The iOS 10 Upgrade Guide: Tips and Tricks for Upgrading to Apple’s Latest and Greatest OS

iOS 10 will be released at 1PM Eastern/10AM Pacific today, and we thought we’d share some quick info with you about upgrading to Apple’s latest and greatest mobile operating system.

Which iOS Devices are Compatible With iOS 10?

The following iOS devices are compatible with iOS 10:

• iPhone 6s
• iPhone 6s Plus
• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6 Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 5c
• iPhone 5
• iPad Pro (Both 12.9-inch, and 9.7-inch models)
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad 4th gen
• iPad mini 4, mini 3, mini 2
• iPod touch 6th gen

Should I Upgrade Immediately?

You, and millions of other iOS users are going to be attempting to download the new version of iOS when it becomes available. We usually wait until later in the day, after all of the hullabaloo dies down. Remember, Apple’s servers are going to get hit hard the first few hours of iOS 10 availability. The update might be something you want to do later in the day. If you’re planning on doing it on your lunch hour, you might be in for an unpleasant experience.

In addition, there have been updates in the past that have temporarily caused issues with iOS devices, both old and new. While iOS 10 has been tested thoroughly over the last few months, by both developers and Apple’s public beta tester group, there is always the chance of a bug. If you’re jittery about being on the cutting edge, you might wait a few days before pulling the trigger on the upgrade.

Backup, Backup, Backup

There is just no way to say this enough. Before you upgrade to iOS 10, make sure you have a backup of your device! To play it safe, do a backup to both iCloud, and via iTunes. (Plus, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes before backing up.)

Backing Up via iCloud

To backup to iCloud, do the following: Go to “Settings” -> “iCloud” -> “Backup.” Tap “Backup Now.” Wait.

Backing Up via iTunes:

1. Connect your iOS device to your Mac or Windows computer via a sync/charge cable, and start up iTunes.
2. Click the device icon, found in the upper left hand corner of the iTunes screen.
3. Once you are on the device screen, you’ll see a butt-load of information about the connected iOS device. You’re interested in the “Backups” section.
4. If you use the Health app, an Apple Watch, or HomeKit apps and devices, make sure the “Encrypt iPhone Backup box is checked. This will allow that data to be backed up and properly restored, if needed. (Write down your password and store it somewhere safe, because there’s no way to recover your iTunes backups without this password.)
5. You’ll see a button labeled “Back Up Now” under the “Manually Back Up and Restore” section of the window. Click it.
6. The backup will begin. Wait for the process to finish. It could take awhile, depending on the amount of data you have stored on your device.
7. After the process ends, you can see if your backup finished successfully in iTunes Preferences > Devices. You should see the name of your device with the date and time that iTunes created the backup. If you encrypted your backup, you should also see a beside the name of your device.

Upgrading to iOS 10

OK, you’ve decided to go for it, and you’re ready to flip the switch. Here’s how to install iOS 10.

Over the Air Method

Perhaps the most popular, and easy way to update to iOS is via the Over the Air method (OTA). This method does all the work right on your device. Before you do this, make sure your device is connected to a charging source.

Go to: “Settings” -> “General” -> “Software Update.” You should see if the iOS 10 update is available for your device. It’s simple from here on, just follow the prompts and install the update. Be prepared to wait awhile. Especially if you’re doing this at 1:01PM Eastern time. You may see an error message about not being able to connect to the update server, or perhaps another error message. If you do, don’t freak out, just take a deep breath, and try again later.

iTunes Method:

With your iOS device connected to your Mac or PC, go to the same page you were on to backup your device, (The Summary Page), and click the “Check for Update” button in the top section of the window. Follow the prompts, and wait for the process to complete.

After the Update

After updating you’ll need to enter your passcode after the device restarts. Even if you use Touch ID. (Um, you do lock your device with a passcode, right? RIGHT?) When you first begin using your iOS device following the update, you may notice that it’s a bit sluggish. Don’t immediately hit Twitter and tweet about how iOS 10 turned your iPhone into a slow piece of doggy-doo. At least not right away. Wait a while. iOS 10 just needs to do some housekeeping, and indexing of data and apps, and such, so all those cool new Spotlight and Siri features will work correctly.