Whether you’re trying to avoid wasting battery power or you need to cut back on cellular data roaming costs, there are plenty of reasons to turn off iPhone auto updates.
The good news is that it’s easy to disable this feature and take control of your iPhone. This tutorial will show you how to do that for both software and app updates.
1. Go to Settings
While auto updates for apps can be a convenient feature, they can also cause excessive data usage, particularly if you’re on cellular data all the time. Fortunately, Apple and Google allow you to turn off auto updates on iOS and Android devices to limit your mobile data usage.
To disable automatic iOS and App Store updates, go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad. Select iTunes & App Store and then scroll down to Automatic Downloads.
Then, under Use Cellular Data, turn off the switch that says “Automatically download iOS updates over cellular data”. This will prevent your device from using your cellular data to download applications and software updates when you’re not connected to Wi-Fi.
It’s also possible to configure your iPhone or iPad to only download iOS updates over Wi-Fi when you’re in Low Power Mode. This will prevent your device from wasting a lot of cellular data when you’re not using it and can improve battery life, too.
Another reason to turn off automatic iOS and App Store updates is if you’re concerned about the amount of storage space they take up. This can be an issue if you have many apps installed that are large in size.
If you do, however, want to keep your iPhone updated but you don’t need to have them take up a lot of storage space, you can quickly disable them by going to the App Store page of Settings and turning off the toggle next to “Automatic Updates.”
2. Select General
If you’re concerned that automatic updates are consuming too much battery power, it’s easy to turn them off. Simply select General from the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and turn off the toggle next to Updates.
iOS software updates are designed to fix security flaws and vulnerabilities found in apps. They also help prevent cybercriminals and malware from getting into your device, so it’s essential to keep them updated regularly.
However, there are a few reasons why you may want to disable them completely. For one, if you’re on a limited data plan, it makes sense to use less of it on app updates. Another reason might be that you have large apps and games that don’t really need to get updated when using your cellular data.
You can also keep your iOS devices from downloading all sorts of unwanted updates by disabling the “Use Cellular Data” option under Automatic Downloads. This way, your iOS device will only use Wi-Fi to download the latest app updates.
Alternatively, you can also activate the “Low Power Mode” to stop your device from downloading and updating automatically. This is useful if you’re using a low-power iPhone or iPad, as it can reduce battery consumption and prevent unnecessary processes from running in the background.
In addition, you can also disable updates for individual apps by going to Settings and tapping General. Under Software Updates, you’ll find a list of all the apps installed on your device.
For most apps, you’ll find that they have a checkmark next to the Updates icon. If you don’t, simply swipe down to reveal the button, and tap it to uncheck it.
3. Select Software Updates
Apple’s iPhone and iPad operating systems are regularly updated with new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. These updates are typically available to all iOS devices at the same time, and can be downloaded by a user via a computer running iTunes.
If you’re concerned about data usage or battery life, you might want to disable automatic updates on your iOS device. This can be done by going to Settings > General and selecting Software Updates.
Then, you’ll need to decide whether you want your iPhone to download the updates only over WiFi or whether you want them to use cellular data as well. This will significantly impact your battery life, so make sure that you have enough space on your iOS device to store these updates.
You can also select whether or not you want to install Rapid Security Responses automatically. These deliver important security updates more quickly, before they become part of a larger update.
Alternatively, you can turn off auto updates on your iOS device entirely by going to Settings > General and choosing Software Updates again. You can then select Disabled or choose an alternative option, such as Turn Off App Updates.
In addition to enabling or disabling auto OS and app updates, you can also opt to let the iOS update process occur overnight when your iPhone is plugged into power. This will give you the best possible experience, as you’ll never have to worry about interrupting your use of the phone when an update is installing.
To select Software Updates, go to Settings and tap the gear-shaped icon that usually appears in the top right corner of your screen. From the menu, select “Software Updates.”
4. Select Disabled
If you’re an iOS user who’s concerned about data use, you may want to disable automatic app updates. This is especially important for iPhone users who rely on cellular data for their daily activities, as the automatic updates can drain your cellular data quickly and significantly.
The auto-update feature in iOS can be helpful when it comes to keeping your device up-to-date and running the latest versions of apps and other software. However, it can also cause problems if you’re on a tight data plan or are worried about battery drainage.
While Apple restricts the amount of data that can be used for updates, you still might end up wasting a lot of your cellular data on these downloads. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to control the amount of data that your device uses for app updates.
One way to limit your iPhone’s cellular data usage is to disable automatic updates entirely, which will make sure that all the downloads are only performed when you have Wi-Fi connectivity available. You can do this by opening the Settings app, scrolling down to iTunes & App Store, and then selecting the Automatic Downloads option under CELLULAR DATA.
Another way to limit your cellular data is to disable app updates that are over 200MB in size. This will ensure that only smaller updates are downloaded on your phone when you have a strong connection.