iOS 18 Software Update Got Stuck on iPhone? 20 Ways to Fix It!

Charmed by a plethora of exciting AI-powered iOS 18 features, you rushed to download the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone. While it all seemed to be a smooth ride initially, the iOS 18 software update got stuck mid-way without any rhyme or reason. You tried hard to fix the stuck software update but in vain.

Fret not! In this in-depth troubleshooting guide, I have discussed all the culprits that tend to come in the way and also shared the workable tips to fix the iOS 18 beta not downloading/installing issue on iPhone. Read on…

Can’t Download and Install iOS 18 Beta on your iPhone? 20 Real Fixes!

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First off, let’s briefly delve into the possible reasons why the issue has occurred!

What Has Caused the iOS 18 Beta Software Update to Get Stuck?

In most cases, it’s the jam-packed traffic that tends to block the download of new software betas. Yeah, you read that right! Millions of iPhone users would have lined up to download the iOS 18 software beta, thereby making the servers either crash or become incredibly sluggish. Besides, poor internet connection is also equally responsible for the failed software update.

Not to mention, the clogged-up storage together with some wrong configurations could be spoiling your party as well. On top of all, there are a few must-have requirements that need to be ticked off – right off the bat for a smooth sailing download process. So, we will need to look at this issue from various perspectives.

1. Be Sure You Have a Supported iPhone Model

It’s always good to check the hardware compatibility before jumping on the bandwagon. The good thing is iOS 18 supports all the iPhone models that can run iOS 17. So, you shouldn’t worry about being left out of the train of iOS 18 beta.

Here is the list of iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 18:

iPhone XR
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max

2. Ensure That Your iPhone Has At Least 50% Charge

To get going, make sure your iPhone has at least a 50% charge to initiate the software update. When connected to a power source, ensure that your device has a minimum of 20% battery. Otherwise, you may either find the software update being stuck midway or not kickstarting at all.

3. Connect Your iPhone to a Power Source During Software Update

Even though the file size of the iOS 18 beta is relatively small and hardly takes around 15/20 minutes to download and install, I would recommend you connect the device to a power source during the software update. It will play a vital role in keeping unexpected interference at bay.

4. Force Quit All Other Apps to Free Up Memory

During the software update, make sure to force quit all other apps (except the Settings app) to ensure they do not run in the background. It will free up plenty of memory and also speed up the software update process.

5. Force Quit the Settings App and Relaunch It

At times, all you need to do to troubleshoot the stuck software update on iPhone is to just force quit the Settings app and relaunch it.

On your iPhone with the Face ID: Swipe up from the Home Bar to bring up the app switcher -> then swipe up the Settings app to force kill the app.
On your iPhone with Touch ID: Double-press the Home Button to access the app switcher -> swipe up on the Settings app to force kill it.

Force quit the Settings app on your iPhone

6. Turn OFF/ON Airplane Mode

If the software update has got stuck due to a poor internet connection, use the airplane mode trick to fix the sluggish network. For those unfamiliar, airplane mode excels in resetting the radios in a jiffy which often works wonders in bringing the ill-functioning cellular/Wi-Fi network back on track.

On your iPhone, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen (Face ID-equipped model) or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen (Touch ID-equipped model) to bring up the Control Center.
After that, hit the airplane mode icon to turn it on/off.

7. Make Sure the Settings App Can Access Your Cellular Data

If you are trying to install the iOS 18 beta using cellular data, be sure the Settings app can access cellular data.

On your iPhone, open the Settings app -> Cellular -> scroll down and then turn on the toggle for Settings.

8. Disable Low Power Mode

When active, the Low Power Mode temporarily reduces or disables background activities such as downloads and mail fetch in order to prevent battery drain. While there is no doubt that the power-saving mode is exceptionally helpful, it comes at a certain cost. Therefore, try turning off this power-saving mode – for now.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone -> Battery -> turn off the toggle next to Low Power Mode.

9. Turn OFF Low Data Mode

When Low Data Mode is enabled, cellular data usage is reduced by pausing background tasks and automatic updates. If this mode is active, it could very well be the reason why the iOS 18 software update is rather slow or stuck on your iPhone.

Fire up the Settings app on your iPhone -> Cellular -> Cellular Data Options -> Data Mode.
After that, ensure that the Low Data Mode is deselected.

10. Allow More Data on 5G

Times when you are dealing with tasks like updating software, backing up high-quality media, or syncing your data to iCloud, make sure to allow your iPhone to use more data on 5G (subject to availability).

On your iOS device, open the Settings app -> Cellular -> Cellular Data Options -> Data Mode -> Allow More Data on 5G.

11. Enable “5G ON” to Speed Up the Software Update

5G Auto (default option) is designed to use 5G only when your iPhone needs a high-speed internet connection in order to prevent battery drain. With the “5G ON” selected, your iPhone uses 5G whenever it’s available – even when it may drain battery life.

On your iPhone, navigate to the Settings app -> Cellular Data -> Cellular Data Options -> Voice Data -> choose 5G ON.

