Do you want to update your iPhone but don’t have a Wi-Fi network available to connect to at the moment? Are you looking for the best working methods to update your iPhone to the latest OS version available without ever connecting to a Wi-Fi network?
If yes, you have come to the right place. Apple is one of the leading tech companies right now, and they have a big hand in developing the technology and bringing it to where it stands today. Apple devices are definitely one of the most used devices on the planet and it’s all thanks to Apple’s great marketing strategies, their great communication services, and of course the quality of their products as always, apple targets their users not only with a single device.
They target their audience first by creating hype for their next product, or their upcoming product, then they offer to sell their whole ecosystem with it, the main reason that their ecosystem strategy works are that it genuinely makes their customer’s life easier and their audience experiences the ease that apple offers them beforehand and then they wait for the next product to see what new features that product brings in to their life.
Apple originally keeps on providing new software updates to add new features to their products that are capable of handling the new software version. The usual way people update their software is through the internet but what would happen if the internet would not available at the time of the update? Or if you want to update it as soon as the update is released, and you don’t have the internet at the particular moment? This is what we’re here to find out.
We will be giving you all the required information on this topic and we will be helping you by guiding you with steps in detail we will be answering all the questions in your mind right now in detail, which is if you can actually update your software without ever connecting to the internet at the time of the update, so make sure that you read till the very end so that you can understand the entire concept of why Apple tells you this and what is the process to update your device without internet so, without any further ado, let’s get started:
Apple might tell their users that their devices can’t be updated without being connected to cellular data, and that they must use Wi-Fi, but that’s not true and there are some secret tips and tricks that you can implement on your iPhone and get updated to the latest software version available, make sure you read till the very end to know all about these cool tricks,
One of the best things about apple devices is that you get multiple operating system updates, while Google’s Android is the complete opposite as it provides a single update for its third-party phones and three updates for its flagship phones like their Pixel 7 of the pixel series.
OS updates are very important for the safety of your phone, they come with patches including patches of bug fixes, and new features which make your iPhone look like new, mostly latest phones keep on receiving new iOS updates sent by Apple.
A good example of this would be the iPhone 6s / iPhone 6s plus, it accepts updates up to iOS 15, the same OS that comes out of the box with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 pro max.
There is also an irresistible feeling which makes you get the latest tech as soon as possible, and of course, you won’t sacrifice your feelings of getting your hands on the latest iOS update available, you would want to get the latest update as soon as possible and possibly before all your friends do, however, what would happen if the update is available for you to download and install on your device but you can’t seem to get Wi-Fi internet for some reason.
Don’t worry, we have got you covered if you’re in this situation, just follow the methods given below and get yourself the new update!
Why Does Apple Not Allow Its Users To Update Their iPhones Without Wi-Fi?
Apple does not allow major iOS or iPadOS updates on iPhone and iPad devices on 4G LTE/ 3G/ 2G cellular data. Apple did not publish any policy or a side note as to why they want their users to follow this rule set by them. Right now, all of their users follow this rule set by apple, unless their iPhone has the latest 5G technology.
However there are still some tricks that will help you in getting what you want, just follow the methods given below,
How To Update iPhone Without Wifi
1. Update iPhone Using 5G Mobile Data Network:
If you have iPhone 12 or above, you’re in luck if you want to update your OS without Wi-Fi as you can simply download and install any major or minor software updates sent to you using the 5G capabilities of your device.
iPhone models starting from 12 and up to iPhone 14 Pro Max come with 5G. Here is how to update iOS without Wi-Fi using 5G:
Follow the steps given below:
- Open the Settings app and tap on cellular.
- Now, choose Cellular Data options on the next screen that appears.
- Tap on data mode and select allow more data on 5G.
- Go back to the cellular screen and then choose voice & data.
- Go back to the main menu of the settings app.
- Now, Tap General and Select Software update.
- Select download and install.
- That’s it! You’re done.
2. Update iPhone Using 4G LTE:
Apple is yet to allow its users to download and install major iOS updates using a cellular network below 5G, if you still stay persistent and try to update, you won’t be able to download & install, as the option will be greyed out and you won’t be able to choose it.
However, following the steps below, you can override or bypass this issue with ease, remember that this method has a sporadic success rate and doesn’t work in all countries and all models of iPhone.
Follow the steps given below to update with no wi-fi but using 4G data:
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to get to the Control Center of your iPhone.
