How to Update to iOS 8.1 Without Any Problems

iOS 8.1 is out in full force today as Apple released the update for all devices capable of running iOS 8. Here is how to update to iOS 8.1 without any problems, or at least minimize any problems from occurring.

With this new update also comes the launch of Apple Pay, which is the company’s own digital payment platform for the iPhone and iPad. We’re also seeing the revival of iOS’s Camera Roll, as well as some more Continuity features that work alongside OS X Yosemite.

If you plan on updating to iOS 8.1, you may come across problems, which is usually the case with every update for iOS, as it’s unlikely that 100% of all iOS users can have a smooth transaction when updating their iPhones or iPad. That’s usually the case with most pieces of software, but there are ways that you can update to iOS 8.1 and minimize the possibility of problems arising.

We always post solutions to problems that come up for users that update to the latest versions of iOS, but the ultimate goal is to not have these problems occur in the first place. Fortunately, there’s a way to update iOS on your device in a way that minimizes issues from happening. You can’t completely prevent update problems from occurring, but this is at least the best way to go about updating your iPhone or iPad will minimal problems.

Back Up Your iPhone or iPad

First thing’s first: Back up your iPhone or iPad before updating it. Even though iOS 8.1 probably won’t completely bonk your device, all updates change the stability of the software in some way, and sometimes it doesn’t work out for the best, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and have a way to go reverse the update.

We have a handy guide on how to back up your iPhone or iPad using iTunes, but essentially you’ll plug in your device to your computer and follow these steps:

1. In the upper-right corner of the iTunes window, you’ll see a button that says either iPhone or iPad, depending on what you have.
2. Click on that button to open another window that provides information about your device.
3. Below the main information is the Backup section. To do an all-out full backup of your iOS device, select This computer on the left-hand side.
4. Optionally, you can choose Encrypt backup to secure it from others accessing the personal data that gets backed up.
5. Next, click Back Up Now to begin the backup process. You may get a pop-up that talks about apps on your iOS device that aren’t currently in your iTunes Library. Click Back Up Apps to sync these apps with your iTunes Library, that way you’ll have all of your apps completely backed up.
6. iTunes will begin transferring any apps over to your iTunes Library if there are any, and then it will begin backing up your iOS device. When it’s done, just click the blue Done button in the upper-right corner and you’re good to go!

Update to iOS 8.1 Through iTunes

After you back up your iPhone or iPad using iTunes, you’re now ready to update to iOS 8.1 risk-free.

There are two ways you can update the iOS software. You can either update over-the-air by opening up theSettings app and navigating to General > Software Update, or you can update through iTunes. The best way to update iOS with minimal issues is to do it through iTunes, simply because the over-the-air update is less reliable with a wireless connection to download and install the update, and your computer takes care of all of the temp files that are created for the update, rather than your iDevice having to deal with all of that.

To begin, plug in your iPhone or iPad to your computer and launch iTunes, then follow these quick steps:

1. In the upper-right corner of the iTunes window, you’ll see a button that says iPhone or iPad, depending on what you have.
2. Click on that button to open another window that provides information about your device.
3. Click on Check for Update and follow the on-screen instructions.

The update process should only take about ten minutes, but downloading the update takes longer depending on how fast your internet connection is. After it’s done, your device will restart and will eventually boot to the lock screen where you can begin using it again.

If you come across any issues during the install process, like random freezing, simply perform a hard reset by holding down the power button and home button at the same time for a few seconds until the device restarts. From there, the update may continue to install automatically or you might have to begin the process again.

If you experience a lot of problems after the update successfully installs, this is where your back up comes in handy, and you can restore that back up in iTunes to essentially roll back your software to the time when it properly worked.

Other than that, that’s all there is to it, and if you follow these steps, you hopefully won’t come across any of the issues, but all you can really do is cross your fingers and hope for the best.