Here’s How Long iOS 11.2 Beta Takes

The iOS 11.2 beta can be a pretty hefty download, but it shouldn’t take too long to install it, provided you know what you’re doing.

Apple’s first iOS 11.2 beta doesn’t bring the company’s Apple Pay Cash platform, but it does bring some interesting tweaks to the new operating system.

The iOS 11.2 beta is interesting, but the it’s far from perfect. Many iOS 11.2 beta testers are complaining about performance issues, bugs, and other bumps in the road.

Most people are better off waiting for the final iOS 11.2 release (it’ll probably roll out in December), but we don’t blame you if you’re interested in trying the developer or public iOS 11.2 beta right now.

One question we continue to get from prospective iOS 11.2 beta testers is about the download process and how long the beta takes to install on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

There’s no definitive answer. Mileage is absolutely going to vary from person-to-person, device-to-device, but we can help you determine how much time to set aside if you want to download the iOS 11.2 beta on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Assuming you’ve prepared for the iOS 11.2 beta and you’re connected to a fast Wi-Fi network, installing your iOS 11.2 beta could take you less than 10 minutes to complete. If you haven’t prepared, the download and installation process could take a lot longer.

Prepare for iOS 11.2 Beta

Before you install the iOS 11.2 beta on a compatible iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch you’ll want to prepare. If you recently backed up your device and/or checked in with your IT department, you could be on your way in a matter of minutes. If you haven’t done any prep work, you might need to spend an hour or more making sure you and your device are ready.

We’ve put together a pre-installation guide that will take you through the steps you should take before installing iOS 11.2 beta on a primary or secondary iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Making a backup is completely optional but highly recommended. The odds are slim, but we always hear horror stories about photos and other data going missing.

If you backup your files via iCloud or iTunes, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your important data is safe.

iOS 11.2 Beta Download Time

If you’re installing iOS 11.2 beta for the first time your download will be pretty substantial. You’re facing a 1.96GB update if you own an iPhone 6s and a 1.97GB update if you own an iPhone 7.

If you’re using a high-speed Wi-Fi connection, and you manage to avoid trouble, your download could finish up in as little as five minutes. If you’re on a slower Wi-Fi network, the download could take upwards of 15 minutes. You could also see delays during peak hours.

Apple typically releases new iOS beta software on Monday morning (around 10AM Pacific) and you could see slower download times if you choose to upgrade right away.

iOS 11.2 Beta Installation Time

Despite its size, the iOS 11.2 beta installation shouldn’t take too long to complete.

We’ve installed the iOS 11.2 beta on two devices, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s, and both installations finished in under 10 minutes. That’s extremely fast for a beta and an update this size.

That said, most of you will want to put aside 20-30 minutes of time to monitor the installation. Note that your device could restart itself once or twice. This is normal.

For more on the best way to install iOS 11.2 beta, take a look at our walkthrough. It’ll hold your hand through the entire installation process.

Post-Installation

Once the iOS 11.2 beta installation wraps up you might need to spend some time logging into iCloud and any apps and services that’ve logged you out.

You’ll also want to check on your important files and use your core applications and services to make sure they’re working properly.

Spend 10 minutes or so poking around your device for major issues. If everything is good to go, start using iOS 11.2 beta and report any bugs you see to Apple so that its engineers can improve the final version.

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