- Now, tap the Cellular Data icon, it looks like an antenna with radio frequencies or waves.
- Now, open Settings and tap Date and Time.
- Toggle Off the Set Automatically option.
- Tap the date and then select a date one month in advance. For example, if it’s January 01, set February 01.
- Head to the updates screen by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Tap Download & Install and you’re done.
3. Update iPhone Using Personal Hotspot:
You can use the internet on your iPhone from a mobile data hotspot. This network uses wi-fi technology to operate so Apple will not be able to restrict your update and won’t have any reason to restrict it anyways, because, for your iPhone, you’re updating through wi-fi.
All you need to do is ask to borrow someone else’s hotspot, preferably your friend or family, keep in mind that you can take any device’s hotspot and that you won’t only be restricted for an apple device to turn its hotspot on, you can also borrow it from someone with an android device. If you already have a spare iPhone or Android device laying around, or if you’re one of the “2 phones” users, you can take out the SIM card inserted into your iPhone and insert it into your other device and enable its hotspot to create a Wi-Fi hotspot so that you can use it to update your iPhone with ease.
Follow the steps given below to turn your Wi-Fi hotspot on,
For Android:
- Swipe down the top of the screen to display your notifications bar.
- Disable Wi-Fi and enable your cellular data.
- You will be able to see your hotspot icon on the same screen, tap it to create a personal hotspot to connect your iPhone with, and update it to the latest OS available.
For iPhone:
- Go to your device’s settings.
- You should be able to see a personal hotspot below the cellular option.
- If you don’t, tap Cellular.
- Toggle on the allow others to join option.
- That’s it! You’re done. Now connect the other phone with your hotspot and update it to the latest version available.
The process of connecting your other phone to this phone’s hotspot will be the same as connecting your device to your Wi-Fi network, it will be exactly the same, and you will be able to spot your other device’s hotspot where you usually spot your Wi-Fi connection, and you will be able to connect it from there.
Once you have connected your iPhone to the hotspot, go to the:
Settings > General > software update
To update your iPhone’s OS to the latest version available for it to download and install.
4. Update iPhone Using iTunes Or Find My App:
Not many users know about this, but you can update an iPhone or iPad using a computer that has an internet connection. For windows PC, you will need the iTunes app. For a Mac you will need the Find My app, the steps to using this method are given below:
- Connect the iPhone to thWindowsws PC or Mac with the USB cable.
- Now, Open the iTunes app on windows, or Find My app on Mac.
- The software will ask you to authenticate the device for connectivity. Authenticate by following the on-screen prompts and instructions.
- Next, iTunes or Find Me will show your iPhone model, close it and you will be shown the summary page.
- Click on the update option to transform the iOS to the latest version.
5. Update Your iPhone By Downloading An IPSW File:
You can download the latest iOS update for your iPhone from the IPSW downloads website. Once you’re done downloading the file, apply the update via iTunes or the Find my app, depending on if you’re using windows or Mac. Apple doesn’t recommend this method, so if you want to try this method, you must do it at your discretion, but it’s known to work without any issues so if you go for it, it’s likely that you will successfully install the update without any issues hopefully.
Follow the steps given below to download and install the update through an IPSW file:
- Go to IPSW Downloads.
- Choose the product from the product list given, like iPhone, iPad, etc.
- Now, select your iPhone model on the Choose a Platform menu.
- Select the version you want to download.
- Click the blue download button given at the center of the page to get the OS upgrade file.
- Once you’re done downloading the file, connect the iPhone to your computer and run iTunes if you’re using windows or Find My if you’re using Mac.
- Once you have made it to the summary page, press shift and click the update button given there, for Mac press the option and then click update on Find Me.
- Locate the downloaded update, and the process will begin.
- You will be able to successfully use your iPhone and unplug it from your PC once the app is done updating it.
That’s it, now you have successfully updated your iPhone without connecting it to any Wi-Fi network.
Final Words
We have discussed all the working tips and tricks and have helped you in discovering the best hacks when it comes to updating your iPhone without any Wi-Fi network available to connect to, just follow any one of the methods given above that seem suitable to your condition and give this article a good read to get your iPhone updated to the latest version
While answering all the questions in your mind, we have done our job by giving you the information that you were looking for and now it’s your turn to do the same by implementing it on your device if needed, we hope that you got the information that you were looking for and we wish you the best of luck.