4 Things to Do After Installing iOS 10.2.1 & 3 Things Not To

If you installed the iOS 10.2.1 update on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch there are a few things you should (and shouldn’t) do now.

In late January, Apple pulled its iOS 10.2.1 update out of beta and released it to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners around the world. iOS 10.2.1 is a small update but it’s an important one and it continues to reign as the most up-to-date version of iOS 10.

Some of you might’ve installed the iOS 10.2.1 update when it first came out. Many others decided to install the update today. Whatever the case, there are a few do’s and don’ts we want to share with you.

We’ve been taking a close look at the iOS 10.2.1 update and many of our guides look at what to do before installing iOS 10.2.1.

This guide walks you through some steps to take, and things to avoid, after you install iOS 10.2.1 on your device.

Do: Test Connectivity

One of the first things you’ll want to do after installing iOS 10.2.1 on your iPhone or iPad is to quickly check all of your connections to make sure they are working properly.

Check your Wi-Fi connectivity. Pair your iPhone or iPad with your most important Bluetooth devices. This is especially important if you wear an Apple Watch.

Head into Apple Maps or Google Maps and try out your GPS. You’ll also want to keep a close eye on your LTE/4G connectivity.

If you use your device to control various appliances in your home (lights, heat, front door lock, etc), you’ll also want to make sure those connections are working properly as well.

Do: Test Your Apps & Services

You’ll also want to test all of your important applications and services to ensure they’re working properly.

There’s a chance an app or a service you use for work or school will start acting up after you install the iOS 10.2.1 update. We hear about weird bugs and Enterprise issues all the time.

If you run into a problem you’ll want to check the App Store to make sure you’re running the latest version of the app. Developers have been rolling out a steady stream of bug fix updates in 2017 and there might be one available for your device.

If you run into an issue with a service you use for work, you’ll want to get in contact with your IT department (if you have one) to see if they can help you fix the issue. If you don’t, you’ll want to find a forum and see if others are experiencing the same issue.

Check these immediately. The last thing you want to do is walk into a lecture, presentation or a meeting only to have your apps and services misfire.

Do: Check Your Important Files

We also recommend performing a quick, or extensive if you’ve got a full device, checkup on your most important files to make sure everything is in order.

In most cases, everything will be there. However, we’ve heard horror stories about precious photos, videos or other files going missing.

Take 10-15 minutes or however long you need to go through everything. If something is missing, restore from a backup, assuming you made a backup before you installed iOS 10.2.1.

Do: Test New Features

If you came to iOS 10.2.1 from something other than iOS 10.2, your iOS 10.2.1 update is full of new features. (If you failed to install iOS 10.2, its baked into iOS 10.2.1.) Some of the changes are small, others could have a huge impact on your daily use.

We’ve put together a list of the best iOS 1o.2.1 features and tweaks. The list includes a new way to monitor your ethernet connections, improvements for “Made for iPhone” hearing aids, new emoji characters, enhancements for Apple TV, and more.

Don’t: Panic If You Run Into an Issue

If you run into an issue with your iOS 10.2.1 update, and many of you will, there’s no need to panic. Chances are you’ll be able to fix your issue in a matter of minutes from your home or office.

Before you make an appointment at the Apple Store or curse out Apple on social media, try and fix the problem yourself.

We’ve put together a list of fixes for the most common iOS 10 problems and it’s a great place to start if you’re noticing weird battery drain, issues with Wi-Fi, or problems with your Bluetooth connectivity.

We’ve also released a guide that will help you improve iOS 10.2.1 performance. Issues like UI lag, lockups and freezes are common, particularly on older iPhone and iPad models.

Even if you aren’t experiencing a problem, there’s a chance you might down the road. Bookmark those resources so you have a place to go if and when you do see a problem on your device.

Don’t: Forget to Report iOS 10.2.1 Problems

If you run into an issue with iOS 10.2.1, make sure you report it.

If you notice a bug or a major issue with your iOS 10.2.1 update, don’t forget to report the problem to Apple. You can do that via its Apple Support account and you can also get in touch with customer service via its website. You’ll also want to report it on the Apple Discussion Forums and its feedback site.

If it’s an issue related to cellular service, you’ll also want to get in touch with your service provider. Carriers like AT&T and Verizon have customer service lines and they also have iOS forums where you can report various issues.

Apple encourages iOS beta testers to send in issues before an update is released and we encourage you to report issues after you install an official iOS update. If you’re lucky or the problem is widespread enough, Apple might include a remedy in an upcoming iOS update.

Don’t: Forget About iOS 10.3

Remember, iOS 10.2.1 isn’t the only iOS 10 update out for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Apple is also cooking up an iOS 10.3 update and it’s expected to arrive in March in April with new features, tweaks, enhancements, and bug fixes.

iOS 10.2.1 users should keep their eyes on iOS 10.3 for a few reasons:

• iOS 10.3 beta performance has been excellent for some users and it might be worth a shot if you’re experiencing annoying performance issues on iOS 10.2.1. The iOS 10.3 beta is free to anyone with an Apple ID.
• You might’ve just installed iOS 10.3 but you need to start preparing for iOS 10.3 right now. The update is bringing some big changes with it including a major file system change and you’ll want to be familiar with everything before you upgrade from iOS 10.2.1.

iOS 10.2.1 could be replaced any day now and it’s important not to have tunnel vision. Monitor iOS 10.2.1 while also keeping an eye toward the future.

iOS 10.3 Release Date Narrows

> 1 / 12

The first thing to get excited about is that you won't have to wait too much longer for iOS 10.3 to arrive for your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. If you're uninterested in trying out the iOS 10.3 beta, or if you're dealing with an maddening problem on iOS 10.2.1 on an older version of iOS, you should know that the iOS 10.3 release date should land in the near future. We haven't been able to nail down an exact date but we now know it'll be out before the end of April. Apple's announced a new Clips application (more on that later) that it's planning to release sometime during the month of April. How does the iOS 10.3 release play into this? Well, iOS 10.3 is required to use the Clips app.  iOS 10.3 is also required to use one of the new features on board iTunes 12.6.  iTunes 12.6 features a "Rent once, watch anywhere" that allows iTunes users to watch their movie rentals across all devices. This feature requires iOS 10.3 to operate, a sign that we're really, really close to a release. If not March, we'll probably see it touch down sometime in early April.

> 1 / 12