Why Is My iOS 16 Update Paused? Check the 10 Fixes

With the release of iOS 16, many iPhone users are eager to upgrade their devices to take advantage of its amazing new features. However, some users have reported issues while downloading the update, as it repeatedly displays the “Paused” message and cannot be resumed despite their attempts.

There are several reasons why the iPhone update can become paused. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common causes and offer potential solutions to get the update process back on track.

Why is iOS 16 Update Paused?

There could be several reasons why the iOS 16 update is paused. Here are some possible ones:

• Insufficient Storage Space: iOS updates require a significant amount of free space on your iPhone/iPad. If your device doesn’t have enough free space, the update may be paused.
• Poor Internet Connection: iOS updates also require a stable and fast internet connection to download and install. If your Wi-Fi connection is slow or intermittent, the update may be paused.
• Low Battery: If your device’s battery level is low, the iOS update may be paused to prevent the device from shutting down during the update process.
• Software Conflicts: Sometimes, software conflicts can cause the iOS update to pause. Try closing all apps, restarting your device, and then starting the update again.
• Server Overload: Sometimes, the Apple servers that distribute the update may become overloaded with requests, which can cause the update to pause.

How to Fix iPhone Update Paused Issue

If your iPhone update to iOS 16 is paused, there are a few solution you can take to fix the issue:

1. Charge Your iPhone

To download an iOS update, Apple requires that the battery percentage of your iPhone should be at lease 50%. If your battery level falls below this requirement during the update process, it might cause the update to pause. To resolve this issue, you should charge the iPhone until the battery level reaches 50% or more, and keep it plugged in until the iOS update is complete.

2. Check Your Internet connection

When you encounter an issue with the iOS 16 update being paused, another thing you should check is your network connection. Here are some steps you can take:

• Turn on Wi-Fi: Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Go to Settings and click on WiFi to check if your Wi-Fi is turned on. If it is on, you can toggle it off and then back on.
• Check signal strength: Check the signal strength of the Wi-Fi connection. If the signal is weak or unstable, try moving closer to the Wi-Fi router or restarting your modem.
• Disable VPN and Proxy settings: If you are using a VPN or Proxy connection, disable them as they can sometimes interfere with the download and installation of updates.
• Reset network settings: If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you can try resetting your network settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This will reset your Wi-Fi, cellular, and VPN settings to their defaults.

By checking your network connection and ensuring that your iPhone is connected to a stable and reliable network, you can resolve the iOS 16 update paused issue and continue downloading and installing the update.

3. Free Up Storage Space

In addition to having a stable WiFi network, it is also important to ensure that there is enough storage space available on your iPhone for the iOS 16 update. To check how much storage space is available and which apps and files are taking up the most space, you can go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.

If you find that there isn’t enough space available, you can take a few steps to free up space. One option is to delete any unnecessary apps, photos, or files that you no longer need. Another option is to transfer these files to a cloud storage service, such as iCloud or Google Drive, which can help you free up space on your iPhone while still keeping your files accessible.

4. Restart Your iPhone

If you’re still experiencing issues with the iOS 16 update, restarting your iPhone may help to refresh the device’s system and clear any minor issues that may be interfering with the update process.

To restart your iPhone, keep holding the side button and either volume button when you see the “slide to power off” message on the screen. Then, drag the slider to the right to power off the device. Wait a few seconds, then keep holding the power button again to turn your device back on.

5. Pause and Resume the Update

You can also try to pause the download and installation of the iOS 16 update and then resume it after a few minutes to see if it resolves the issue. Here are the steps to follow:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• If the iOS 16 update is currently downloading or installing, you will see a progress bar. Tap on “Pause Download” to pause the update.
• Wait a few minutes and then tap on “Resume Download” to resume the update.
• Then wait for the update to finish downloading and installing.

6. Delete Incomplete Updates or Beta Software

It is possible the a previous download of iOS beta or incomplete update may interfere with the current iOS 16 update, causing it to pause or fail. In this case, it’s necessary to remove the beta software or incomplete update to proceed with the new iOS update.

To remove the previous update, head over to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and locate the Software Update app. Select the app and then choose the option to “Delete Update.” After removing the update, you can restart the iOS 16 update process by going to General > Software Update.

7. Disable Content & Privacy Restriction

In some cases, your iPhone may encounter issues when updating to the latest iOS 16 version if it is in restricted mode. If this is the case, you can fix the issue by disabling Content & Privacy Restriction. Here are the steps to turn off this feature:

• On your iPhone, navigate to Settings and choose Screen Time.
• Then click on Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it off.
• If required, input the device’s passcode to confirm the action.

Once you have turned off the Content & Privacy Restrictions, you should be able to download the iOS 16 update without any issues.

8. Try Updating via iTunes

If the iOS 16 update continues to pause, you can try updating your iPhone using iTunes. Here are the steps to update iOS via iTunes:

• Ensure that your computer has the latest version of iTunes installed.
• Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable, then launch iTunes.
• Click on the iPhone icon in the top left corner of the iTunes window. Then click on the “Check for Update” button in the Summary tab.
• If an update is available, click on the “Download and Update” button to begin the update process.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.

Note that updating your iPhone via iTunes may take longer than updating over Wi-Fi, and you will need to have sufficient space available on your computer to download the iOS 16 update. Additionally, ensure that your iPhone is backed up before updating to prevent data loss in case of any issues during the update process.

9. Check Apple System Server

In some cases, the iOS 16 update process may halt due to a problem with Apple’s servers. Whenever a new iOS update is launched, a significant number of iPhone users attempt to download and install it, which can result in the Apple servers becoming overwhelmed and potentially leading to downtime.

If you have verified that your network connection and device settings are not the cause of the paused iOS update, you may need to wait until Apple’s servers are functioning properly again. Unfortunately, there is no specific timeframe for when this issue will be resolved, but you can check the Apple System Status page for updates on server outages and expected downtimes.

10. iOS 16 Update Still Paused? Try Fucosoft iOS System Recovery

If you have tried all the previous solutions and the iOS 16 update still remains paused, it is possible that software glitches or bugs are causing the problem. If that’s the case, you can use Fucosoft iOS System Recovery to resolve these issues with ease.

It is a professional iOS repair tool that is specially designed to fix all types of issues related to iOS system. With this tool, you can easily repair your iPhone or iPad without losing any data. You can quickly resolve the iOS update paused issue within simple clicks and update to the latest iOS 16.

To fix the iOS 16 update paused issue without data loss, please follow these simple steps:

• Begin by downloading and installing Fucosoft iOS System Recovery on your computer. Once it is installed, launch the program.

• Choose the “Standard Repair” mode from the program’s main interface and then connect your iPhone to the computer via USB cable.

• Once the device is recognized, click on “Download” to start downloading the matching firmware package.

• After the download is complete, click “Start Standard Repair” to begin the repair process. When the process is complete, your iPhone will reboot and be updated to the latest iOS 16.

The Bottom Line

If you’re facing issues with the iOS 16 update being paused, it’s important to identify the root cause of the problem and try potential solutions. However, if you’ve exhausted all other options and the problem persists, then you may consider using Fucosoft iOS System Recovery to update to the latest iOS 16 or troubleshoot any iOS-related issues.