12. Disable Personal Hotspot

Double-check if you have enabled the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone. If it’s enabled, be sure to turn it off.

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone -> Personal Hotspot -> turn off the toggle next to Allow Others to Join.
Also, make sure to turn off Family Sharing of the personal hotspot. On this very screen, tap on Family Sharing and then disable the toggle next to Family Sharing.

13. Enable Wi-Fi Assist

With the Wi-Fi assist enabled; your iPhone automatically switches to cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is below par. What makes this feature so handy is the ability to keep unwanted interruptions at bay.

Head over to the Settings app on your iPhone -> Cellular -> Scroll all the way to the bottom of the screen and then make sure that the toggle for Wi-Fi Assist is enabled.

14. Restart/Force Restart Your iPhone

Can’t download and install iOS 18 as yet? Worry not! We will now go for the soft reset to get rid of the issue. Knowing how effective a soft reset (aka reboot) is, you shouldn’t fail to give it a chance. But what if it doesn’t get the job done? If rebooting doesn’t work for you, try out hard reset which is extremely effective in clearing temporary files which often results in not only freeing up memory but also fixing random issues.

To force reset your device; press and release the volume up button. Then, immediately, press and release the volume down button which is also placed on the left side.
Next, you need to hold down the power button until the iconic Apple logo pops up on the screen.

15. Force Wi-Fi to Forget Your iPhone and Reconnect

Many a time, you can troubleshoot a poor Wi-Fi network by forcing the iPhone to forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect to it.

Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone -> Wi-Fi -> tap on the info icon next to the Wi-Fi network.
Now, tap on Forget This Device and confirm.
After that, reconnect to the Wi-Fi network.

16. Delete the Software Update and Start from Scratch

If the iOS 18 update has got stuck mid-way, I would suggest you delete the software update and start from scratch. As this handy solution has helped me resolve the iOS software update-related problem on many occasions, I’m pretty optimistic about it.

Go to the Settings app on your iPhone -> General -> Storage -> Find and delete the iOS 18 software update.
Then, restart your iPhone.
After your iPhone boots up, try downloading the software to figure out if you have gotten the better of the problem.

17. Reboot Your Wi-Fi router

Should your Wi-Fi network continue to be below par in terms of speed and stability, reboot the router.

18. Reset Network Settings

If the airplane mode trick has not yielded the desired result, try resetting the network settings. Since it has the knack for fixing sluggish internet connections, hopefully, you will be able to troubleshoot iOS 18 stuck on the update requested.

On your iOS or iPadOS device; go to the Settings app -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad.
Now, hit Reset.
When prompted, do not forget to input your device passcode and Screen Time passcode (if it’s set up).
In the end, hit Reset Network Settings in the popup to confirm the action.

19. Reset All Settings

Factory reset boasts an impressive track record of fixing persistent issues like this one. Therefore, we will go for this radical solution as well. For those unaware, factory reset erases all the custom settings such as custom Home Screen layout, Wi-Fi passwords, VPN settings, cleans up Safari history, and more. Thus, you will have to customize the entire settings of your iPhone right from scratch.

On your iPhone, open the Settings app -> General -> scroll down and choose Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad -> Reset.
Now, tap on Reset All Settings -> enter your device passcode and Screen Time passcode, if prompted.
Finally, tap on Reset All Settings in the popup to confirm the action.

20. Declutter Your iPhone

If your iPhone is cluttered for space, you don’t need to look anywhere else but the clogged-up space. If there is a lack of space for the software update, you need to first clear out the redundant files and delete the useless apps to recover precious storage.

Not sure which apps need to be cleaned up? Bother not, iOS provides a neatly designed storage bar to make it easier for you to find out what has hogged the most amount of space. Even better, you can also have a quick look at the amount of space in each app and take the necessary action to get rid of the clutter.

On your iPhone, head into the Settings app -> General -> iPhone/iPad Storage.
Have a quick glance at the storage bar at the top to find out the total available and used storage. Besides, check out the file types that have consumed the most storage.
You can scroll down to check a long list of apps and the amount of space each one has gobbled up.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will Apple launch iOS 17 public beta?

Apple is likely to launch the iOS 18 public beta in early July.

2. Should I install iOS 17 developer beta or wait for the iOS 17 public beta?

Compared to a developer beta, a public beta is more stable, which means you will likely face fewer issues while dealing with a public beta. Therefore, I would suggest you wait for the iOS 18 public beta.

What’s the best way to enjoy beta testing without falling prey to unexpected issues?

Probably the smartest way to deal with a software beta that has the habit of throwing tantrums every now and then is to fully back up your entire data beforehand and download the software beta on a secondary device.

Fixed iPhone/iPad Stuck at Software Update

That’s it! Hopefully, your iPhone has successfully updated to iOS 18. Considering the fact that the file size of iOS 18 is not too large, updating the software feels like a pretty smooth sailing affair. Especially if you have ticked off all the bases. With that said, make sure to share your thoughts about iOS 18 and the tips that have come to your rescue.