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iOS 8 Download Times Hit 6 Hours

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The iOS 8 release is here, but if you want to update to iOS 8 today you’re in for a very long wait.

After starting the iOS 8 download right at 1 PM Eastern, there is still a three to six-hour estimated iOS 8 download time on our iPad mini Retina and we are seeing other iOS 8 update problems including the inability to connect to the server to check.

Read: How Long Will the iOS 8 Update Take?

There are already millions complaining that they need 4.5GBs, 5.8GBs or 6.9GBs of free space to update to iOS 8, and it looks like the iOS 8 release date problems are just getting started.

iOS 8 Error can't find the update to start downloading iOS 8.

iOS 8 Error can’t find the update to start downloading iOS 8.

One of the first iOS 8 update problems is that the device is not able to connect to check for an update. This is the worst issue because you can’t even start the iOS 8 download. The iOS 8 error message says,

“Unable to Check for Update An Error occurred while checking for a software update.”

There are options to Cancel or Try again. After several tries we were able to connect and see an iOS 8 update for the iPhone 5s.

iOS 8 download times hit six hours.

iOS 8 download times hit six hours.

Once you connect the iOS 8 download time could be a major reason to not install iOS 8 today. On a fast WiFi connection the iOS 8 download time is three hours on the iPad mini and six hours on the iPad 3. That’s not counting the time it will take you to complete the installation.

While the iOS 8 download time slowly slips by you can continue to use the iPhone or iPad, but you don’t want to leave WiFi coverage. This is not an update you want to download on LTE. If you do need to leave you will be able to resume or restart the iOS 8 update later when the iOS 8 download times aren’t measured in hours.

Some iOS 8 download times are a more agreeable three hours.

Some iOS 8 download times are a more agreeable three hours.

Another iOS 8 download problem we are seeing is Update Requested. It appears Apple is limiting the number of iOS 8 downloads to prevent servers from going down and some users may see an iOS 8 download message letting them know they are in line, but not downloading iOS 8 yet.

If there are too many people downloading you may see an iOS 8 update requested message.

If there are too many people downloading you may see an iOS 8 update requested message.

After a short period the iOS 8 download will start. In our case the download started within 15 minutes, but the iOS 8 download time is an astonishing six hours. Read how to upgrade to iOS 8 for more tips.

You don’t need to install the iOS 8 update today, and there are several reasons to skip installing iOS 8 today. You can check out the iOS 8 features in the video above and in the iOS 8 walkthrough below.

What’s New in iOS 8

iOS 8 vs iOS 7 Walkthrough - Home Screen

iOS 8 vs iOS 7 Walkthrough - Home Screen

We start our iOS 8 vs iOS 7 walkthrough with the iPhone home screen, which is where you'll start your iOS 8 experience after an update this fall. 

These screens are incredibly important as you see them anytime you turn on the iPhone or need to choose an app to launch. There is no way around using them, so Apple needs to make sure they work just right. 

As you can see in the iOS 8 vs iOS 7 comparison above, there is no change between the home screen in the new iPhone software. Apple changed the status bar and some other small visual changes in iOS 7, but there are no updates for iOS 8.  

We could see Apple change the home screen slightly for iOS 8 for the iPhone 6. The new iPhone will feature a larger 4.7-inch display with a higher resolution. This is something Apple may use to add more icons to the screen. Or they could stick with the current layout, it's tough to tell.  

24 Comments

24 Comments

  1. Andrew

    09/17/2014 at 10:45 am

    Already was able to download it. Took less then 5 minutes.

  2. Alex

    09/17/2014 at 11:02 am

    Mine is at 9 hours.

  3. Jordan

    09/17/2014 at 11:08 am

    Yep. I’m at 7 hours on my iphone right now and could only get it to download on my laptop because of space problems. I had to delete all of my text messages, half my pictures, and 2 major apps for that to even START.

    Ugh.

  4. Emily R

    09/17/2014 at 12:28 pm

    Downloaded it, hit the install, looked like it installed, phone shut down, restarted itself, and no ios8 installed, and less free space remaining than before. Fantastic!

  5. Sean Clancy

    09/17/2014 at 12:31 pm

    Mine downloaded in about 6 minutes, after a wait of about two minutes. It’s installing now.

    If you connect to iTunes to do the update you don’t have to delete anything.

  6. BGF

    09/17/2014 at 1:09 pm

    i downloaded exact squat shit … and it took me exactly squat minutes

    sign,

    big thighs

    • Dimitri K

      09/17/2014 at 2:15 pm

      Dear douche,

      Cram it.

