5 Things to Know About the iOS 12.4.4 Update

Apple’s released another version of iOS 12 for iPhone and iPad models that weren’t updated to iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.

iOS 12.4.4 is a maintenance update which means it’s a small upgrade for the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, original iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch sixth-generation.

If your iPhone or iPad is currently running iOS 12.4.3, you get the shortest change log and the smallest iOS 12.4.4 download.

If your device is currently running an older version of iOS 12, your iOS 12.4.4 update will be a little bit bigger because you get the changes from any iOS updates you skipped.

With that in mind, we want to walk you through the most important things to know about Apple’s new iOS 12.4.4 update for the iPhone and iPad.

Our guide goes over the iOS 12.4.4 update’s performance, the current state of iOS 12.4.4 problems, places to gather feedback about iOS 12.4.4’s performance, the iOS 12.4.4 jailbreak situation, and more.

We’ll start with our quick impressions of iOS 12.4.4’s performance.

iOS 12.4.4 Reviews

If you’re moving your iPhone or iPad from iOS 12.4.3 to iOS 12.4.4, your update requires a tiny download. It’s around 50MB for most models.

If you’re running an older version of iOS 12, your iOS 12.4.4 download will be larger because, again, the features and fixes from the updates you missed are baked into your upgrade.

If you’re currently running iOS 12.4.3, the iOS 12.4.4 installation should take less than 10 minutes. It took about six minutes to install on an iPhone 5s.

For more on the iOS 12.4.4 download and installation, take a look at our guide.

We’ve been using the iOS 12.4.4 update for several weeks now and here’s we’ve noticed thus far:

Connectivity

• Battery life is currently stable.
• Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable.
• Bluetooth is working normally right now.
• GPS and cellular data are both stable.

Apps

• Third-party apps including Netflix, Dark Sky, Twitter, Slack, Asana, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify are stable.
• First party apps like Safari, Podcasts, and Calendar are running fine.

Speed

• iOS 12.4.4 feels as fast as iOS 12.4.3.

If you’re dealing with performance issues on iOS 12.4.3 or an older version of iOS 12, you’ll probably want to install iOS 12.4.4 right now.

If you need help making a decision, check out our reasons to, and not to, install the iOS 12.4.4 update on your iPhone or iPad.

We’ve published our mini iOS 12.4.4 reviews for iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s so check those for additional feedback if you decide you need it.

iOS 12.4.4 Problems

iOS 12.4.4 is a tiny update, but in some cases it’s having a big impact on performance.

We’re hearing about an assortment of iOS 12.4.4 problems including installation issues, issues with first and third-party apps, abnormal amounts of battery drain, connectivity issues (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS), UI lag, random reboots, and more.

The list is small right now, but we expect the list of iOS 12.4.4 problems to grow as more users move their device to the latest iOS 12 firmware.

If you run into an issue on iOS 12.4.4 have a look at our list of fixes for the most common iOS 12 problems. We’ve also released tips to help improve iOS 12’s performance and tips to help improve iOS 12 battery life. They could help you solve your problem(s) in no time.

If you’re frustrated with iOS 12.4.4’s performance on your iPhone or iPad, note that you can no longer downgrade to iOS 12.4.3. Apple’s stopped signing on it.

Apple isn’t signing on older versions of iOS 12 either so once you move to iOS 12.4.4, you’re stuck there until Apple rolls out a new version of iOS 12.

iOS 12.4.4 Update: What’s New

The iOS 12.4.4 update doesn’t bring any new features to the iPhone and iPad. In fact, it looks like it only has a single security patch on board which you can read about on Apple’s security page. The fix is for a security issue related to the company’s FaceTime feature.

iOS 12.4.4 Jailbreak

You can jailbreak iOS 12, but you’ll want to be careful with iOS 12.4.4.

Jailbreak developers released a jailbreak tool called checkra1n that’s compatible with iPhone 5s-iPhone X. It’s not compatible with newer iPhone models.

If you own an iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or iPhone XS Max, you can jailbreak iOS 12 using the Chimera jailbreak tool. However, your device needs to be running iOS 12.0-iOS 12.1.2. Unfortunately, there’s no way back to those updates.

For more on the iOS 12 jailbreak, take a look at our guide.

