iOS 18 size increased after updating to 17.7

First of all, it would NOT be possible to update to iOS 18.0.1, then to iOS 17.7, so there's no need to ask anyone that question. You can go up in iOS versions. You can NEVER go backwards. And I do understand the size difference and explained that iOS 18 was a significantly bigger update than iOS 17.7.

The 18 update, would have been the same size whether you updated to 17.7 or not. I'm not missing anything here. This is now an academic discussion, and doesn't help you resolve the fact you need more space on your device to download the update. That is your fundamental issue at this point. So, either remove things from the device to free up enough space. Or at least try to do the update with iTunes on your PC. And if none of this works for you, go to your closest Apple Store and they can help you update it for free.

No, Apple doesn't monitor these forums for user feedback. As a level 10 member, we have access to the forum hosts, who have confirmed this as fact.

iOS 17.7 was a minor update, so not as large as iOS 18 or if someone is still on 17.7, they will be directed to updated to 18.0.1. There's a significant difference in the updates and their corresponding size.

iTunes runs just fine on a PC, so you do NOT need to own a Mac at all to use iTunes. You can go out to the Microsoft Store on your PC and download the iTunes App for PC.

oldTirednWeary wrote:

On my iPad the space required to update to iPadOS 18.0.1 leapt from 6.2GB to 12.42GB when I updated to 17.7..

On a 32GB iPad with 15.2GB already taken up with iPadOS and System data that makes it virtually impossible to update to 18.0.1 without deleting Apps and losing data. CAN SOMEONE AT APPLE SORT THIS PLEASE?

You aren't writing anyone at Apple. This is a user to user only forum. There is nothing to sort. If you need more space on your device than you currently have, then you need to delete things you don't need or use to complete the update. Sounds like you need to consider buying a device with more storage the next time you buy one.

You can update it using your computer, which may not require as much space as an Over the Air update does.

See how here --> Update software on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC - Apple Support

Hello~ Perhaps this will help to put the storage issue into perspective…

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support

Also, you are being assisted by one of our most respected members *lobsterghost1*

~Katana-San~

Dear fariz162, wail127, aymanbhrr and those (9) with this 'same problem',

Over the past 24 hours I've successfully updated two iPads (both 7th generation with 32GB Storage Capacity) to iOS 17.7 and then to iOS 18.0.1. It may be because the iPads have a small capacity that no data seems to have been lost, as has been wail127's unfortunate previous experience.

Updating to 17.7 first effectively doubled the amount of space needed to update to 18.0.1 (but not the [extra] space occupied by the update itself once loaded onto the iPads).

So if you are faced with both these updates together, I would recommend skipping 17.7 and updating straight to 18.0.1. This may enable you to update to 18.0.1 without connecting to another computer/using the iTunes workaround.

In my case, I had already updated to 17.7, doubling the space required to update to 18.0.1 from 6.2Gb to 12.4GB. No-one in this thread has explained why this 'doubling' happens.

I have a Windows PC, connected my iPad(s) to it via the Lightning-USB cable and used the iTunes 'workaround' to update my iPad(s) to 18.0.1 : Update software on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC - Apple Support

To do this I first had to download i-Tunes onto my Windows laptop: Download iTunes for Windows - Apple Support

We use our iPads primarily for communication so do not require larger capacity except for iOS updates . I plan to use the iTunes workaround in future rather than making 'deletions' to free up space (usually of videos and photos e.g. by moving them to OneDrive and/or iCloud).

Thank you to all who contributed to this solution and to the 'Apple Support Community Staff' who moderated everyone's comments.

Yes, thank you wail127, very helpful.

in order to solve a space problem you need to back up your device to a Mac computer so you don’t loose any data.

if you use iCloud or iTunes on a windows computer you will most certainly loose some of your data upon restoring from a backup.

the shortest way to keep your data is wait until you find an Mac machine to backup your data (use encrypted backup), update your device and restore from the encrypted back up. This way you’ll have an identical copy of your previous data without any loss.

if you don’t have personal access to a Mac machine, you can find and use one in respected hotel lobby for a small fee.

Apple shop will not assist you to update your device using a Mac machine in their shop, it’s their policy.

if you use any other methods you will most certainly lose some or, in some cases a lot of your data.

I was travelling for a few months on a work trip and bought a new iPhone 15 Pro Max and had to wait for three months before I could back my data to a Mac machine so that I do not loose any of my data.

as far as bypassing an update like from iOS 17 to iOS 18.0.1, there’s nothing wrong with that and you will not loose any data upon updating over air.

I hope you find this info helpful.

[Edited by Moderator]

Here is a link about how to download iTunes for Windows --> Download iTunes for Windows - Apple Support

1. Ignoring the absence of the preposition ('to'), is it really conceivable that Apple don't monitor its users' community fora?
2. Can you explain why the space needed for 18.0.1 updates doubles if one update (17.7) is uploaded before 18.0.1? Do you advise fellow users to update to 18.0.1 BEFORE 17.7?
3. You leap to wrong conclusions:

a. I have never bought an Apple machine; the iPad was a gift.

b. My PC is Microsoft not Apple so your I-Tunes fix won't work for me - Will it? Do you have a fix that will, please?

On my iPad the space required to update to iPadOS 18.0.1 leapt from 6.2GB to 12.42GB when I updated to 17.7..

On a 32GB iPad with 15.2GB already taken up with iPadOS and System data that makes it virtually impossible to update to 18.0.1 without deleting Apps and losing data. CAN SOMEONE AT APPLE SORT THIS PLEASE?

Thank you. The use of iTunes as a workaround, the viability of iTunes on Windows and the link to downloading iTunes to a Windows PC are all helpful.

It's still not clear (at least to me) that you have appreciated the counterintuitive effect of updating to 17.7 before 18.0.1 on the space required to update to 18.0.1.

Maybe you could ask the 'forum hosts' whether it would be better for users - space-wise- to update to 18.0.1 before updating to 17.7? And, if so, why? Thank you.

I'm afraid that you still haven't appreciated the issue given in the title of this chain i.e. 'iOS 18 [update space] size [required] increased after updating to 17.7'.

Yes 18.0.1 is bigger than 17.7 but THE SPACE REQUIRED FOR THE 18.0.1 UPDATE DOUBLES IF YOU UPDATE TO 17.7 BEFOREHAND.

So, for those users who, like me, were faced with both updates simultaneously (i.e. those users in this query) is the advice to ignore the 17.7 update and go straight to 18.0.1. to avoid doubling the space required to update to 18.0.1??

I am in the process of trying the iTunes workaround, thank you.

BUT I'm afraid you are (missing something). I agree that the update would be the same size, but the free space required for the update to occur increases if you update to 17.7 first.

Note that there are a number of other users in this chain who have found this.

I suspect you have never been faced with two updates simultaneously because, from your earlier comment, you have a large capacity machine which updates automatically. For those of us who have to free up space before we can update (often the space required to perform the update is bigger than the update itself), we often find that we have two or more updates to perform.

[Edited by Moderator]

I just successfully used an alternative method of updating my iPad operating system. Under iPad storage/manage storage, OFFLOAD a sufficient number of (the largest) Apps to create the required space for the update. Then carry out the update. Then reload the apps that you offloaded to create the space.

(Offloading retains the data for the apps; do not uninstall.)

‘Simples,’