5 Things to Know About the iOS 17.4.1 Update

Following the release of iOS 17.4, Apple’s released a brand new iOS 17.4.1 update for iPhone.

Unlike the previous version of iOS 17, iOS 17.4.1 is a point upgrade which means it’s a much smaller release for iPhone models compatible with iOS 17.

The firmware doesn’t have new features on board, but is instead focused on patching up under-the-hood issues discovered within the operating system.

This makes it an important upgrade and most iPhone owners should think about moving to the software at some point in the near future.

It’s also worth noting that Apple’s pushed a new iOS 17.4.1 build via the Finder app on macOS or iTunes on Windows. It’s not available through the Settings app. It’s unclear why Apple released the new build.

With all of that in mind, we want to take you through iOS 17.4.1’s changes, provide iPhone users with some thoughts about the software’s performance, highlight iOS 17.4.1’s problems, and more.

We’ll start with a quick look at iOS 17.4.1’s performance.

iOS 17.4.1 Review

If your iPhone is currently running on iOS 17.4, you’ll see the smallest iOS 17.4.1 download size.

For the iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 17.4.1 requires a 356 MB download and it should be in and around the same size for other iPhone models moving up from iOS 17.4.

The update took just about eight minutes to install on our iPhone 12 Pro. If your iPhone is running older iOS software, the installation could take longer.

For more about the iOS 17.4.1 download and installation, take a look at our walkthrough.

We’ve been using the iOS 17.4.1 update on an iPhone 12 Pro for several days now and performance is holding up well. We haven’t run into any major issues with the software though some users are reporting issues.

iOS 17.4.1 Battery Life & Connectivity

• Battery life is currently stable
• Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable
• Bluetooth’s 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 17.4.1 feels fast, we haven’t noticed abnormal lag or lockups

If you’ve run into bugs and/or performance issues on iOS 17.4 or an older version of iOS, you may want to install iOS 17.4.1  on your iPhone today.

If you need help making a decision about the upgrade, check out our reasons to, and not to, install iOS 17.4.1 right now.

iOS 17.4.1 Problems

We haven’t run into any noticeable bugs or performance issues yet, but iOS 17.4.1 is causing problems for other iPhone users.

The current list of problems includes rapid battery drain, CarPlay issues, Bluetooth issues, Wi-Fi problems, Exchange issues, and problems with first and third-party apps.

If you run into an issue with Apple’s new firmware, 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 abnormal battery drain.

Apple’s currently signing on iOS 17.3.1 which means you can drop your iPhone’s software back to older software if iOS 17.4.1 starts causing problems.

You can’t downgrade to iOS 17.4 or anything older than iOS 17.3.1. Apple’s closed off the downgrade path back to older iOS software and it won’t re-open.

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

iOS 17.4.1 Features

Apple’s point updates (iOS x.x.x) typically bring essential fixes to the iPhone and that’s what iOS 17.4.1 has on board.

Apple says the update provides important bug fixes and security updates to iPhone users. The change log doesn’t list the bug fixes by name so it’s unclear what’s on board.

The company’s finally detailed the security patches on board an iOS 17.4.1 delivers two security updates. You can read more about them on Apple’s security site.

iOS 17.4.1 Jailbreak

If you still jailbreak your iPhone, avoid the iOS 17.4.1 update.

We don’t expect developers to release a public jailbreak tool that’s compatible with iOS 17.4.1 today or at any point in the near future.

If you still jailbreak your iPhone(s), keep an eye out for new information in the weeks ahead.

What’s Next

Apple’s working on a new iOS 17.5 update and the software should arrive in April or May.

We expect the company to put iOS 17.5 into beta testing in the near future so keep an eye out as we push away from iOS 17.4.1’s release.

[slides postid=501274]