As we get closer and closer to the first Developer Beta of iOS 16, there are still iPhone users who have yet to install the iOS 15 update. Apple hasn’t had the greatest in recent years when it comes to the stability of major OS upgrades, but those random bugs usually work themselves out. But what if you are trying to update your iPhone only to be met with an ‘iOS 15 update requested’ message?
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iOS 15 Update Requested? How to Fix
This is something that we see on a semi-regular basis, as users try to upgrade their iPhone but instead see the iOS 15 update requested message. What makes this even more frustrating is if you aren’t the impatient type and are content with waiting around until the update becomes available. With the steps that we’re covering today take a look at what you can do if the update never actually installs.
Restart Your iPhone
Apple server issues not permitting, the first step that you’ll want to take to try and get rid of the iOS 15 update requested message is to just restart your iPhone. Sometimes, there can be a bottleneck on your device, whether it’s with the network or with the Settings app itself. Restarting your iPhone should be able to get things back in working order so you can install the update.
- Press and hold the Side Button with either the Volume Up or Volume Down buttons at the same time.
- Once the Slide to Power Off slider appears, slide the toggle to turn off your iPhone 13.
There’s also another way for you to turn your iPhone off and it’s via the Settings menu. This is a relatively new addition and is great for those who have a faulty power button.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.
- Tap Shut Down.
- Slide the power button across the screen to power off your iPhone.
Reset Network Settings
Speaking of potential network problems with your iPhone, you might find yourself needing to reset the Network Settings. This doesn’t fully remove all of your data and applications, but it will reset any incoming or outgoing connections.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap the Reset button at the bottom of the page.
- Tap Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your passcode if prompted.
By resetting the Network Settings, all of your saved Wi-Fi networks and VPN connections will be completely removed. But this also resets the cellular connection on your device, which may help to improve the overall network connectivity of your iPhone and iPad.
Delete The Update File
We wish this series of steps was available years ago, but Apple has finally made it possible for you to manually delete the update file directly from your iPhone. We’ve only ever needed to do this once or twice, as the update file became corrupted when unknowingly switching between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. But if you’ve tried everything else, this could be the one that actually gets rid of the iOS 15 update requested message.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Scroll down and tap iPhone Storage.
- Wait until your iPhone storage levels are calculated.
- Scroll through the list until you find the iOS 15 update file.
- Select the iOS 15 update file.
- Tap the Delete Update button.
After deleting the iOS 15 update file, you’ll then need to restart your iPhone to make sure that all of the cobwebs (cache) has been removed. After your iPhone has finished restarting, go through and try to install the update again.
Make Sure You Have Enough Storage
iOS 15 may not seem like a massive update compared to previous releases, but there are a lot of underlying features to improve your overall experience. It’s also a sizable update, coming in at around 5GB. This is not an insignificant amount of storage, so you’ll want to make sure you have enough space for iOS to actually download and install the update.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Scroll down and tap iPhone Storage.
- Wait until your iPhone storage levels are calculated.
This provides you with an overview of how much storage is available on your iPhone, along with showing you how much storage is being used by different applications. If you are running into problems, Apple also provides two useful tools under the Recommendations section. From here, you can choose one of the following:
- Optimize Photos: Full resolution photos and videos are safely stored in iCloud and your iPhone will use smaller size versions.
- Offload Unused Apps: Automatically offload unused apps when you’re low on storage. Your documents & data will be saved.
Alternatively, you can also just go through the list, select an app that you don’t use anymore, and then tap the Delete App button. It’s just another way for you to delete apps on your iPhone without needing to go back to the Home Screen and enter “jiggle mode”. We recommend leaving a bit of extra wiggle room for your iPhone to install the update, so you’ll likely want to make sure you have around 10GB of storage free.
Use iTunes On Windows or Finder On Your Mac
You might have forgotten about this, but you can still install updates or restore your iPhone using your computer. While the iTunes app is no longer available on the Mac, you can still access all of the necessary settings right from the Finder app. Windows users, on the other hand, still have to rely on the iTunes app if they want to get rid of the iOS 15 update requested message. Here’s how you can update your iPhone from your computer:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using a Lightning to USB cable.
- When performing updates, it’s strongly recommended to use an Apple-branded cable.
- If you are using Windows, open iTunes. Those on macOS will need to open the Finder app.
- After your iPhone has been recognized by either iTunes or Finder, click the Check for Update button.
- Once available, click the Download and Update button that appears near the top of the screen.
As you might expect, this process can take a bit of time, as the update needs to be installed on your computer before being transferred and installed on your iPhone. We recommend giving yourself about 20-30 minutes in order for the update to successfully be applied to your iPhone. Then, you can eject your iPhone, and safely disconnect your iPhone from your computer with the iOS 15 update installled.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.
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