Top 7 Ways to Fix iOS 17 Taking Forever to Update

Apple’s latest iOS 17 update comes with a bunch of new features meant to increase the function of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. And more importantly, the update brings bug fixes aimed at resolving some of the problems with iOS devices and getting iPhone/iPad to work as it should.

However, it could take quite a bit of time to install update on iOS device and sometimes the update process may get stuck. Recently many users reported that the iOS 17 taking forever to update and they are unable to update their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

How long does it take to update iOS 17? Take it easy. Here we’ll explain why iPhone update is taking forever to install and effective methods to fix iOS 17 taking forever to update.

Part 1. How Long Does It Take to Update iOS 17?

If you finally decide to install iOS 17 on your iPhone or iPad, you may want to know the time to get the update installed on your device. It can be a little difficult to tell you the exact time for an iOS update.

Usually, the update process takes up to 30 minutes, but the actual amount of time will depend on several factors, such as the internet connection, your device storage and the size of the update.

Before we share with you the ways to fix iOS update that is taking forever to update, we thought we would address the question that is probably on your mind.

It can be a little bit difficult to determine the total time it can take for an iOS device to update. Generally, the process takes up to 30 minutes, but the actual amount of time will depend on several factors including the strength of your Wi-Fi connection.

The following is a breakdown of how long each stage of the update process should take:

• iOS 17 Download: 3-10 minutes
• iOS 17 Install: 10-20 minutes
• Set Up iOS 17: 1-5 minutes
• Total Update Time: 30 minutes to an hour

Based on the breakdown above, if it takes longer than an hour to do the iOS 17 update, then there is a possibility that the device could be stuck on one of the stages above. In this case, the solutions outlined below should help.

Part 2. Why iPhone Update Taking Forever to Install?

It is also important to understand the reasons why the update process on your iPhone could be taking too long. If you are unable to update your iPhone to iOS 17, the following are some of the possible causes:

• Your device is not connected to the internet or the connection you are using is unstable.
• The USB connection you are using may have been interrupted or is unstable.
• You are trying to download other files while downloading the iOS update files.
• There is not enough available storage device on your iOS device.
• Certain unknown software issues on your iPhone or iPad.

Part 3. Ultimate Way to Fix iPhone Taking Forever to Update

Of the reasons we have looked at above, the most common reason why your iPhone update taking forever to download and install is system issues. In this situation, you can rely on professional iOS repair tool to help you fix these iOS system issues.

Here we recommend you try Fucosoft iOS System Recovery. It can fix all iOS-related issues with higher success rate, including iOS 17 taking forever to update, download and install button grayed out, iPhone frozen or disabled, etc. And it works well on all iOS models and iOS version, even the newest iPhone 15/14 and iOS 17/iPadOS 17.

Simply download Fucosoft iOS System Recovery on to your computer and install it, then follow these simple steps to resolve the iOS 17 update stuck issue:

Step 1: Launch the iOS repair tool and connect your iPhone or iPad to the PC/Mac, wait for the program to detect the device and in the main window, click “Start” to proceed.

Step 2: If you device is unable to be detected, you need to put it into DFU or Recovery mode. Just follow the on-screen instructions the program provided to do that.

Step 3: After that, the program will detect the connected device and provide all the matching firmware versions. Just choose iOS 17 and tap the “Download” button to continue.

Step 4: When the firmware is downloaded successfully, tap the “Start Standard Repair” button and the program will start repairing the device. Once the repair completed, the device will restart in normal mode and update to the latest iOS 17 version.

Part 4. Basic Methods to Fix iOS 17 Taking Forever to Update

The following are just some of the basic solutions to try when the update process is taking too long on your iPhone or iPad:

4.1 Force Restart Your iPhone/iPad

One of the ways to get rid of the system bugs that could be slowing down the iOS update is to force restart the device. Below is how to force restart an iPhone depending on the device model:

• For iPhone 8 and later: Quickly press and release the volume up button, then quickly press and release the volume down button, then keep holding the power (side) button until you see the Apple logo.
• Force iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the power (side) and the volume down button together until the Apple logo shows up on the screen.
• For iPhone 6 and earlier: Press and hold the power and home buttons simultaneously until the Apple logo appears on the screen and the device restarts.

4.2 Check Your Internet Connection

An unstable internet connection can also significantly slow down the iOS update process. It is therefore important to make sure that the connection you are using is strong and stable before you begin the iOS 16 update process.

You can try to toggle Wi-Fi off and on to reset the connection. To do that, go to Settings > WLAN and then turn off Wi-Fi. Wait a few seconds and then turn it on again.

4.3 Reset Network Settings

If toggling the Wi-Fi off and on doesn’t fix the connection problem, then you may need to reset the network settings. To do that, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings and enter your passcode to confirm.

Once the process is complete, restart the device and then re-connect to your networks before trying the iOS 17 update again.

4.4 Check and Free Space on iPhone/iPad

If you have insufficient storage space on the device, the iOS update process is likely to take a long time. Usually, an iOS update requires about 2GB of free storage space. Therefore, if iOS 17 taking forever to update on your iPhone or iPad, you should check the device’s storage.

To do that, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and if you are low on storage space, you should consider deleting some of the apps and data you no longer need, then try to download and install iOS 17 update again.

4.5 Check Apple Server

If you are still unable to speed up the iPhone update process, then you can check if the problem is with Apple Servers. When Apple releases a new update, millions of iOS device users will try to update their devices at the same time, overwhelming the Apple Serves and causing some of the updates to get stuck. In this case, all you have to do is wait for the initial mass updates to stop before you update your device.

4.6 Update iOS 17 with iTunes

If you are having trouble updating the device to iOS 17 via OTA, try using iTunes. Follow these simple steps to update your iPhone via iTunes:

1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to the computer and then open iTunes.
2. Select the device when it appears in iTunes and then go to the “Summary” section.
3. Click on “Check for Update” and then “Download and Update”. Wait while iTunes installs the latest iOS 17 on to the device.

Part 5. Backup Your iPhone Before Updating to iOS 17

Before attempting the iOS 17 update, it could be a good idea to create a backup of all the data on your device. This way, you can easily get your data back when something goes wrong during the update process.

One of the best tools to backup iPhone/iPad is Fucosoft Free iOS Backup & Restore. Compared with iTunes or iCloud, this tool offers more flexibility, allowing you to selectively backup/restore data and view data in details. Here’s how to use it:

1. Run the program on your computer and connect the iOS device to the computer using USB cable. When prompted to “Trust this Computer”, unlock the device and enter the passcode to allow the program to detect the device.
2. Select “Backup & Restore” tab in the main menu. You should then see all the types of data available on the device. By default, all these types of data are selected. You can deselect the data you don’t want to include in the backup.
3. When you’re ready, click “Backup” to begin the backup process and keep the device connected until the program notifies you that the backup process is complete.