How to fix an Apple iPhone X that won't update to the latest iOS version via OTA [Troubleshooting Guide]

To ensure optimum performance, keeping your phone software up-to-date is recommended. Device manufacturers are releasing updates periodically to offer new and enhanced features and likewise to address existing problems from random bugs and software glitches. A faster way to get the latest software update is through wireless updating or OTA (over-the-air).

To make this possible, your device must have stable access to the Internet through Wi-Fi or cellular data. But a Wi-Fi Internet connection is recommended as some updates come in huge file size and therefore could take longer to finish downloading and installing. The entire process is supposed to be that simple but then again, there are some factors that can screw it up. In case you need some help with over-the-air iOS update on your iPhone X, I’ve demonstrate a few simple solutions you can refer to below. Read on and learn what to do if you just can’t get your iPhone X to update iOS via over-the-air.

But before anything else, if you have another issue with your phone, drop by our troubleshooting page as we have already addressed hundreds of issues reported by the owners. Odds are that there are already existing solutions on our website or at least, there are similar problems we already fixed. So, try to find ones that are similar or related to your problem. If you need further assistance, however, feel free to contact us by filling up our iPhone issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot iPhone X that won’t update to the latest iOS version?

Before you troubleshoot, make sure your iPhone has ample of storage or internal memory space. You can view the current memory status of your iPhone X by going to Settings-> General-> [device name]->Storage menu. At least 1GB of free storage is recommended. If necessary, you can free up some space by deleting unwanted apps and old files you no longer use on your phone.

Aside from storage space, also check Apple server status to ensure it’s currently available. You can visit the Apple Support status page for that information or contact Apple Support instead. The phone wouldn’t be able to download iOS update via OTA if it cannot reach the server. If all these requisites are met but your iPhone X is still unable to update iOS wirelessly, troubleshoot and rule out software problems with these subsequent methods.

First solution: Check and manage your Internet connection.

Again, a strong and stable Wi-Fi Internet connection is among the key requisites to download and install OTA updates. That said, make sure that your iPhone has Internet connection. Try and see if you can browse through different websites on your device. If not, then you will need to deal with Internet connectivity issue beforehand. If your iPhone can browse websites, it means it’s connected to the Internet and is therefore able to update iOS via over-the-air for as long as the Apple server is up. As your first workaround, restart and refresh your iPhone’s internet connection by toggling Wi-Fi off and then back on.

To do so, head over to Settings-> Wi-Fi, then tap the switch to disable Wi-Fi for a few seconds, and then tap to enable Wi-Fi again.

Alternatively, you can go to Settings-> Airplane Mode, then tap the switch to enable Airplane mode shortly, and then tap to disable it again. This trick somehow works by turning off wireless radios and then back on. Wireless connectivity features on the phone are automatically disabled when Airplane mode is enabled, so don’t forget to disable Airplane mode on your iPhone X again.

Second solution: Restart your iPhone X (soft reset).

A soft reset helps clear minor software errors and glitches on the phone including those that are causing troubles with wireless Internet connection. It also eliminates junk files that are stored as cache on the phone’s internal memory. And here’s how it’s done:

Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button simultaneously for a few seconds.
Release both buttons when the Slide to Power off command appears.
Drag the Power off slider to the right to turn off the phone.
After 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears then release.

Performing a soft reset won’t affect any data saved on the phone storage thus it’s a safe process to begin with.

Third solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone X.

Network connectivity issues can also be attributed to incorrect network settings on the phone. To make sure this isn’t what’s halting your device from establishing stable Internet connection and caused it fail updating iOS via OTA, try to reset network settings on your iPhone X. Doing so will eliminate any erratic configurations or invalid options set on the phone. Here’s how it’s done:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Tap General.
Scroll to and tap Reset.
Select Reset Network Settings option.
If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
Then tap Reset network settings to confirm action.

After the reset, your iPhone reboots by itself and then loads with the default network options and configurations. That said, you will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and before reattempting to download and install OTA updates.

Fourth solution: Update your iPhone X on a computer.

If you still couldn’t get to update iOS on your iPhone wirelessly, then you can use iTunes instead. To update your iPhone X software through iTunes, you will need to secure a computer. You can use either a Mac or Windows computer that runs on a compatible OS version and has the latest iTunes software installed. Your computer must also be connected to the Internet either through Wi-Fi or Ethernet (LAN). When everything is set, connect your iPhone to your computer using the supplied USB cable or Lightning cable then launch iTunes on your computer. Wait for iTunes to recognize your iPhone X and then follow the onscreen commands to check for, download and install the latest iOS version available for your device. Here’s how it works:

With your iPhone X connected to the computer, open iTunes.
Then select your iOS device when it appears in iTunes.
Go to the Summary section then click the button to Check for Update.
If a new iOS version is available, click Download and Update to continue.
Enter your device passcode, if prompted.
Then follow the rest of the iTunes prompts to finish downloading and installing iOS on your iPhone X.

If you see any error messages while attempting to update your iPhone through iTunes, read and review the message to find out what to do next.

Don’t forget to restart/soft reset your iPhone X after installing the update to ensure all new system changes are properly applied.

You may need to escalate the problem to your carrier or Apple support if none of the problem persists. If you’re prompted with some warnings or error messages when attempting to update your iPhone X, take note and relay that information to the support team as well. Error prompts and codes are designed to offer you some hints on what went wrong and what needs to be done to rectify the error and make things work.

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If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone X smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone X. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

How to fix an Apple iPhone X that won’t update to the latest iOS version via OTA [Troubleshooting Guide]