      Sincerely,

      Humanity

  7. Mel Burstein

    09/17/2014 at 1:55 pm

    I’ve installed IOS 8 on one iPad and two iPhone 5S. It was much easier to install through ITunes than using my Wi-Fi connection.

  8. Dimitri K

    09/17/2014 at 2:07 pm

    Luckily, I got in and was able to get all the way through the download directly through my 5s. When I got into Settings, it shows iOS 8.0 as “downloaded” and allows me to click Install Now.

    However, after clicking it, entering my passcode and then agreeing to new terms, it says “Software Update Unavailable”. Anyone else having the issue? Is this to be expected with all the attempts to download and install, or is this another issue? Seems odd that it would have issues after a successful download.

  9. Diana G

    09/17/2014 at 2:41 pm

    My iphone 5c is downloading; however the time varies from 5, 4, & now says 7 hours remaining. It’s plugged in to power and wifi. Can I stop the download, if so, how? Can I switch to Itunes during the download process? Lastly, will the process complete if phone is off (timed out)? Thank you for any help. Wish I had found your site first, very informative.

  10. Osahon

    09/17/2014 at 2:46 pm

    Whenever I try to download it ? It says error occur ..what do I do?

  11. Daph

    09/17/2014 at 3:43 pm

    Lol, I’m at fifteen (15) right now and counting.

  12. Christian

    09/17/2014 at 8:08 pm

    Why people even attempt to update their phones on the phone itself and not at a desktop/laptop is beyond me. Not that it doesn’t work out ok for many people but will always be the more risky option; 1) if anything goes wrong with the update then you’re potentially stuck, and 2) if you really do need to clear more space, you can always offload that within iTunes then do the update then reinstall everything. That guy that deleted all of his text messages took a grossly unnecessary step that could’ve been avoided.

    As for the download times, when millions upon millions of people are trying to download the same software at the same time, this sort of thing is bound to happen. Slow download times and patchy availability are bound to happen but it’s nothing to sweat because it’s not something we MUST have today anyway.

  13. noah

    09/17/2014 at 11:24 pm

    Mine just keeps checking it doesnt find anything

  14. klaas

    09/18/2014 at 4:30 am

    mine has reached 37 hours

  15. Maria

    09/19/2014 at 3:15 am

    iPhone 5 At about 8 hours so far and still counting. iPad mini did it in about 10 minutes

  16. aunonomous

    09/19/2014 at 2:31 pm

    I tried to update my ipad mini 17 hours ago, it downloaded fine in 30 minutes but then it turned off. I turned it back on and got a loading screen. it loaded a tiny bit, then I left for around 7 hours, when I came back, it had about as much as it had loaded earlier left to load, I left again this time for like 9 hours and its at the same place. and I cant even use my ipad while its downloading or whatever. and it just stays lit up, for 17 hours straight. it wont respond when I try to click the home and pawer buttons. this update had better be worth it!!

  17. YO VINNIE

    09/20/2014 at 10:58 am

    Tried various times to download IOS8 onto my iPhone 5. Memory space is not a problem. Many error messages. The last attempt I interrupted when the screen said 33 hours remaining to finish the download.

  18. Terry Turnage

    09/21/2014 at 8:07 am

    wth mine says 43 hours….really???? apple send a message that the server is busy but don’t hold peoples phones or iPads hostage for 2 complete days!! BTW I updated all the apps and my MAC before trying and I am trying through iTunes on my MAC. Maybe it is AT&T but I think it is apple.

  19. Dave Munger

    09/21/2014 at 4:07 pm

    Only six hours? I’m jealous. Mine currently says it will take 64 hours.

  20. Dennis

    09/28/2014 at 7:51 am

    My download time was 72 hours. Needless to say it stopped itself during each try. Waiting 10 days and will try again. (for ipad 2)

  21. Dennis

    09/28/2014 at 7:55 am

    BTW, Microsoft taught me never take the first version of anything. I should have known not to even attempt 8.0 and now we have at least two fixes out. Thus, the moral of the story is that the apple doesn’t fall far from the microsoft.

    • Christian

      09/28/2014 at 4:25 pm

      There’s two things I know: 1) Apple should indeed be more meticulous about what they release, and 2) as the company grows, there will always be a new crop of users that aren’t privy to the history of missteps. Nonetheless, it’s baffling to me that so many people are in such a hurry to update their devices with the latest software. You would think that long-time Apple users would know better by now to wait and see how the update is reviewed before they give it a go. It’d be different if the updates were somehow required but they aren’t.

  22. Margaret

    11/02/2014 at 3:45 am

    son did an update on his iphone 4s yesterday and now has lost everything and cant even sign onto icloud either. any suggestions on how to fix.

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