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10 Things to Do Before Installing the iOS 8.3 Update

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The iOS 8.3 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is here and that means that right now is a great time to prepare your device, and yourself, for Apple’s brand new iOS 8 update. Here, we take a look at some steps we think you need to take before installing the brand new iOS 8.3 update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

In February, Apple released an iOS 8.3 update into its closed developer beta program. The iOS 8.3 beta confirmed the presence of an iOS 8.3 update but it did not confirm an iOS 8.3 release date. Since then, Apple released several new beta upgrades including an open iOS 8.3 beta available to iPhone and iPad users without a developer account. With the update making progress, many assumed that it would only be a matter of time before Apple got this update out to iOS 8 users.

iOS 8.3 release date rumors recently pointed to an imminent release and lo and behold, they were deadly accurate. Today, Apple finally took the curtain down from around its impressive iOS 8.3 update and it’s now available for iOS 8 users around the planet.

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Apple’s new iOS 8 update comes with tons and tons of bug fixes for iOS 8 problems, improvements to the Emoji keyboard, changes to CarPlay, and a whole lot more. This is a massive update for iOS 8 users and one that many will be tempted to install today, right off the bat. Before installing iOS 8.3 though, we think users need to do a little prep work.

With an iOS 8.3 release date here, now is the perfect time to make the final preparations for the move from iOS 8.2 and below to iOS 8.3. Here, we want to tell you about some steps to take ahead of your installation. These will help to ensure a smooth iOS 8.3 installation process and transition from the iOS update you’re currently on be it iOS 8.2 or iOS 7.

iOS 8 & iOS 8.2 Review

The first thing you should do before installing the iOS 8.3 update is familiarize yourself with iOS 8 if you haven’t already. There are still plenty of people that are lingering on iOS 7 and the arrival of iOS 8.3, and its features and fixes, could be enough to convince some of you to finally make the jump up to Apple’s latest operating system. There are a few ways to get caught up.

You can take a look at our detailed iOS 8 vs. iOS 7 comparison. You can head on over to Apple’s website to learn about the changes and features from the horse’s mouth. And you can read our latest iOS 8.2 reviews. Educate yourself, get acclimated to the changes, and then make a well informed decision.

Get Familiar with iOS 8.3

We also recommend getting familiar with iOS 8.3 before installing the software because there are actually some big changes on board including some tweaks to the Emoji keyboard.

iOS 8.3 vs iOS 8.2: What’s New in iOS 8.3

New iPhone Emoji in iOS 8.3

New iPhone Emoji in iOS 8.3

Apple adds over 300 new iPhone emoji in iOS 8.3. There are new Emoji like the Apple Watch and a new Mac, but most users will focus on the addition of more family choices including more kids, families of two men or two women and now there is an option to change the skin tone of many emoji.

Read: How to Use New Emojis

With this update you can tap and hold to choose the skin tone of an emoji icon for many emoji options and then tap to pick the color option. Tap and hold on a new color option to make it the default.

The iOS 8.3 emoji keyboard for iPhone now offers continuous scrolling so it is easier to scroll through the emoji options and find the ones you want.

The slideshow above offers an overview of the iOS 8.3 update vs. iOS 8.2. Those of you that want to get a feel for the update before installing will want to take a look at that before downloading.

Keep an Eye Out for iOS 8.3 Jailbreak Details

If you’re thinking about jailbreaking your iPhone or iPad and you’re at all interested in iOS 8.3, now is a perfect time to get caught up to speed on the latest iOS 8 jailbreak information.

Jailbreak developers did not release an iOS 8.2 jailbreak and it’s still not clear if they will release an iOS 8.3 jailbreak. For the moment, those looking to jailbreak will want to avoid iOS 8.3 and keep an eye out for new details. We should see some appear in the near future as the smoke around the iOS 8.3 update starts to settle.

Clean Up Your Device

Right now is a good time to clean up your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. While many of you probably did this before installing iOS 8, iOS 8.2, or one of Apple’s smaller iOS 8 updates, some of you may not have taken the time to get rid of unnecessary files. We recommend doing some spring cleaning ahead of your iOS 8.3 install.

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Over the past few weeks, months, or even years, you’ve likely downloaded applications, music or other files that you simply don’t use any more. Getting rid of unused files will rid your device of clutter and also free up some valuable storage space that could come in handy after you get the iOS 8.3 update on board your iPhone, iPad or iPod.

Backup Your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

We haven’t run into any iOS 8.3 problems yet, there’s always a chance that a big update like iOS 8.3 could wreck havoc on your device. Just to be safe, you’re going to want to backup your important files.

Before installing iOS 8.3, you will want to backup all of your files so that if anything goes wrong, the data can be retrieved with ease. This is particularly crucial if you’re moving from iOS 7 to iOS 8 for the first time.

To make a backup, you will want to go into iTunes. The backup process will begin after you plug your device into a computer. If it doesn’t happen automatically, you can force a backup to occur.

