Learn how to download iOS 16 to your iPhone, install the watchOS 9 software on your Apple Watch, and update your Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K to tvOS 16.
New software updates are available for your Apple devices.
Apple released the iOS 16 software update for iPhone on September 12, 20, 22, with a major lock screen redesign and other new features, as well as the watchOS 9 update for Apple Watch and tvOS 16 for its Apple TV media streaming.
iOS 16 brings a redesigned lock screen, the ability to edit and collaborate in Messages, multi-step Maps routing, undo in Mail, and more. Some features will come in an update at a later stage, including iCloud Photo Sharing Library, live action, support for the Matter smart home connectivity standard, and more.
How to Install iOS 16 on iPhone
Use the Apple Software Update mechanism in the Settings app on your iPhone to download and install the iOS 16 over-the-air update without data loss.
- Open “Settings”on your iPhone.
- Select “General”in the root list.
- Select Software Update.
- Click “Upgrade to iOS 16”.
- Now select Download and Install.
Your iPhone must be connected to a power source and connected to the Internet via WI-Fi to install the update. At the end of the process, your iPhone will be updated to iOS 16.0. This is a major iOS update, so it’s a good idea to back up your iPhone with iCloud or a computer just in case something goes wrong.
Apple maintains a web page called “iOS Feature Availability “that provides a handy list of iPhone features available in which regions or languages.
You can also check out the Apple Newsroom press release for a detailed list of the most important features and hidden changes in the operating system.
For more information about iOS 16, visit apple.com/ios/ios-16.
How to install watchOS 9 on Apple Watch
You must use the companion Watch app on an iPhone with iOS 16.0 or later to download and install the watchOS 9 update on a compatible Apple Watch.
- Open the companion Watch app on a paired iPhone with iOS 16.0 or later.
- Select the “My Watch”tab.
- Select “General”from the root list.
- Select Software Update.
- Select “Install”next to the iOS 16 update.
You may need to enter your iPhone or Apple Watch passcode to continue.
Your Apple Watch must be connected to a charger and have at least 50 percent battery power. Remember to connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi and keep it close to your watch so it’s within Bluetooth range. watchOS updates can be slow as hell, but turning off Bluetooth at just the right time will make watchOS updates much faster.
Updating to watchOS 9 requires an iPhone 8 or later running iOS 16 or later.
How to install tvOS 16 on Apple TV
To update your Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K to tvOS 16 software, use the standard Apple software update feature in the Settings app on your device.
- Open Settings on your Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K.
- Select “System”from the root list.
- Select Software Update.
- Select Update Software.
- Finally, select “Download and Install”when prompted.
Your Apple TV may restart several times while installing an update. When the tvOS 16 update is complete, your Apple TV will restart automatically again.
Can my devices run the latest Apple updates?
System requirements for iOS 16 are tightened: iOS 16 is available for iPhone 8 and later and iPhone SE 2nd generation and later. The update requires an Apple A11 Bionic chip or later, excluding older devices such as the iPhone 6s or the first iPhone SE released in 2016 supporting iOS 15, iOS 14, and iOS 13.
No iPod touch models are supported by iOS 16.
The list of compatible devices for watchOS 9 has also undergone some changes. Compared to its predecessor, watchOS 9 drops support for Series 3 and older watches. In other words, you’ll need at least an Apple Watch Series 4 or later to run watchOS 9.
tvOS 16 supports both Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K, as does tvOS 15 and earlier releases of tvOS. If your Apple TV is already running tvOS 15, you can update it to the new tvOS 16 software version.