Errors in updating iOS can occur at any time due to different reasons. Some people may have encountered an error like Unable to Check Update, An error occurred while checking for a software update, or simply couldn’t find the iOS update from the settings menu. Tackled in this post is a pertinent issue on the iPhone 7 that gets stuck on Checking for Update screen and couldn’t get past it for some reasons. If by any chance you’re here for the same reason and that you need some inputs on how to fix the same error on your iPhone 7, then this post might be able to help you. Read on and get help.
Why iPhone 7 get stuck on checking for update or won’t update
The problem could be due to a server issue. Perhaps the update servers are currently down and so your iPhone couldn’t establish connection or communicate with the Apple servers. In this case, your only option is to wait until the update server becomes available again. To find out the server status, you can navigate to the Apple Support website then locate the servers status for update services. A green button on the Apple System status denotes that the service is available. You should be able to update your iPhone in this status. But if you still can’t, then most likely something is wrong with your iPhone system itself and this is what you need to deal with.
Aside from Apple server or update server issues, other possible reasons as to why your iPhone 7 gets stuck on checking for updates is due to network connectivity errors. For example, your iPhone is not connected to the Internet or doesn’t have a stable Wi-Fi connection. In this case, a network settings reset can help.
Installing an iOS beta version can also cause this conflict. If you have downloaded the iOS 11.2, 11.1, or 11 beta version on your iPhone 7, the iOS 11.2, 11.1, 11 update will not appear in your iPhone settings. In this case, you will need to delete the beta version first.
Network settings errors are also among the underlying causes. You might have reconfigured your iPhone settings or modified network options, which then resulted to an error.
Generally, this is a software-related issue and therefore can likely be resolved by some workarounds. Should you wish to attempt fixing the problem right now, you may refer to the following walkthroughs to troubleshoot your iPhone software and other factors that are tied to updating errors like this.
Possible solutions and recommended workarounds
Try these solutions then test to see if your iPhone can already proceed with the update download and installation. Please note though that these are just generic solutions so you may need to try one, two, or even all applicable workarounds until the problem gets resolved.
Verify and ensure that your iPhone is connected to the Internet
A stable Internet connection through Wi-Fi is a key requisite in updating iOS on your iPhone. If your device doesn’t have Internet access or can connect but intermittently, then you will need to deal with the network connectivity issues first. Once you’ve got the network fixed, updating iOS should go through smoothly. A workaround you can try on in this case is toggling Wi-Fi off and then on again.
- To do so, go to Settings-> Wi-Fi-> then tap the Wi-Fi switch to turn it off and then back on. This is just another simple way of refreshing your Wi-Fi internet.
- Or you can just reboot your wireless router or modem. Doing so will likewise refresh network connection without affecting any of your iPhone data.
Try if you can now proceed with the iOS update download and installation. If not, try the next solution.
Restart or force restart your iPhone 7
A restart can help eliminate minor glitches on the iPhone system that might have caused conflict or prevented the update from completing. To rule this out from the possible triggers, restarting your iPhone can help. If your iPhone gets frozen as the screen is stuck on Checking for Update, then a forced restart would be necessary.
- To soft reset or restart your iPhone 7, press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until the Slide to Power off screen appears. Swipe to power off your device completely. After 30 seconds press and hold the Power button again until the device power cycles.
- To force your iPhone 7 to restart, press and hold both the Power button and the Volume Down button together for at least 10 seconds. Continue holding both buttons for about 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears. Your iPhone restarts then.
No data will be affected by these methods so you don’t have to worry of data loss in the process.
Reset network settings on your iPhone 7
If you suspect that the problem is triggered by some errors on your iPhone’s network settings, then you can try to reset network settings on your iPhone 7. This however will erase your current network configurations, including wireless networks and passwords along with other network server options. So make sure you take note of this information before you continue. Here’s how a network settings reset is done on your iPhone 7:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Tap Reset.
- Select the option to Reset Network Settings. This will delete any saved Wi-Fi profiles from your device.
- Type in your password if necessary.
- Tap the option to confirm network settings reset on your iPhone 7.
Your iPhone will then restart once the network settings reset is complete.
Delete iOS beta version profile from your iPhone (if applicable)
If you have installed the iOS 11 beta versions, delete it first to allow new iOS (public version) update to show up on your iPhone Settings menu. To delete the beta profile, follow these steps:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll down to Profiles & Device Management.
- Click on the beta version and delete this profile.
Restart your iPhone afterwards and then try to go back to Settings> General-> Software Update menu to see if the update is now showing and that you are now able to proceed with the iOS Download and Installation process.
Update device through iTunes
If none of the prior methods worked, then you can try downloading and installing iOS update through iTunes. You will need a computer that has the latest version of iTunes software installed. You can use either a Windows PC or Mac computer with the latest operating system. Then follow these steps to check for iOS update and download the update through iTunes:
- Connect your iPhone to the computer using the Apple-supplied USB connector or Lightning cable.
- Open iTunes on your computer then wait for it to recognize your iPhone.
- If prompted, tap the option to Trust This Computer on your iPhone.
- Click on the Device tab in iTunes, then select Summary.
- Click the Check for Update button.
- Choose Download and Update.
- Click on Agree to confirm.
- If prompted, enter your passcode on your iPhone. iTunes will then attempt to download and install the latest iOS update available for your device.
When the update is finished, reboot your iPhone. It will then be running the new iOS upon restart. You may then proceed with the initial setup.
You can also try booting your iPhone 7 into Recovery Mode or DFU Mode and restore iOS in either of these modes through iTunes. A step-by-step walkthrough on how to perform a recovery mode restore and DFU mode restore is available on our iPhone 7 Troubleshooting Page under Tutorials section. If you need more help, then feel free to visit this page and refer to our comprehensive guide.
Seek more help
If the problem persists and your iPhone 7 is still stuck on Checking for Update screen or similar error prompts even when using iTunes to download and install iOS update on your iPhone 7, then it might be a more serious issue that needs more advanced solutions. At this point, you may contact your carrier or Apple Support for other options and further assistance. They might be able to do something on their end to make the update server available for you to retry updating.