What’s Next

Apple’s iOS 12.4.4 was another surprise release for the iPhone and iPad and it continues a nice trend for those left behind on iOS 12.

The company could decide to release an iOS 12.4.5 update or iOS 12.5 update down the road, but there’s no guarantee that happens.

If you’re seeing issues on iOS 12.4.4, you’ll probably be on your own for awhile. And if you want the latest and greatest iOS features, you’ll need to upgrade to an iPhone or iPad model that’s compatible with iOS 13/iPadOS 13.

For more about iOS 13 and its benefits, have a look at our walkthrough. For more about iPadOS 13, check out our guide.

Install iOS 12.5.6 for Better Security

> 1 / 14

If you're on the fence, here's one of the best reasons to install iOS 12.5.6 right away. iOS 12.5.6 has a vital security patch on board and it will protect your device(s) from harm. If you want the details, head over to Apple's website. If you missed the iOS 12.5.5 update, it brought three security patches to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You can learn more about the trio on Apple's security site.  If you missed iOS 12.5.4, you'll get that update's important security upgrades with your iOS 12.5.6 update. If you're interested in the particulars, head on over to Apple's website for more. If you skipped iOS 12.5.3, you'll get its security patches with your upgrade. Both of its patches were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more about them, head on over to Apple's security site.  If you skipped iOS 12.5.2, you'll also get its security patch with your upgrade. You can read more about it over on Apple's website.  If you also skipped iOS 12.5, you'll also get its patch with your upgrade. Apple's outlined the update's patch in detail on its security site.  If you missed iOS 12.4.9, you'll also get its four security patches with your upgrade. You can read more about those right here.  If you skipped iOS 12.4.7, you also get the update's three security patches (two for the Mail app and one for Wi-Fi) with your upgrade to iOS 12.5.6. If you're running software that's older than Apple's iOS 12.4.4 update, you'll want to download iOS 12.5.6 in the near future because it brings iOS 12.4.4's security patch to your device. You can read about it right here. If you're running software older than iOS 12.4.2, you'll get an its patch with your upgrade. You can read about the security contents of iOS 12.4.2 right here.  If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.4.1, you'll get iOS 12.4.1's security patch with your iOS 12.5.6 update. You can read about that patch right here.  If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.4, you get iOS 12.4's patches with your iOS 12.5.6 update.  iOS 12.4 brought 19 security patches to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. If you're interested in the specifics, you can read about them on Apple's security site.  If you're running software older than iOS 12.3, your iOS 12.5.6 update carries iOS 12.3's security patches on board. The iOS 12.3 update brought 23 patches and you can read about all of them right here on Apple's site.  If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.2, you'll get iOS 12.2's security patches with your version of iOS 12.5.6. iOS 12.2 brought a whopping 41 security patches to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You can read more about the iOS 12.2's patches over on the company's website.  It's important to note that Apple's iOS 12.2 update patched up an exploit that allowed websites to use motion sensors to "fingerprint" devices. The exploit, discovered by researchers in Europe, uses JavaScript to snag data from a device's accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer when the user visits an infected website. If the attack is successful, a device can be tracked around the internet.  Fortunately, Apple's patched up the issue. If you skipped it, you'll probably want to move to iOS 12.5.6 soon. If you're on software older than iOS 12.1.4, you get four important security patches including fixes for a widespread FaceTime eavesdropping bug that lets you call someone via FaceTime and hear the audio coming from their phone before they pick up the phone. If you're on software older than iOS 12.1.3, you get some additional patches with your version of iOS 12.5.6. Again, they're baked into your upgrade. Apple lists a grand total of 23 patches on board iOS 12.1.3 and you can read about all of them over on Apple's website.  If you're on software older than iOS 12.1.1, you should install the iOS 12.5.6 update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch today.  The iOS 12.1.1 update brought 17 patches for potential security exploits. They'll will help protect your phone. You can read about them here. If you're running software older than iOS 12.1, you'll get 24 patches from that update with your version of iOS 12.5.5. If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.0.1, your iOS 12.5.6 update brings two additional patches. Both patches are for potential lock screen exploits. Long story long, if you store sensitive data on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you have some really good reasons to upgrade to iOS 12.5.6 today.

> 1 / 14