To force a backup, simply go into iTunes, right click on your device, and select Back Up. It’s going to take some time for the process to complete, especially if you have a lot of files, but it’s worth doing if you’re moving up to iOS 8 from iOS 7 or if you’re on iOS 8 and you’re concerned about iOS 8.3 problems. This is highly recommended for those of you making the jump from iOS 7.

Gather Your Login Information

If you’re moving from iOS 7 or iOS 6, you’re going to need your Apple ID to get the ball rolling. You’ll also need the latest version of iTunes. If you’re coming from iOS 7 or below or even if you’re coming from iOS 8.2, you’re also going to need your passcode to install the update Over-the-Air.

Make sure you have all of your credentials handy before trying to install. This is important for those of you who are tasked with keeping the device of a loved one up-to-date. Make sure you have their information at the ready when this upgrade arrives. You won’t be able to install the update without a passcode if the device is locked.

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iOS 8.3 will also ask for your iCloud password and you’ll need to confirm FaceTime and iMessage again. The update will also issue a prompt for Apple Pay if that isn’t setup yet.

Charge Your Device

You’ll need to have a minimum of 50% of battery when installing the iOS 8.3 update if the device isn’t plugged into a power source like a wall outlet or a computer. Make sure your devices are charged or make sure that you are going to have access to a computer or another power source before trying to install the iOS 8.3 update.

Update Your Apps

iPhone and iPad users often complain about app performance after the arrival a new iOS update. App performance has been fairly smooth in the weeks after the iOS 8.2 release though there is always a chance that iOS 8.3 will cause some things to go haywire. There’s no way to guarantee a smooth transition but we’ve been able to help our cause by updating our apps with the latest bug fix updates ahead of an update’s release date.

Before upgrading to iOS 8.3, you would be wise to update all of your apps to the latest version, especially if the version comes with iOS 8 support. If you are rocking the latest updates, there’s a good chance that your apps will do just fine after making the move from iOS 8.2 or below to iOS 8.3.

Talk with IT

Those of you who use your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for work would be wise to consult the IT department (if you have one) before installing the update. They might be able to provide you with some valuable feedback, especially if they’ve used one of the iOS 8.3 betas.

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After every iOS update, we always get a ton of feedback from enterprise users running into problems with their enterprise software, with Exchange, and with other features. It happens after every single update and we expect to see similar complaints after iOS 8.3.

There may not be anything your IT department can do about the problems but they might be able to warn you about potential issues ahead of time. If you don’t have an IT department, we suggest gathering user feedback from co-workers and others who install the iOS 8.3 update today or tomorrow.

Look at Common iOS 8 Problems & Fixes

iOS 8.3 comes with a ton of fixes for iOS 8 problems but there’s always a chance that it will bring some problems of its own. That’s why we recommend familiarizing with some of the more common fixes for iOS 8 problems. That way if you do run into issues, you’ll be equipped with some of the steps to take to fix those problems. This includes fixes for potential iOS 8.3 installation errors.

9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. Tara Thralls

    04/08/2015 at 12:25 pm

    I haven’t had enough space on my iPhone 5 to upgrade my iOS in a loooong time! I am currently running 6.1.04! I finally deleted enough stuff so i could get a newer iOS, but I wanted to upgrade to 7, before jumping into 8, but the only option offered when I go to Software Update is the most current version. Is there someplace I can go to get the upgrade to 7 first?

    • Nicholas

      04/08/2015 at 1:14 pm

      You cannot upgrade to iOS 7, Apple places restrictions on what iOS you are allowed to install and they only allow the newest ones, that is what SSH blobs are for. You’re only option is to go directly to iOS 8, but personally id stay on 6, much more stable and better battery than 8

  2. Decent60

    04/08/2015 at 1:46 pm

    Except for supported apps. Some only go back as far as 7

  3. Michael

    04/09/2015 at 12:05 pm

    Upgraded to 8.3 and now when I try to play music using the built in music player it immediately crashes the app :(

  4. jess

    04/17/2015 at 8:09 pm

    IOS 8.3 install

  5. jp

    04/18/2015 at 8:11 am

    When i updated my ipad to IOS 8.3 sometimes it turns to a screen of an apple with a loading bar beneath it but doesn’t seem to finish the installation but after that it waits for a little bit ( sometime longer ) and goes back to the screen of apple with a loading bar on the bottom

  6. Chris52

    06/06/2015 at 9:20 pm

    I am trying to update to 8 on my Ipad 2 but after deleting almost all emails with attachments it indicates I have 4gb on email. In other words it hasn’t acknowledged my deleting from inbox then trash and also Sent box. It looks like it’s spinning as though it were trying to assimilate the info but never does. Ideas?

    • Kim

      06/08/2015 at 7:30 pm

      Not sure, but it is possible that you may have not ’emptied’? Or possibly, if you have copies of email on both icloud and your device, only the copies in icloud were deleted?

  7. Tijo

    06/20/2015 at 11:50 pm

    Hi
    Currently i am using 5s and IOS 7. i have not upgraded to any ios latest version till now. But Now i would like to upgrade to IOS 8.3. Kindly advise me is there any potential problem will face after up gradation or is it worthy to upgrade or should i stick on IOS 7. Kindly reply your views.

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