Unable to Install iOS 17 Update? 11 Tips to Fix It

Apple regularly releases iOS updates that come with new features and bug fixes that are important for the proper function of iPhone/iPad. But sometimes when you try to update the device to the latest version, you may see the error message “Unable to Install Update. An error occurred installing iOS 17.”

This is a pretty common problem that can happen for a number of reasons. In this article, we will look at some of the best solutions to this iOS update problem.

Back Up iPhone First

Before we begin, it is important to backup all the data on the iPhone or iPad. Having a backup will ensure that all the data on your device remains safe in case something goes wrong during the iOS 17 update. Some of the solutions we will recommend below might also cause data loss and you will need your iPhone backup to retrieve back the data that you have lost.

You can either use Apple’s iCloud/iTunes or third-party tool like Fucosoft Free iOS Backup & Restore to do the backup. Once you have a complete backup of all the data on your device, try the following solutions;

1. Check iPhone Compatibility

First, you need to make sure that your iPhone is compatible with iOS 17. If your device is an iPhone X or later, you should be able to download and install iOS 17. But if you have an iPhone 8 or earlier, iOS 16 is the maximum that your device can accommodate.

2. Check Your iPhone’s Battery

Your iPhone will be unable to download the iOS update files if you have less than 50% battery. Therefore, connect the device to a charger and try again after the battery is more than 50%

3. Connect to Stable WiFi Network

Your iPhone needs to be connected to a stable and reliable Wi-Fi network for the iOS update to work. You should also make sure that the device is as close to the router as possible to increase the strength of the update and that VPN is turned off.

If you think that the Wi-Fi network you are using is not strong enough, you should consider connecting the device to a different network.

4. Check iPhone Storage

You may also be unable to update the iPhone to iOS 17 because you don’t have adequate storage space.

• To check how much storage space iOS 17 will need, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• Then go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see if you have adequate storage to install the update.

If the storage space that you have is not enough to update the device, you can create more space by deleting some of the apps and media files that may be taking up a lot of space on the device.

5. Try Update Again Later

Sometimes, this problem can occur if the iPhone is unable to communicate with Apple servers or when Apple servers are unavailable for one reason. In this case, the best solution is simply to wait a while before trying to update the device again. You can wait anywhere between 15 minutes and a few hours before attempting the update again.

6. Force Quit the Settings App

You may also be unable to update your iPhone to iOS 17 if there is a problem with the Settings app. One way to solve this problem is to force quit the settings app. Here’s how to do it;

• Swipe up from the bottom of the display and pause in the middle.
• Locate the Settings app card and drag it up and off the screen.

Wait a few seconds and then go to Settings > General > Software Update to try installing the iOS 17 update again.

7. Restart Your iPhone

This update problem can also be caused by an error in the iOS system. You may therefore want to restart the iPhone to remove some of these system errors. Just follow these steps;

• Press and hold one of the Volume button and the Side button until “Slide to Power Off” appears on the screen.
• Drag the slider from left to right to turn off the device.
• Once the iPhone is completely off, press and hold the Side button until the device restarts and the Apple logo appears.

8. Reset Network Settings

Since this iOS update problem is often caused by network connectivity issues, resetting the network settings is one of the most effective solutions that you can try. Here’s how to do it;

• Open the Settings on your iPhone and tap on “General.”
• Select “Reset” and then choose “Reset Network Settings” from the options
• When the device restarts, try to update the device again to see if the issue is resolved.

9. Delete the Update and Try Again

If there is a problem with the update files themselves, you may find that you are unable to install the update on your iPhone. Deleting the update and starting again might help.

• To delete the update, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Find the update, select it and then tap “Delete.”
• Once the update is deleted, reboot the iPhone and then try to update the device again.

10. Update iOS from Computer

If you still see the “Unable to Install Update” error message, you can try to update the iPhone by connecting it to the computer.

• Use a USB or lightning cable to connect the iPhone to the computer. For PC and older versions of macOS, open iTunes. If you are using macOS Catalina or newer, open Finder.
• Find the iPhone on your computer and click on the “Update” button to begin installing the latest version of iOS on the device.

11. Fix Frozen iPhone Update (100% Work)

If you are still unable to update your iPhone to iOS 17, there may be a much deeper problem with the iOS system that may cause the iPhone update to get stuck. One of the best ways to resolve these issues is to use an iOS system repair tool like Fucosoft iOS System Recovery.

This program has numerous features that make it the most ideal solution to choose, including the following;

• Fix most common iOS stuck issues including a frozen update process without causing data loss.
• You can use it to upgrade or downgrade the iOS version running on your iPhone without jailbreaking or using iTunes.
• It also allows you to enter and exit recovery mode in a single click.
• It supports all iOS versions and all iPhone models, even the newest iOS 17/16 and iPhone 15/14/13.

Here’s how to use Fucosoft iOS System Recovery to fix a frozen iPhone update;

Step 1: Open Fucosoft iOS System Recovery on your computer and click “Start” from the main window. Use a USB cable to connect the iPhone to the computer and click “Standard Repair.”

Step 2: The program should detect the connected device. If the device cannot be detected, follow the onscreen instructions to put the iPhone in DFU or recovery mode.

Step 3: On the next screen, click “Download” to download the firmware that you will need to repair the device.

Step 4: When the firmware package has been downloaded, click on “Start Standard Repair” to begin fixing the device. Do not disconnect the device from the computer until the program notifies you that the repair process is complete.

The Bottom Line

Updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS 17 brings cool new features to the device, and it is also one of the best ways to improve the performance of the device. But sometimes you can experience problems such as “Unable to Install iOS Update” when you try to update your device. The solutions in this article will be very helpful in fixing this particular problem. Post any comments or questions you may have on this topic in the comments section below and we’ll be glad to help.