5 Things to Know About the iOS 17.0.3 Update

Apple’s pushed a new iOS 17 upgrade to iPhone users and the iOS 17.0.3 update delivers a much needed fix and patches for security issues.

iOS 17.0.3 replaces iOS 17.0.2 as the most up-to-date version of iOS 17 and the software is available for all iPhone models capable of running of iOS 17.

The iOS 17.0.3 update is a small point upgrade and it’s focused on improving the operating system. It doesn’t have any known features on board. That being said, most iPhone users should install the software today.

Updated on October 12th update with additional comments about iOS 17.0.3’s performance. This post was first published on Wednesday, October 4th.

In this guide we’ll outline iOS 17.0.3’s changes, offer some thoughts about the software’s performance, go over the current list of iOS 17.0.3 problems, highlight the iOS 17 jailbreak status, and more.

We’ll start with a quick look at iOS 17.0.3’s performance.

iOS 17.0.3 Review

If your iPhone’s currently running iOS 17.0.2, you’ll see the smallest iOS 17.0.3 download size. It’s around 345 megabytes. Unless your iPhone is extremely low on storage, you won’t have to make room for the download.

The precise iOS 17.0.3 download size depends on your iPhone model and the version of iOS it’s currently running. If your iPhone is running a really old version of iOS, you will see a larger download. That’s because iOS 17.0.3 brings the changes from any iOS updates you skipped.

The iOS 17.0.3 installation process shouldn’t take too long and it’ll go much faster than the initial iOS 17 download and installation.

For more about the iOS 17.0.3 download and installation, check out our walkthrough.

We’ve been using iOS 17.0.3 on an iPhone 12 Pro for several days now and here’s what we’ve learned about the software’s performance:

Battery Life & Connectivity

• iOS 17.0.3 battery life is stable right now, we haven’t noticed any abnormal drain
• Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable
• Bluetooth is working normally
• GPS and cellular data are also working properly

App Performance

• Third-party apps including Netflix, Twitter, Slack, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify are all working fine
• First party apps like Safari, Podcasts, and Calendar are also running well

Speed

• iOS 17.0.3 feels as fast as iOS 17.0.2 did and we haven’t noticed abnormal lag, lockups, or freezes

If you’re dealing with bugs and/or performance issues on iOS 17.0.2 or an older version of iOS, you should install the iOS 17.0.3 update on your iPhone today.

If you need help making a decision about an upgrade, check out our reasons to, and not to, install iOS 17.0.3 right now.

iOS 17.0.3 Problems

iOS 17.0.3 went through testing behind the scenes, but the software is causing problems for some iPhone users.

We haven’t run into any major problems with the software, but some iPhone users have. Some of these problems are exclusive to iOS 17.0.3 while others have carried over from older versions of iOS.

The current list of iOS 17.0.3 problems includes abnormal battery drain, Bluetooth issues, Wi-Fi issues, installation issues, Exchange issues, and problems with first and third-party apps.

If you run into a problem with iOS 17.0.3, have a look at our list of fixes for the most common iOS 17 problems. We’ve also released tips that could help you improve your phone’s performance and some tips that could help fix battery life issues.

Apple’s currently signing on iOS 17.0.2 which means you can drop your iPhone’s software back to older software if iOS 17.0.3 starts causing problems.

You can’t downgrade to iOS software older than iOS 17.0.2 because Apple’s closed off the path back to older versions of iOS 17 and iOS 16.

For more about the downgrade process, check out our guide.

iOS 17.0.3: What’s New

Again, iOS 17.0.3 is a small point release that’s focused on fixing issues lurking within the operating system.

Apple says the update provides a fix for an issue that may cause the iPhone to run warmer than expected. This is a fix for iPhone 15 overheating issues that have dominated headlines for a few weeks.

In addition, the software brings two security patches which you can read about over on Apple’s security site.

iOS 17 Jailbreak

If you still jailbreak, avoid the iOS 17.0.3 update.

We don’t expect developers to release a tool that’s compatible with iOS 17 today or at any point in the near future. If you still jailbreak, keep an eye out for new information in the weeks ahead.

What’s Next

Apple’s currently working on a new iOS 17.1 update and the software will arrive later this year. We expect the software to arrive sometime late October or early November.

If you can’t wait that long, you can download a pre-release version of the software onto your iPhone via Apple’s beta program.

For more about the iOS 17.1 update, have a look at our walkthrough. And for more about the iOS 17.1 release date, check out our guide.

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