space
Installing the iOS 15 update on your iPhone will require at least 2GB of free space, though the more free space, the better it is. So if you’re running low on free space on your iPhone, it might be a good idea to free up some space by deleting unwanted stuff from your device. You should have at least 2.5GB or more free space to be on the safe side.
Read: 15 Tips to Free up Storage Space on Your iPhone or iPad
4. Install Latest App Updates
Apple released the first iOS 15 beta in June after the WWDC 2021 keynote ended. This gives developers plenty of time to update their apps to take advantage of the new APIs and changes in iOS 15.
App Developers have been working hard to get their apps ready for iOS 15. So, make sure to update all installed apps on your iPhone. This way, you’ll not only get to enjoy new features but also alleviate all stability issues.
5. Update to Latest iTunes
If you plan to use iTunes on your Windows PC to install the iOS 15, then make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of iTunes. Apple now rarely ever updates iTunes for Windows, but if you don’t use iTunes regularly, make sure to check for an update.
macOS Catalina or Big Sur users don’t have to bother with iTunes anymore since Apple has now integrated the process of managing an iPhone right into Finder.
6. Backup Your iPhone
It is always a good idea to backup your iPhone before updating it to iOS 15. If you don’t have access to a PC, you can use iCloud to backup all your iPhone data.
You can back up your iOS device using iTunes or iCloud. If you need help, then check out our step-by-step guides.
If you are having problems with the iCloud backup process, read our dedicated guide on fixing the iCloud backup errors.
Warning for Jailbreakers
If you have jailbroken your iPhone and cannot live without your favorite jailbreak apps and tweaks, then it is recommended that you avoid updating to iOS 15 until a jailbreak tool is released for it.
Ready to Install iOS 15
After you’ve followed the steps mentioned above, you should be ready to download and install iOS 15 as soon as it is available. While you are at it, don’t forget to read all the new iOS 15 features we have discovered. Apple is scheduled to release iOS 15 on September 20. You can find the iOS 15 release time in your time zone here.
Jailbreakers, note that if your device is jailbroken, then OTA updates will be disabled, which is good if you plan to hold off updating. But if you do want to upgrade, you’ll have to restore via iTunes.
It can take an hour or two to download and install an update, so don’t do it if you’re in a hurry. On the day iOS 15 is released, the surge in traffic of millions of iPhone owners trying to download the update can lead to extremely slow download speeds.
So, if you are a bit late in starting your iOS 15 download, I’d recommend waiting for a few hours or try after 12-18 hours once the traffic has stabilized. This way, you’ll get faster download speeds on your iPhone. Plus, you’ll also be safe from any show-stopping bugs in the update this way.
Keep Your iPhone Ready for iOS 15 Update
iOS 15 is another important and major iOS update from Apple. Given that iOS 15 does not pack a lot of major new features, it should not have the same stability issues that iOS 14 had when it was released last year. So, you can go ahead and install iOS 15 on launch day without worrying too much about bugs and stability.
Once you do install iOS 15 and have played around with it, drop a comment and let us know your thoughts about it.
