Should I update iPhone to iOS 17.6.1 even with reported issues?

Don't do it for now. Like most updates, it is good to wait 30 days until any bugs could get worked out. I have had a discussion with Apple since I went to 17.6.1 on my Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and a problem with using the email app at all. They've also have bugs in other programs. I had Apple remotely log into my iPhone Friday and do a diagnostic and they told me they know they have problems going on right now and they expect an update beyond 17.6.1 soon. So, wait a bit because 17.6.1 was also a test trial for iOS 18's upcoming release. On Friday, August 16 Apple told me their update would be out by Saturday but it hasn't happened yet so we all just have to be patient.

Maybe pass for now. Woke up and phone screen is either entirely black or with an array of horizontal yellowish lines with the very top centimeter by the ear piece completely white. Stressed, and upset.

I wouldn’t until they fix things. I have a 14 pro max and the battery drain is ridiculous, it goes from 100% to 40% in an hour of not using it. And I miss phone calls now all the time, because it don’t ring most times. I have cancer and missing doctor calls because of this. Also I know quite a few people all with the same problems. Wait till they fix it first.

Coming to forums is like visiting a hospital and seeing sick people, thus believing everyone everywhere may be sick. After EVERY iOS update, you will see people claim all manners of issues. They are a HUGE minority of users in the world. iOS 17.6.1 was an update intended to provide security and bug fixes. For the vast majority of users, the update caused NO issues whatsoever. None of my phones or iPads suffered anything from the update.

Whether you want to be protected on your iPhone, is up to you.

You can avoid this update if you want......but when you do decide to update again, everything in the current update will be included in the next update.

So, you won't really be avoiding the current update.....you will be delaying things a bit.

I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and from my personal experience iOS 17.6.1 has been almost unbearable. I literally check for an update/restart daily because its so glitchy. IMO I’d wait until they release the next iOS update 🤷🏽‍♀️

My iPad updated overnight and in the morning it was frequently shutting down and rebooting randomly every 0-15 minutes. The back was getting very hot doing nothing. Now it fails every time I try to restore or update it (error 9 or 4013) and Apple service tech says it wasn't the update that broke the iPad it obviously already had some hardware fault and the reboot after updating simply brought it to light! Pretty nifty excuse that sidesteps any idea that it coincided with the update! And of course whatever the hardware fault is, it clearly came about after the warranty period!? Apple deny any culpability and deny us any chance to downgrade to a previously working iOS.

yes

Unless you're never going to update again, then no, you cannot avoid it.

As others have said, every iOS update ever issued has been "the worst thing ever" according to a small number of users. Issues people claim are something to do the last iOS update they installed often have nothing to do with the update at all.

An example - sometime last year everyone was very sure that the update they had just done had "broken Facebook". Turned out that there was a worldwide Facebook outage - and Facebook was broken for everyone regardless of what device they were using.

See this post by msanders916 dated June 12 (in case the link doesn't go to the correct post automagically).

I'm inclined to agree with them.

The TLDR version is this:

First, understand that the software does housekeeping after an update. It can usually be accomplished overnight but that depends on your device and its data. Try to install updates overnight and leave the device on the charger (It’s ok to do so and won’t ruin the battery. That rule applied to older battery technology). This is so that processor intensive tasks like file indexing for Spotlight Search or iCloud syncing can occur then and not during your day.

It's not what iOS 17.6.1 is doing to the battery, it's the update process and not what it updates to. Any update, apparently. That housekeeping happens in the background so the only thing you're aware of is the sudden battery drain for seemingly little no user activity.

I updated my recently purchased refurbed iPhone SE 2nd Gen and (once I got it to successfully restore and update (at least 6 attempts, I thought it was bricked), the battery drain was such that even though I kept it plugged in all day the battery level dropped from 80% to 21%. By the next day it was okay. It probably took less time than for most people because it had only the iOS and not many more than the standard apps on it, very few personal files or media.

So relax, it'll (probably) get better on its own.

Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

• If you have an iPhone 5S or 6/6plus, the highest you can update to is 12.5.7

• If you have an iPhone 6S through 7, or SE 1st generation, you can update to 15.8.2

• If you have an iPhone 8 or X, you can update to 16.7.10

• If you have an iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), or XR through 15, you can update to 17.6.1

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

This link will show you how to update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using WiFi -

Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

This link will show you how to update using your computer -

Update iOS on iPhone - Apple Support

r-engineer wrote:

... and they expect an update beyond 17.6.1 soon. So, wait a bit because 17.6.1 was also a test trial for iOS 18's upcoming release. On Friday, August 16 Apple told me their update would be out by Saturday but it hasn't happened yet so we all just have to be patient.

So, is that update supposed to be iOS 17.6.2 (just a "fix" for 17.6.1), or iOS 18.0 with new "features", like the AI?

[later] I just read your post more closely. A supposed "next Saturday" update sounds like 17.6.2.

I might not have to worry about the AI component after all because I don't believe my phone (SE 2nd gen) cannot use it. I'd be perfectly happy just to get only security updates for iOS 17.x.x from now on.

I updated my iPhone 14 Pro Max, and now it's not working—just a green display. If it's out of warranty, you might have to pay INR 40,000 for a display replacement. Apple won't help, even though this seems to be a product/software issue. If your phone is still under warranty, you can proceed with the software update.

iPhone 13 Pro Max. Updated last night. Unplugged my phone (at 100% battery) at 7:10am… by 11am my battery was below 30%. I can normally go 24 hours before that happens. Then, I got multiple notifications that my storage was full, and then that my iCloud storage was also full. All this on top of my phone being SO hot, it was uncomfortable to even hold in my hand.

Apple support said to give it a few days. This is normal for an iPhone after an update. That’s news to me, I’ve never had this happen before.

There’s a new version of 17.6.1 out. It’s build 21G101. The automated system will tell you it’s up to date. But there is a newer version.

Apple rarely uses the same version number for a different release. Especially after 2 weeks.

but you should try to update to this newer build. So you don’t have to wait for 17.6.2.