How to Install iOS 9

This guide will show you how to install iOS 9 on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The iOS 9 upgrade should take as little as 30 minutes to complete, but may take longer during the iOS 9 release date and the days after.

This will focus on an iOS 8 upgrade to iOS 9, but this should work no matter what version of iOS you are on, so long as the device is compatible with the iOS 9 update. Any device that runs iOS 8 can run the new update.

In addition to telling you how to download iOS 9 and update today, we will also help you with a list of things to do before you update. If you aren’ sure if you should upgrade, you need to check out these reasons to update to iOS 9 right now and why you should wait before you install iOS 9.

How to download iOS 9 and install the iOS 9 update.

The iOS 9 release delivers an incredible array of new iOS 9 features that will help you do more on the iPhone and iPad. Siri is smarter, search is new and improved and the iPhone now knows what you want to do before you need to do it in new ways.

The iPad Air 2 also gets a new split-screen multitasking feature, new multitasking features for all iPads and a host of other upgrades and fixes. Check out what’s new in iOS 9 and watch the video below to see the new features in action.

The iOS 9 update is free to install and you can upgrade today without the same hassles as we saw with iOS 8 last year. You need much less space to install iOS 9 than iOS 8, but you will still need to have 1.38GB of free space on your iPhone or iPad to download and install this update.

Make sure you charge your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to at least 50%, as you need this much power to complete the update. You will also need to connect your iPhone or iPad to WiFi as you cannot start the iOS 9 download on LTE or a cellular connection.

The iOS 9 release time is 10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern according to Apple’s patterns and release cycles. Here is what you need to do to download iOS 9 and install the update on your iPhone or iPad.

How to Download iOS 9 and Install the iOS 9 Update

The iOS 9 download should not take hours and hours to install, but there is a chance that it will take significantly longer on the iOS 9 release date as many users attempt to start the download all at once. After you complete the download, you will need to walk through a short iOS 9 installation process where your phone will restart and you will not be able to use it. You can keep using the iPhone or iPad when the iOS 9 update is downloading.

To download iOS 9 you need to follow these instructions. You can do this on your computer or right from your iPhone or iPad. Many users will simply download the OTA (over the air) update that comes right to the iPhone or iPad without plugging in. If you have problems, you can plug in to iTunes to update, which may be faster on the iOS 9 release date, but should be about the same speed any other day.

Use these steps to install iOS 9 on the iPhone and iPad.

There is no need to wait for the small red notification icon to let you know that you can start your iOS 9 download. As soon as 1 PM Eastern arrives you can start to upgrade.

On your iPhone or iPad, connect to WiFi and then follow the instructions below to install iOS 9.

1. Tap on Settings on the iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on General.
3. Tap on Software Update.
4. Tap on Learn More to see more about this update.
5. Or, Tap on Download and Install to start.
6. Enter your passcode.
7. Agree to the terms and conditions twice.
8. Wait for the iOS 8.4 download to complete.
9. When prompted tap Install.

When you are in the process of installing iOS 9, the iPhone will restart twice. This is normal, so you should not be alarmed if the process appears to start over in the middle or if you see a bar that sits at 75% complete for a while. Just wait for the iOS 9 upgrade to complete and do not manually turn your iPhone off or interrupt the upgrade.

After the iOS 9 update completes you will need to proceed through a short set up on the screen to connect to WiFI and possibly you will see prompts about a new passcode, Apple Pay and Touch ID.

How to Install iOS 9 on iTunes

You don’t need to use the OTA option to upgrade to iOS 9. You can connect to your computer and use iTunes to download and install iOS 9. Sometimes this is a faster way to upgrade not eh iOS 9 release day. This also helps if you don’t have much free space on your iPhone or iPad as the download goes to the computer instead of your iPhone or iPad.

You need a USB cable for your iPhone or iPad, a good internet connection and you will need at least 50% battery life on your iPhone and a decent amount of battery life on your computer as well.

Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer and then open iTunes. Click on the icon that opens up your iPhone or iPad in iTunes. If you don’t get a pop up notification you will need to click on a button to check for updates. Here’s how to complete the iOS 9 upgrade in iTunes.

1. Click on the iPhone or iPad icon in the upper left.
2. Click on Check for Update.
3. Click Download and Update.
4. Agree to the terms and conditions.
5. When needed, enter your passcode

Wait for the iOS 9 download to complete and for the iPhone or iPad to restart. You will need to complete some steps on your iPhone when this is done to finish installing iOS 9.

iOS 9 vs iOS 8 Walkthrough - Home Screen

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The image above shows that the iOS 9 home screen looks very much like the one on iOS 8. This is not surprising, but you will notice one major change to this screen.  The new iOS 9 font on the home page carries over through settings and apps. It's surprising how much the look of the system can change with a small tweak to a new font. From the home screen you can now swipe left to a new search screen, and you can still swipe down to Spotlight from any of the home screen pages. When you upgrade you will also see options to add iCloud Drive to your home screen.  Apple adds two new default iOS 9 apps that you cannot delete. Find iPhone and Find Friends apps now come with the iPhone by default. You can hide them in a folder, but you cannot delete the apps. The Find My iPhone app is a very good addition, while Find My Friends is still not as widely used.

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