iPhone stuck on Verifying Update? What to do (without losing data)

You tapped Download and Install, the progress bar finished, and now the screen has said Verifying Update for what feels like forever. Take a breath. This is one of the most common update hiccups, and in almost every case your photos, messages and apps are safe. The key is knowing what the phone is doing, how long is normal, and which fixes are safe. This page also covers a phone stuck on Preparing Update, which has the same causes.

What “Verifying Update” means

After downloading an update, your iPhone checks it with Apple’s servers before installing. If the servers are busy, your Wi-Fi drops, or the download is damaged, that check can hang. Your photos, messages and apps are not at risk during this step.

The stages of an iPhone update, and how long each takes

• Downloading: the file arrives over Wi-Fi. This depends on your connection and can take a few minutes to an hour.
• Preparing Update: the iPhone unpacks the file. This needs free storage and usually takes a few minutes.
• Verifying Update: the iPhone confirms with Apple that the file is genuine. Usually 5 to 20 minutes, longer on release day.
• Installing: the iPhone restarts and shows the Apple logo with a progress bar. This can take 15 to 30 minutes or more.

The first three stages happen while you can still use the phone. Only the last one takes the iPhone away from you. If you are stuck in stage two or three, nothing has been changed on the phone yet, which is why waiting and restarting are safe.

Why the check gets stuck

• Busy servers. In the first hours after a new iOS release, Apple’s servers handle a huge load. Verifying slows down for everyone.
• A weak Wi-Fi connection. The phone needs to reach Apple during the check. A router that keeps dropping, a VPN or a sign-in Wi-Fi network at a hotel or cafe can block it.
• A damaged download. If the file did not arrive intact, verification cannot finish. Deleting it and starting again fixes this.
• Low storage. The iPhone needs room to unpack the update. Preparing and verifying stall when there is not enough.
• Low battery or Low Power Mode. iOS can pause some background work when the battery is low, which can freeze the progress.

Fix the connection before you try again

Before you delete the update, try to make the connection reliable. Turn off any VPN, move closer to the router and switch to your home Wi-Fi if you are on a public network. If it keeps failing, go to Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Reset › Reset Network Settings. This forgets saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, so have your Wi-Fi password ready, but it does not erase photos, apps or messages. Reconnect and try the update again.

Also turn off Low Power Mode in Settings › Battery, and keep the iPhone plugged in while it updates. Make sure the phone is on Wi-Fi, because large iOS updates may not download over cellular unless you allow it in the Software Update settings.

How much space does an iOS update need?

The update file itself is often several gigabytes, and the iPhone needs extra room to unpack it. If Settings › General › iPhone Storage shows the bar nearly full, the update may stall at Preparing or Verifying. Delete large videos you have already backed up, offload apps you rarely use and clear old message attachments. A few gigabytes of room is usually enough, but more is safer. See how to free up iPhone storage for the quickest wins.

Should you back up first?

Yes, if you can. Updates almost never erase data, but a fresh backup means a failed update is an inconvenience instead of a disaster. Go to Settings › your name › iCloud › iCloud Backup › Back Up Now, or back up to a computer. If iCloud is full, a computer backup works just as well. Our guide on backing up your iPhone walks through both ways.

Updating with a computer, step by step

A computer update skips the part of the process that got stuck on the phone. On a Mac, open Finder. On Windows, install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store. Connect the iPhone with a cable, unlock it and tap Trust This Computer if asked. Select the iPhone in the sidebar, click Check for Update, then Download and Update, and enter your passcode when asked. Keep the cable connected until the iPhone has restarted and shows the Hello or lock screen.

If the computer asks whether you want to Update or Restore, choose Update every time. Restore wipes the iPhone and installs a clean copy of iOS, which makes sense only when nothing else has worked and you have a backup.

When the iPhone will not start after the update

If a force restart did not help and the iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo, connect it to a computer and put it in recovery mode: press and release volume up, press and release volume down, then hold the side button until the computer and cable screen appears. On the computer, choose Update, not Restore. The computer reinstalls iOS without erasing your data. If the download takes more than about 15 minutes, the iPhone leaves recovery mode, so repeat the steps and try again. See what to do for an iPhone stuck on the Apple logo for more.

How to avoid this next time

• Wait a few days. Updating on release day means the busiest servers and the first round of bugs.
• Update on home Wi-Fi, plugged in. Do not start an update when the battery is low.
• Keep some space free. Aim for several gigabytes free before you start.
• Back up the night before. It takes a few minutes and removes the worry.

If your iPhone is several years old and updates are slow every time, the battery or the storage may be the real problem. Check whether a battery replacement is worth it, and see how to update your iPhone for the usual steps once this is fixed.

When to contact Apple

If the update fails in recovery mode with an error number, or the iPhone keeps restarting before it reaches the Apple logo, contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store. Give them the exact message and what you have already tried, and say whether you made a backup. They can run diagnostics that rule out a hardware problem, such as failing storage or a worn battery. Do not pay for a third-party unlock or repair service before Apple has looked at the phone, because most update problems are software and cost nothing to fix.