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How to download iOS 18 on your iPhone

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Siri being shown on an iPhone 15 Pro on iOS 18.
Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends
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Apple has released the iOS 18 update for iPhones. This update doesn’t include Apple Intelligence like Apple originally planned (that’s coming later).

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30 minutes

What You Need

  • A compatible iPhone running iOS 17 or later

Even without Apple Intelligence, however, iOS 18 includes a range of new features and improvements. You will have more options for personalizing your home screen layout and the Control Center has been completely redesigned for easier access to key controls. Additionally, several apps have received updates and improvements such as Messages now supporting RCS, better sorting options in Mail, topographical features in Maps, and a new Tap to Cash feature in Wallet. The Photos app has also undergone a major redesign with a new Gallery at the top and improved viewing options.

Here’s how to download the update on your supported phone.

iPhone showing iCloud Backup Settings.
Jesse Hollington / Digital Trends

Back up your iPhone

If you're willing to live on the edge and install beta software on your primary iPhone, you'll want to make sure you're not sticking your neck out too far by making a backup first. This is something we always advise for betas, but it's also a good idea before installing any major iOS update.

See our article on how to back up your iPhone for specific instructions on how to do this.

While iCloud is the simplest way to back up your iPhone (assuming you have enough storage), we highly recommend making an extra backup to your Mac or PC in case you need to go back to iOS 17. You can't restore a backup made from a newer version of iOS onto an iPhone running an older version, and iOS backs up your iPhone to iCloud automatically every 24 hours and only keeps the three most recent backups. Making a backup on your computer will ensure you have a backup to fall back on in case you have to restore to iOS 17. That may be a few weeks out of date if you end up needing it later on, but it's better than starting over with a blank slate.

The iOS 18 logo against a blue and pink background.
Digital Trends

Install iOS 18 on your iPhone

Here's the steps to follow to update your phone to iOS 18.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Select General.

Step 3: Select Software Update.

Step 4: Choose iOS 18.

Step 5: Select Update now to begin downloading and installing the iOS 18.

It may take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more to download the iOS 18, prepare it, and then install it on your iPhone. Once it's finished, your iPhone will restart and take you through the usual series of welcome and setup screens.

Jesse Hollington
Jesse Hollington
Mobile Writer
Jesse has been a Mobile Writer for Digital Trends since 2021 and a technology enthusiast for his entire life — he was…
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