How can I update an iPhone 5s with a problematic iOS update?

Your iPhone 5s no longer receives the latest iOS software updates and cannot be updated past iOS 12.5.7. You will need to purchase a newer iPhone that run a more up-to-date iOS.

An iPhone 5S can't be updated beyond 12.5.7, it doesn't have the hardware required to run anything higher.

If you need a higher iOS version, you will have to purchase a newer phone.

• 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 15.8.3

• 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 16, you can update to 18.3.1

You can update an iPhone 5s to the latest release of iOS 12 – currently iOS 12.5.7.

You cannot update an iPhone 5s – a phone introduced over eleven years ago, to iOS 13 or higher. That phone has only 1 GB of RAM. No iPhone that can run anything higher than iOS 12 has that little.